Wendy Wharam Continues To Rock!

I am going to attempt to write my blog in the quickest time ever. I wonder how many spelling mistakes and grammatical errors will go uncorrected. My guess is plenty.
Well I am back at the gallery today and I have to say that Wendy has been doing a sterling job of looking after things in my absence. Between her and Shirley I could probably get away with many more days off. Please don't think because I am not technically in the gallery that I am not doing all my gallery related work because I am.

The lady on the left is Wendy and this was taken at her Private View

The sun is shining and I badly want to be outside but I am stuck indoors again. So Wendy sold another three pieces today. She really has had a really successful show. She is so deserving of the positive response that she has received.
This show ends in two days time so if you haven't seen it then I would try and squeeze it into your busy schedule.
I am going to have a regular little slot in a magazine soon which I don't have to pay for which is great. I will let you know more when I have the details.
The other thing that I should mention is that Galleries magazine is out and I hope that if you get your hands on a copy that you will look for my advert.
I have been working on my advert for the Royal Academy magazine today. I am nearly pleased with it. But it may need a few tweaks before I send it off.
I am still fighting a losing battle at the moment that I can't really go into at the moment. But I have decided that I will take the moral high ground and hope that my belief in karma is well founded. I will do good things and be nice to people who are not returning the favour. We shall just have to wait and see what happens.
I hope that those of you who are able to be out enjoying this lovely sun are....and spare a thought for all the office bound bods like myself who will grab the tail end of the day.

What Time Is Silly O'clock?

I am now sat down drinking a cup of cranberry and range blossom tea. How very civilised of me. That does not remotely reflect the kind of day I have had. I've told you all about the poorly cat well my well cat has started to wind the poorly one up just for fun. That's just not nice but apparently he thinks miaowing outside the door that Merlin is trapped behind is somehow going to help. He is very wrong.
I am totally over sleepless nights. The other thing is I seem to be spending my life waiting for people that never come or who are so ridiculously late that their original arrival time could technically be classed as the day after.
The blind man never showed up even though I was up at silly o'clock to let him in. I am worried that he may have an issue remembering things. I am going to suggest writing things down maybe in some form of list! I hope that is not wasted on you. The cooker did turn up after they phoned me at silly o'clock to confirm its delivery. Just clarify what time silly o'clock actually is. It is ANY time that I am actually asleep when the phone rings. I think that you now get the picture.

At the gallery Jan Dagley brought me enough work to have a one woman show in one of the rooms at the Tate Gallery. I am not sure where she thinks I am going to put them. I told her straight today I will not over hang!!! By that I mean less is more, if you make the stupid mistake to fill every available space you will find a dark gloomy gallery with a deeply oppressive vibe going on.
So yesterday I told you how mushroom soup and modern technology is not a match made in heaven. Still true today. For some reason best known to the deities I managed to spill a jar of bright orange white spirit everywhere this morning. Firstly, I have no idea why it was bright orange and secondly why is it so bloomin' greasy? Very annoying.
Wendy was at the gallery for the afternoon whilst I continued to paint and cat sit. She will be there all day tomorrow and I will be working on Thursday and she's doing Friday and Saturday. If you fancy coming along this weekend you should as she will be there to answer any questions that you might have.

Spills and Thrills

My Spill was uglier

A week has passed since my last blog. I have not been at the gallery much as Wendy has been gallery sitting. That does not mean that I have been sitting doing naff all. When I'm not working I'm working. I have been decorating at home.
I have been ferrying poorly injured cat to the vets and generally been busy doing stuff. The big black bully cat has just been wreaking havoc in the lives of my cats and my bank balance. Seriously can't afford £200 vet bills. Good job they are all insured.
Wendys show at the gallery continues to be a great success. She is really something she has gallery sat virtually every day and has sold plenty of paintings. I have got to hand it to her you would never ever know that she is very nearly 80. If I have that kind of energy by the time I'm 50 I'll be impressed.
it is now in it's last few days and like always say you really should come and see it before it goes. Don't blame me if you miss it.
I have plenty of sagas that I could bore you with. Like the mushroom soup fiasco. Apparently it is not a good idea to knock it all over your keyboard, mouse, masking tape, stapler etc. I think you get the general idea.
Fast forward one packet of anti bac wipes and a sticky floor later and everything just smells lemony fresh. well I should have shut 10 minutes ago so I'm off.

