Fourth Sale And The Sun Is OUT!!

I achieved my target yesterday and I guessing that nobody worked out what it was. I managed to not mention the weather. I have noticed that I do tend to go on about it a lot but I guess that is because my business is so weather reliant.
Another sale today which is always nice for a Saturday or any day to be honest. That takes it up to 4 sales, I am very pleased with that as I think Josh really deserves the success.
I have had more of the work for the next show delivered today. It really is going to be knock out. In a completely different way to Josh.
There are just two more days left of this show and the Textiles show starts next week on Saturday.
I am hoping that as the Textiles exhibition is on for three weeks I will have time to do some of my own work. I have to start to get it framed asap as there is so much of it.
I hope that you are able to make the most of the weather this weekend!

Time Goes By.....Very Slowly

I have set myself a target for todays blog and you will have to guess what it is as I am not going tell you. Last week I was singing the praises of a certain telephone service supplier. I am no longer singing their praises, I am still waiting for my new hub.

It's fine, it's only three days late. There are days that pass really quickly then there's today. I got in and busied myself doing the usual chores. But managed to have them all finished by 11.50 how is that even possible? That was with interruptions so by my reckoning it will take at least 3 days 2 hours and 53 minutes and 24 seconds until the end of my day.
I will have to get on and do something new so that I can distract myself from clock watching.
Taking delivery of some of the next exhibition so that will be a Christmas like experience for me. It always is. The unwrapping of work that I have only seen jpegs of. They never do the work justice so I am always happy when I get the new work.
Josh has just got some other paintings accepted to another big open exhibition this is really good news. Especially for the those who were lucky enough to have bought some of his early pieces. I am convinced that they can only accrue in value.
So congratulations to him and let's hope that he goes from strength to strength.

Drawn To The Sun

I started this morning in glorious sunshine and took my two students who started with me again at the gallery today, to do some drawing outside. We spent nearly two hours sitting by the quay and they produced work that they should be really happy with. A good start to the new term.

Who would have thought that less than two hours later that the torrential rain would drive everyone inside. Certainly not me.

I have been paying my bills and that is just depressing. But on the up side there is still some money left in the bank to do the necessary refurbishments in January.

There are just a few more days left of the current exhibition so if you haven't seen it then you need to come in and make sure that you do.

I am working hard to get all my new ideas up and running. I am planning to have a live webcam feed from the gallery so that people can see all the exhibitions from the comfort of their own home. The idea is try before you buy. If you see something that you like then you can come to the gallery to see it in the flesh.

It's a technical mine field, I've already been reading tutorials and I am still none the wiser. But I will get there.

If You Have Not Seen, It Why Not?

Josh Hollingshead

A catalogue full of minor and major irritations is how would describe the way my day went yesterday. It all started with leaving the house and went steadily down hill from there. I had to pay for my camper van yesterday it is all up and running. That's great! What wasn't so great was when I went outside to get in my car to drive to the garage to pay for it. My car wasn't there. No, it hadn't been stolen it had been sensibly left in town on Saturday night. So a nice jog to work for me.
I also found out yesterday that I have been conned by my electricity board into a 4 year contract. They are total B words.
My windows that I lovingly cleaned on saturday were so dirty that you could hardly see through them. Thanks to the great British weather for that.

On a more positive note the PVwent well, I would have liked more people then don't I always say that. It was catered and I have to say that Trina did an absolutely fantastic job and I was so impressed that I want her to do the for for my PV which she has very kindly agreed to do. If you have never eaten her food before then you really will have to come along and try it.
It continues to be busy at the gallery despite the less than clement weather. Thanks to all that brave the elements to come and see the new exhibition.
We have had the late addition of some large scale drawings that are really interesting and as soon as I have titles and prices then I will get them out on display.
Something new for you to look at.

Come To The Gallery @ 5.00 Today

The window smudgers are out in full force and that is because they all want to get a look at the fantastic paintings that are at the gallery right now. I just love to be up a ladder in my best frock (that was an in joke and if you know me you are smiling to yourself right about now!) cleaning windows.
It has been busy again today so let's hope that it is great evening as well.
People are fascinated by the sheer scale and detail in his work. They are crazily good, I bought some of my friends to the gallery last night to have a look, literally seconds later they all had their phones out and taking pictures to post on Facebook. It is just that good.
Do not worry if you aren't able to see it as he will be back in February showing his newest paintings. They are causing some controversy which I think is fantastic. He has his finger on the political pulse and one of his images has caused such arguments that the selection committee argued amongst themselves for an entire day about it.
I think that is exactly what good art should do. Provoke some vigorous debates amongst the art hierarchy. It's when you know that it is working.
I hope that you are making the most of the sunshine because apparently it is all going to Hell in a basket tomorrow. Just in time for my day off.
I have to visit the dreaded IKEA as all of my tables are starting to bear the scars of the workshops that I have been doing.
Wish me luck as I seldom come out with just what I went in for.

