My year in lists.....

I usually write this blog post on the Sugar Paper (craft zine I co-make) blog, but that has been neglected this year, as has this blog, but the Sugar Paper project is almost coming to an end, so thought I would pass that tradition over.

Reflection isn't always a healthy thing to do, but at this time of year is inevitable, and I often find it a good exercise to do to think of all the things I managed to achieve in the passing year, as sometimes I forget.

So here goes, a list of notable things I managed in 2017, whether art based, work based or just life!

- Played a few gigs wit both of my bands (Whatevers and Yiiikes!) including Yiiikes! playing for the first time under UV light for Bury Light Night!
-Sugar Paper had a retrospective exhibition at Salford Zine Library with a look back at the art of the covers and reasons to craft, all launched with a crafting workshop.
- I did more workshops than I have ever done in 2017, ranging from zine workshops, to felt portraits and creating a diversity banner with young people. And in places like International Slavery Museum, The Whitworth art Gallery, Bury art Museum, for Manchester Pride, Tate Britain, Chelsea School of Art and a primary school in Wigan!
- I made a zine or two (I would have liked to make more!) and tabled at zine fairs across the country.
- Faced one of my hardest months to date in March where I tried to get to grips with my MH, attend Jury Duty and give up crisps!!!!!
- Yep that's right I stopped eating crisps for a month and raised £500ish for The Proud Trust in Manchester
- Day job wise, I got to work at a cool event in London, organise and run a black haircare event in store, deliver some black haircare training and move shops with a mini promotion.
-I got make and show a lot of new art work this year, being part of four group exhibitions and have two solo exhibitions, What, Is She Black Now? in Bury Art Museum and another, featuring almost entirely new works, Brown Girl In The Pit, at Nexus Art Café.
-I tried to give myself time to breathe two and said goodbye to regular band practices and went on a 'hiatus' with music and after almost 6 years being a voluntary arts youth worker, said goodbye to that.
- Made my radio debut speaking about class and gender for Raised By Feminists on Reform Radio.
- Got to be a guest on a panel (with totally rad folk) of other queer artists of colour.
- Came out as queer/asexual and attempted to make a space for ace visibility.
- Did my first solo tap performance at a night called Moondance Menagerie, whilst someone played the Trombone!!!!!
- Another first, was taking a part in the amazing performance of Gut Healing by Amy Lawrence at Portico Library, performance art featuring five WOC.
- Became an aunty* for the third time and an actual aunty for the first time.
*the kinda aunty that is just yr mums mate but you call her aunty.
-Finally got a tattoo of my old cat Ned.
-Ended the year recording a podcast for Poor Lass with co editor and poor lass in crime Em.

And now I'm going to drink lots of tea and sleep and look forward to whatever 2018 brings.
Seleena

Round up!!

I neglect this news blog and when I remember about it's existence, whatever is happening already happened, too busy eating crisps I guess!!

What else have I been up to? well...

I've been working on zines and workshops and a couple of pieces of new work, like this piece that I created for an Alan Menken evening as part of Manchester After Hours...

And this piece, Brown Girl In The Pit, that has been exhibited as part of Girl Gang Manchester's See My Selfie Exhibition and at Decolonise Fest in London...

I've also taken part in an event for the See My Selfie exhibition that saw me life modelling dressed as Josephine Baker (again) as part of a drink and draw evening. I also Whipped out my Poly Styrene dress I made for my 21st birthday to life model at Bury Art Museum as part of their Identity exhibition.

It also coincided with the launch of my What, Is She Black Now? exhibition at Bury Art Museum, which is up until mid July!!

My Rad friend and super artist Alison Erika Forde is also opening up her home as a gallery for an afternoon. So Manchester people can pop down on June 25th to see work by her, me, Kandy Diamond and Lee Crocker!

I finally managed to make it to DIY Cultures and tabling there was a blast. I also tabled at the fanciest venue to date, Tate Britain!!

 

Workshop wise, I've been doing zine making workshops with the Whitworth youth collective and a felt portrait workshop at International Slavery Museum in Liverpool.

I will be doing two more zine workshops over summer, one sees me returning to International Slavery Museum on August 5th and another one for Tate Britain on July 22nd!!!

PHEW!

right off to go work on my favourite issue of Brown Girl yet!!