Selling Art Is Why I am Here!

Well, that was a turn up for the books. Saturday night was so very busy that we ran out of wine and red dots. I have to say I told you so. I did tell you right? I said this show was really good and it is. The amount of sales we had bears witness to that. I have heard about the fact that there are at least another two sales in the offing. I am really happy about that.
You should come and see it before it gets sold out. It is really that good.

If you are interested in meeting the artist at her exhibition she will be gallery sitting tomorrow afternoon, all day Saturday and all day Monday next week. I would suggest it as Wendy has lived such a colourful life you will learn a lot from a chat with her.
I have spent the day doing choredom and I am pleased to say that I have worked my way through my Monday list of things to do. I am reading a book at the moment and it is called something like 'Organize your mind, organize your life'. It basically says that it can help you to stop writing lists and get more than before accomplished. We'll see, I've only managed to read the introduction before I had to stop and write my Monday list of things to do. Seriously, that's what happened!

Wendy Wharam Rocks! Fact

I will manage to post a blog today in spite of the fact that a Private View is taking place as I type. I am hiding in the office as it is really Wendys day/night. Her show looks stunning. It's amazing what happens when you put paintings on a wall. They are transformed into something magical. They become full of a new kind of life that whilst resting on the floor, or stacked up against the wall they just don't have.
It's quite a nice thing to do for a living when you think about it.
Well I wish that every blog I wrote that was interrupted, was interrupted by three sales. I told you it was good.
I am most pleased as is Wendy. Best get off and serve some wine!

Ups and Downs

So where have I been? There used to be a stock response that involved Jack and some directions. Needless to say I wasn't there I have just been busy. I have worked every day and it will be the same again today. But what I thought that I would is to get in early today and write my blog before I even leave the house.
I have had a roller coaster week there have been definite highs and lows. I'm not going to go into the lows  in detail because you have to focus on the positives.
So here goes a bullet point list of them.

• I got paid
• I didn't get paid
• The exhibition came down
• The exhibition hasn't finished going up
• I ordered the wrong glue sticks
• I ordered the right glue sticks
• A great artist has agreed to stay up for an additional week
• I have been called  'greedy'
• My internet has been up
• My internet has been down
• People have expected something for nothing
• A friend told me they were proud of my achievements
• I designed a great advert
• They designed an ugly advert
• I'm on a self imposed caffeine ban
• I am super sleepy
• I keep ordering the same thing for my kitchen
• They keep selling it to me even though it's wrong (no wonder it's called a baffle)
• I was provoked and wanted to be very rude
• I bit my tongue and we'll see what happens
• I've been ill
• I am better

They are just a few of the things that happened this week. It is quite cathartic to write it down. 

New show starting on Saturday. It's Wendy Wharams and it is looking really good so far.

The Sounds of Sirens!

Sirens Vs Seagulls

I woke up this morning to the sound of seagulls and sirens. What a weird soundtrack to a Monday morning. I have no idea why there were so may sirens the seagulls on the other hand are self explanatory as I live at the seaside.
I feel surprisingly chipper today, considering my many friends tried to ensure that would not be the case. I've scrubbed, polished, swept and hoovered at the gallery. So it is all looking nice and clean. If I had a pound for every time someone said 'you should get a window cleaner to do your windows' I could afford to get a window cleaner to do my windows. Fact!
We are entering the last days of the current exhibition and then it's going to be Wendy Lalla Warehams turn.
She is such an interesting person that has lead a truly inspirational life. It is a great honour to be hosting a retrospective of her work.
She has written poems that can be taken away from the gallery for a donation to the Marie Curie Daffodil appeal.
I have a donation box and plenty of daffodils left so I'm hoping to raise some serious money for a really good cause.
What else can I tell you? I can't really think of any gallery related news other than I updated my website today to include my terms and conditions. They are a right riveting read to use alliteration.
Well the internet just went down and now it's back up. It's never dull on a Monday.