Meet Josh Hollingshead At The Gallery Tomorrow @ 5:00

Over caffeinated is what I was last night. It is amazing what you can achieve when you are fuel injected. I have been haunted by the ghost of gallery Facebook Page past for ages which has meant that instead of posting my blog to the current gallery page it's been going on to a page that at the last count had one like.
That has been the biggest pain, they do not make it easy to delete anything I had to look up how to do it. It is now done and I hope that from now on I just get more likes on that page.
I spent the morning printing and I have to say that I am a bit disappointed with the outcomes. But no change there then. I might like them by the time I look at them next week.
It has been another busy day at the gallery today it just goes to show that if you put up an exhibition that is striking enough then people cannot resist the temptation and walk in.
I am really looking forward to having the PV tomorrow night. There is a competition and you could be the proud new owner of a bottle of wine if you can name the most artists that feature in the painting Impossible Gallery.
I am going to get on and do something else but can I please ask you that if you 'like' the gallery then can you please like it on Facebook please.
I have made this nice and easy just follow the link.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/LArtishe-Gallery-and-Studio/139294739466476?ref=hl

I hope that you have some great  plans lined up for the weekend. The last day of summer tomorrow so best make the most of it if the weather is good.

Josh Hollingshead Continues To Wow Visitors

Back again, it just keeps happening. I was busy doing a printmaking workshop which I have to say went very well. 

Then again I probably say that about them all, I do love teaching so it is a very pleasant way to spend the day.

I am sorry to report that every single last halogen heater that I have bought has died. So what? Well in the autumn chill that is falling upon us I am missing them dreadfully. I have been trying to source replacements but the truth is that they are all a bit rubbish and I may well have to bite the bullet and get some heating fitted.

You know how I am always moaning about how rubbish BT are.... well they are. But in true contradictory fashion they have actually done something good for me today. They have given me my broadband package and a new hub for £16 a month with 2 months free broadband and 2 months free line rental.

I am very pleased with that as I was paying £10 more a month for broadband. make the most of this praise of BT because it will not probably be happening again any time soon. 

I also have had a quote about replacing my front window! Bang!!! There goes my holiday!

So it's the PV for this show at the weekend and I really hope that as many of you as possible try to attend. It should be good. Come and meet the artist and have a glass of wine.

Josh has had one of his paintings selected for the Chichester Open and the same painting has been nominated for a prize which is truly excellent news. He is definitely someone to watch. I believe he is capable of great things.

Josh Hollingshead At The Gallery Now!

The little guy is how I feel when stood next to Josh's Paintings.

I told you that they were big didn't I? Well they are the biggest pictures that I have ever hung. We could only fit 7 in, just. It was a tight squeeze. But does it look good? It looks amazing.
Luckily, I had Josh there to help me because there is no way I could have hung this exhibition on my own. If you want to be amazed then come and see it. It is truly epic and I can't wait to spend some real time looking at it.
I am thinking about running a competition as one of the pictures is of a gallery and it is filled with tiny reproductions of famous paintings.
The person who gets the most will win a bottle of wine.
I will be open tomorrow, but if you fancy a glass of wine and a shmooze then come along on Saturday to the P.V.
I have still got a ton of work to do and I have bought it home with me to do as people kept interrupting me.
But I just had to let you know how it went. I totally notice the difference when I don't write my blog. My readers all but disappear, but as you know there is just me at the gallery and I do everything.
Tomorrow I am teaching a printmaking workshop so another busy day ahead. If there is an absence of blog you will know why.

Out With The Old And In With The New!

I just get overwhelmed with work and then I can't write my blog. The positive thing is that I have been doing my own work. I finally got down to it. I have made paper and printed on it this week. I have to say that I am really happy with the results.
It has given me the much needed boost to get on and get the work for my exhibition produced.
This is the last day of the Graeme P exhibition and then there is Josh Hollingshead. I have to say if you want to see something completely different then his show is an absolute must see.
You will never see work on such a large scale with a level of detail that is not dissimilar to Heironymous Bosch.
I have included one called Moscow, the image is at least 4ft by 5ft it is huge. The jpeg does not do it justice.
But it does give a taste of what it is like.
I'm going to whet your appetite with another one.

This is just a detail of the image, again this is painting on a monumental scale. 

The PV is next Saturday and I urge you to come along as you will not be disappointed. 