I Managed To Open Anyway!

Well I had every intention of not coming to work today. Especially as I felt a little fragile this morning. I went out with the full contingent of Friday Club for my birthday drinks. I went out with £20 and came home with £18. I have no concept of what I spent £2 on.
I had a nice lie in and bacon sarnie and managed to struggle down and open up.
I thought I may as well sit and be gormless at the gallery, I just changed locations.
I thought that I was going to be worse than useless but I actually wrote my new terms and conditions. Wow, the exhibitors are going to be shocked as I am tightening the rules. I have been very laid back and have been quite generous with my time. But it has come to my attention that the more you do for free the more people expect FOR FREE.
There seems to be a form of insanity, where people think that I can do excessive amounts of work for absolutely nothing. I am guessing that  they would not be willing to work for free so why do they expect me to.
Anyway, I am going to close the gallery now as my good intentions have resulted in 3 solitary people through the doors.
Enjoy the Spring sun and the rest of your weekend! My birthday tomorrow so I shall be celebrating it in a much more refined way with a nice lunch with friends.

What A Stitch Up!

I may well have broken the back of my eternal list of things to do. It has taken me all week but I think I have finally completed it. In light of it being my birthday weekend the next list will not be started until Monday 12th March.
I have sent invoices, emails, press releases and anything else that has required sending. Including sending myself nearly round the bend with me stupid workload.
I was determined to spend today doing my own work but it has gone 2.00 and if I had any plans of printing today they are filed in the 'never gonna happen' box which lives at the gallery.
I am pleased to announce that the textiles show is a definite go. I have got same great textile artists lined up including a new kid on the block who is just at the start of her professional career Eleanor Cartwright.
I have also got Yvonne Morton, Justin Smith and Jenni Cadman in that exhibition. They are at the cutting edge of textile art so I am really pleased to have secured them for this exhibition.

Jenni Cadman

Yvonne Morton

I like to support the youngsters as I was one once. I remember only too well lugging my portfolio to galleries in the vain hope that they would think my work was good enough to grace their walls. It can be so soul destroying.
I relish my new position of being able to guide, support and promote these artists. How the tables have turned.
If you are reading this and thinking I wonder if I would put  your work in the gallery. The answer is you have to be in it to win it. Come and see me and if I can help you in any way at all I will.
I would also like to mention that Mark Lloyd will be having an exhibition in October. If you like urban contemporary art then you should definitely come and check him out. He's got work in the gallery right now so see it before it goes.
The current show will be ending on Wednesday!
http://lloyd-fineart.com/
I hope that you have a great weekend I know that I intend to.

Gallery Shmallery!

I bet you can't guess what I have been doing today? Working my way through this stupidly long list of things to do that all involve me sitting goggle eyed in front of the computer. I may well be over the whole 'computer' side to my job. It is dulllllllllllllllllll.

I managed to still be at work until 7.30 last night at the gallery. Who says writing press releases is boring. All I can say is three is my lucky number because the third time I'd written it I got the nod of approval. Phew! 

Well, I did tell you that it is my birthday weekend and I am planning the celebrations. Low key because past 40 there really isn't anything to celebrate. It's more an acknowledgement thing. A quiet nod to the passing of time and the fact that you made it through another year.

As always there's some good exhibitions coming up so I hope that you will come and see them. You know you want to.

No Rest For The Wicked!

I Love This Drawing

Day Off!!! What is that then? Apparently the loose translation of that is 'not leaving the house and sending emails and doing computer work in your pyjamas'. My neighbour is banging and crashing downstairs, removing a wall or something equally big.
I thought I'd do a quick blog as it was on the massive list of things that I had written to do. I am not a fan of the depressing RSPCA, Children Dying, Things in general dying adverts on Sky TV though. But no need to worry because for just £2 a month you can reverse all of their fortunes. I am not convinced. The downside of working at home with the television on.
But I am considering my life insurance policy because I really do feel the need for a new Parker pen. I don't think you can ever have enough Parker pens, can you?
I also should let you know that I will have to actually go to work later as I have deadlines that I have to meet and although I would love to continue to lounge around in my comfy pyjamas today is not the day.
I can hear 'Coffee number two' calling me so I'm going to go and make it.
Checkout the new bit on my website www.lartishegallery.com The calendar of events on the far right hand side.

A Little Bit Of Everything

I have tried to get my head around advertising nationally today! There is only so much of my head to go around. I think it may just about be run out. Wow, to think that you can't just write 'Come and see this exhibition it's going to be wicked!!' Apparently, there's a need for words with more than one syllable. I have sent a draft copy to someone who knows about these things and I now await the huge amount of constructive criticism to be heaped upon me. I should add that I don't relish the idea of that much. But I think it is a necessary evil if I am ever going to get good at these things.
To say yesterday was a good day would be an understatement. It just kept getting better. I wrote to the Smedmore Estate to tell them about the Kimmeridge Open Exhibition last week. I got a letter and an email in response and it was all positive. It looks like they are going to help to promote the exhibition and hopefully send a representative to the Private View.
Artists who don't want advertise who decide at the last minute that they do, may actually be shortening my life.  I think that I need to get some terms and conditions written up to get people to sign when they hire the gallery. Any last minute adverts designed by me will incur an additional charge of £75 for my time plus the cost of the advert.
It is also the most tedious of jobs to do. Cramming way too much into a space that is way too small that takes way too long is how would describe the designing of adverts.
On the plus side there is nothing that makes the time pass quite so quickly than swearing at a computer screen and growling when pictures inexplicably move from one place to another with no warning.
So the next exhibition will soon be upon us so let me plug it some more.

This will be a really diverse show spanning a very interesting creative life time. You should make sure that you see it.

The Happiest Of Mondays!

Today is the day to give thanks for the good people in the world and there are many! I mean genuine, nice people who are modest about their achievements and are quick to praise the talents of others. Who think nothing of lending a helping hand in anyway they can. I think we all know people like this and I think our lives are all a little bit better for having known them. So a big thanks to all of them!
I have had a great day (for a Monday). I have been super productive and have also had nice conversations with some fantastic artists.
Sheila Girling came by to drop off some prose for my press release and have another look around the gallery. She noted all the changes since her last visit and was getting a good idea for what she intends to show in May.
We were joined by Anthony after he'd parked the car and we then chatted about my work, which was amazing. They had a good look through my sketchbook and thought it was great. Really enjoyed hearing that. I cannot believe that these two big hitters in the art world were looking through my work.
Then Brian Bishop and Bonnie Brown popped in to give me helpful shoves in the right direction as far as publicity goes. I am very lucky to have the support of some really great and talented people.
I wish every Monday morning could start in such a lovely positive way. I would definitely look forward to them a bit more.
Who would have thunk it people like my skull drawings. Good job too as there are plenty more incarnations of them to come in the very near future.
I'm trying to think if there is any other gallery news to tell you. I don't think there is really I am just busy working through my choredom as usual.
Have added a calendar of events to the website that you might like to check out. I am hoping to get my own website finished at some point this week. as soon as Murray Lambert delivers my photographs.

Telephonophobia! It Does Exist!