I hope that you are having a great weekend and are able to enjoy the late summer sun. It's a stunner out there.

Not Much Time To Sit Down

It's always eventful and why should my day off be any different. I am in the process of formalizing my official ownership of the gallery, well the bricks and mortar. Scary stuff, but two years in and I think that it's about time.
So solicitors meetings, letters, searches and lots of other pointless but expensive things later in about a months time I'll be a grown up business and premises owner.
It has been a busy day for me but the gallery not so much. Enough to be not dead but quite quiet.
I went to select some paintings at Josh Hollingsheads yesterday as he was lucky enough to have four of the paintings that I had previously chosen selected by an Open Exhibition. I wish him the very best of luck.
I received my Trip Advisor recommended business sticker yesterday and I am proud to say that it is in the window already. So if you would like to leave me a stunning review then I would be very grateful.
I have spent the afternoon making paper and then printing some new images. I am really pleased with the outcomes but you will have to wait until March to send them.
Anyway, I have still got other jobs to do so I'm offski!

Josh Hollingshead Coming Soon

Another week is upon us and if you are wondering why I have not written a blog in a few days it's because I was at Bestival on the Isle of Wight. It was great but I have come to the realization that I may be too old for such a big festival. I was extremely tired on my return and I still am playing catch up in terms of sleep but it was worth it.
In my absence Shirley sold my favourite picture by Graeme Perkins and it's the one that was featured on the poster.
That was a nice thing to return to yesterday morning. It would also seem that there are far more people mooching around and visiting the gallery. That hopefully will result in a few more sales.

But I have to let you know about what is coming next and that is Josh Hollingshead. He paints these crazy pictures that are epic in scale and detail. You need to see it to believe it. The PV for this exhibition is on Saturday 22nd September and it starts at 5.00.
Please do come along and support Josh with his first ever solo exhibition.

Naked Birds

A while ago I told you that I was going to start writing to artists to try and get them involved in future projects well that is what I have been doing today. I am on a roll and I intend to get a lot more written before the end of today.
I am not however, going to hold my breath, as my own imminent death is not on my list of things to do. It is however an opportunity for artists to give something back to the people who made them famous in the first place.
I have placed the moral ball firmly in their court now. I will obviously keep you updated on how I get on but for now I will keep the names out of my blog as it won't get me anywhere to start talking about them just yet.
On a completely different note, I am forever struggling to get current exhibitors to do what they said they would do. I know that it is difficult and how year long deadlines suddenly loom like they were only set last week. But seriously people you have to do your jobs so that I can do mine.
If you like drawing why not go and draw something today and think about entering into the Drawing Open that will be taking place at the gallery in April.
You will hopefully be in good company. I may even submit a drawing myself. Who knows. I do have to get my act together for my own exhibition in March and the working title for that is 'Naked Birds'. So if you fancy coming along and ogling some naked birds then you know where to be and when.
I hope that you are managing to enjoy this late summer sun. Better late than never I suppose, you try telling that to all the school children and teachers who are all heading back to work in the glorious sunshine.
I am going to get back to my groveling letter writing. They are not too brown nosed, just sufficient to communicate that their work is brilliant (ish).

It's A Stitch Up

Jenni Cadman

Yvonne Morton

Patricia Forshaw

I just thought that you would like to see what is coming next to the gallery after Josh Hollingshead. There are some truly beautiful pieces in this exhibition that incorporates textile art in a rich variety of styles and applications.

I hope that you can make it along to see this exhibition.

There are workshops coming up in Watercolour and Printmaking get in touch if you are interested.

At The End Of The Day

If you are wondering where I have been then the answer is nowhere. I have just been busy doing a variety of gallery related things that have made me too busy to write my blog.
I hope that you have all had a good Bank Holiday, it is always nice to have a short week when you get Monday off. Although as you know I was working.
It has been a strange week as I have had some fairly strange things happen. An angry person wanting to rip their work off the walls. Being called greedy for wanting 35% commission. Oh they should try running an art gallery in a recession. They would probably be charging 50% on sales if not more.
But no more whining it's Saturday and the sun is out.
I have Graeme P's exhibition up now and it has been attracting lots of window smudgers. That same old story of the open door that nobody wants to walk through. there are some really good pictures in this show that have been made using a variety of very interesting techniques.
It's picked up a little since I started writing this so let's hope that it continues to.
If you hear someone say a certain phrase more than 100 times in one day does that allow you to poke them in the eye?
Let me know what you think.
Some workshops are coming up this week and next week and there's room for few more if you are interested get in touch. Papermaking and printmaking are what are what is on offer.