First things first! This morning whilst waiting for the hairdryer to cool down and trying to multitask generally my work phone rang.  Two things about that, firstly I had to pat myself on the back for not having it on silent and secondly who was phoning me on a Saturday morning when I was due at work within the hour.
I am always a little cautious when I answer my work phone as I'm lame like that. It was Sheila Girling!!! I am surprised I managed to get two words out. I am still in awe and shock that she will be showing at the gallery. She's coming to see me on Monday. Those of you who actually know me, can you guess what my first thought was? If you've been following my blog for any length of time I think you could also hazard an educated guess.
I best get down there and clean was the thought that flew into my head. Not that I need an excuse but......within minutes of arriving at the gallery I was on my hands and knees cleaning the floor. I've dusted, hoovered and generally tidied round and it looks all lovely.
I thought I had better get this written now as I'm only at work for another hour.
This time next week it will be the eve of my 42nd birthday. Where has all of that time gone? I think that that the last two years only took about 6 months to pass. Seriously, people say that as get older time speeds up. People are right. Curiously, I'm also convinced that nights have got shorter. I don't think for one minute I am going to become one those people who as they get older sleep less and less. If that does happen it will not be through choice.
I am hoping that my choice of birthday present will get me lifelong membership into the 'Nerdy Geek Squad'. I really want a USB microscope. I want to look at things close up. I hope that I am not preempting some need for glasses to see small stuff as grow more decrepit. Although I always wanted to be a glasses wearer, don't ask me why. I was suitably bullied at school without adding glasses in to the equation. Maybe I was already embracing my inner nerd.
I hope that you have a great weekend planned. Don't forget there is the Blues Festival in Swanage and the weather over here at the moment is looking pretty good.

Lose Your Winter Blues! Enjoy Some Blues!!!

If you are an artist and you get stuck with painters block or any kind of block. You should go and have a chat with Jan Dagley. I had to help her select work for her exhibition at the gallery in April. She has enough work to fill the gallery at least 10 times over. It's crazy, she is one prolific artist. It should be a really great show.

I have been sending so many emails it is just crazy. I have to say mostly people who I have had to contact have been lovely but every so often there is one person who rubs you totally up the wrong way. It is strange how the written word from someone you've never met can do that.

I am going to be the bigger person but that doesn't come easy.

The gallery will be opening up early tomorrow as the Blues Festival is in town and Shirley will be looking after things for me at the gallery.

I am hoping that it will be a beautiful spring day and that the hordes descend on Swanage to enjoy some good music and maybe some art too.

We 3 Rings From Coventry Are!

If the phone rings before noon I'm not answering it! That would be my mantra if I didn't own my own business. Suffice to say whenever the phone rings I answer it. Even if it is to hang straight up again as the automated voice says 'Many people were wrongly sold PPI ad infinitum!' On the plus side it makes me look like I'm in demand when the phone constantly rings. On the minus side it also looks like I have had a manners bypass when I hang up straight away after cheerfully saying ' Good Morning L'Artishe Gallery'. Oh well, don't sweat the small stuff.
It's gloriously springy outside and guess what? I am still sat in the gallery with my 'new' halogen heaters on full blast. I may or may not have mentioned this before. I used to be fat(ter), how is that relevant you may well ask? When I was more adequately packaged I very rarely felt the cold, now I'm more moderately packaged I'm bloomin' freezing all the time. Ladies, there is a lesson in there somewhere. Maybe I need a blood transfusion from someone from up north as apparently they can be scantily clad all year round regardless of the weather. Or is that an urban myth?
So I have designed my advert for Galleries magazine it only took me several hours. I am working to the fact that the best things come in small (but expensive) packages.
I am going to be doing a Printmaking workshop at Purbeck School in a couple of weeks time. Quite excited about that.
I have designed an interim whet your appetite poster for the Kimmeridge Open, and I'd like to thank Tom Wishart for very kindly letting me use the pictures he's the owner of the photography company One Thousand Words. Follow this link if you are interested.
http://www.onethousandwords.co.uk/

I suppose that I better get back to it as my lists are not shrinking as quickly as they should.