I'll Mostly Be Doing The Rounds Tomorrow

It would seem that you don't know the answers either. I will keep pondering them myself. I have set myself a mission tomorrow. I'm going to see just how many of the PAW Open Studios I can visit. So many kind invitations from the artists involved, I should just say this now, if I don't get round to you tomorrow I apologize but I have one day off from the gallery and I'll do my very best to see everyone.
I have found my music again. It was a dodgy cable and now I have replaced it with a different one I have music and I am loving it.
I'm going to do the same as yesterday by writing the first half early and the second half at the end of the day. I have to say that I am especially pleased that most of my page views are being generated via my website. That is very good news. I have to get on and update that very soon.
Yesterday I said that I had never used my card machine. I have christened it today with it's first transaction. It was easy all I have to do now is remember to total up at the end of the day.
I need milk for my coffee and I can't leave the gallery as it has been really busy I have put out a request on Facebook for anyone in town to pop in with a pint. May have to resort to black.
It has slowed down a bit this afternoon after getting loads of people through the door. It's probably just as well as I have run out of all my printed info. I am just waiting for a delivery.
I am feeling my lack of caffeine. I can't believe I haven't been saved by a milk delivery.

They Are Not Stupid Questions!

Do you think the depth of a canvas is an indication of the calibre of an artist?
Should canvasses be painted on the edges or left au naturel with incidental paint splodges?
Do you find big artist signatures distracting?
Is it alright to like a piece of art just because it is nice?
These are just some of the questions that I find myself pondering when sat in the gallery. Please do not assume that I know the answers as I do not. I am still pondering them and I may never know.
I think that we were spoilt the bank holiday before the last wedding one as this one is rubbish with a capital R for rain as well as rubbish.
I have been open for 20 minutes and have already had more people through the door than on an average weekday. I am going to write this blog in two halves. Just so that you can get a picture of the whole day as opposed to just first 20 minutes of it.
It is now the last 20 minutes of the day. I was tempted to close early as it is dismal weather and I was sure that everyone who would have wanted to see the show would have been and gone by now. How wrong can you be. There has been a last minute dash it would seem and I've had more visitors in these last few moments of opening than the last two hours with about 15 visitors to the gallery.
I have spent the afternoon drawing and watching my thrillers having a whale of a time. I'm just reading what I have written so far and it's made me smile to see how many times I have written 20 minutes.
Opening again tomorrow so I'll meet you back here then!

Holdin' Foldin' Price Lists Apparently

Another very busy day at the gallery. Plenty of people through the door and absolutely no window smudgers in sight.
I have to admit that a late night followed by having to work is not my favourite thing in the world but I know that ultimately it is a necessary evil. Evil may well be over egging the pudding it's actually been fun.
I have been reading up on my card machine as I am hoping to actually get the chance to use it in the not too distant future.
It has only ever been switched on twice in its life just test whether it worked and to print the test receipt out.
This exhibition has exposed a new medical condition to me. It is called 'pricelistostealia'. This is when people come to a gallery with the express purpose of price list acquiring in mind. The optimist in me hopes that it is because they are going to away and have a really good think about buying a piece of work. My very tiny pessimist monkey whispers that they in fact are having a secret paper airplane competition and the price list paper is exactly the right weight for plane that will loop the loop.
I am in the final stages of my first ever Sunday at the gallery and although I hate to admit and believe me I really hate to admit it as it could potentially negatively impact on my weekend life that I have come to know and love. It has been really successful. I would say that there have been as many people without the PAW brochures as with them. Which could mean that people do like to mooch and pop into galleries on a Sunday which is great. But I do not relish the thought of losing my day of rest.
I hope that you are all enjoying your Bank Holiday and in exactly 25 minutes I'm going go and enjoy mine until I'm back here at 12.00 tomorrow.

I'm In The Money!

Kerching!!!!

Well, we have had the Private View and I am still at the gallery. It was an absolute success. I made £2,000 worth of sales and I am over the moon about that. Everyone who came had a great time and it was so busy. I am very fortunate to have met a whole new crowd of very cool people. The artists that have been through the door have been brilliant. I really want to encourage anyone who hasn't been to this current exhibition to get in the car and come to Swanage and see it.
Just a reminder that the gallery will be open tomorrow from 12.00 until 4.00 and on Monday.
I am off to celebrate the success of the evening and I'll be back tomorrow.

Open All Hours

Jim Hunter

Well, that's a first. Ever since I have been writing my blog there has been one particular blog that has surpassed all others in terms of page views. I am sure that any of you that are regular readers already know which one I am talking about. Sex, sex and more sex. So I started writing this blog at the beginning of September and that has topped my page view chart until today! It has slipped down to number 5. I hope that means people are not continually Googling the word sex and have found better things to do with their time. I live in hope but I am quite willing to bet that over the bank holiday weekend that it will make it back up the to the top.
As much as I love cleaning and I do love cleaning there are times that the repetitive nature nature of cleaning my home and then coming to work and cleaning my business is downright depressing!
I am hoping for a steady flow of people through the door today as people do the PAW tour. I am envious of their time.
I have Jims' Private View tonight and it should be a good evening. I have polished the glasses and swept the floor. So I'm as ready as I'll ever be.
A quick reminder about the Abstract Open, the Private View is going to be on Saturday 11th June so please make a note in your diaries and I hope that you can make it. Hand in deadline will be Tuesday 7th June.
Also another plug for Purbeck Art Weeks, the weather isn't looking too favourable so why not jump in the car and get the PAW brochure and get your fill of art, film and culture for free. I'm serious, there is so much vibrant art work out there that you can access for free and regardless of what the weather is doing.
I am going to do something constructive now and try not to be too envious of those of you who are enjoying a well earned day off.
I am opening on Sunday from 12.00 - 4.00 and the same on Monday.

Lost My Music

I think the sign of a well attended evening is that I didn't have time to write a second blog as I threatened yesterday. It was an excellent evening, Jims' talk was enlightening and Viviennes' questions helped to focus in on exactly how Jim felt about his work and practice. If you weren't there you missed a treat. It was filmed so I am sure that it will appear somewhere soon.
There were so many lovely comments about the gallery, it helps to reinforce my belief that I have done the right thing. I should add at this point there were also fantastic comments about the exhibition. I just have a vested interest in anything pertaining to the gallery.
I am mourning the loss of my work stereo. Just when I was starting to develop a whole new repertoire of Desko my 10 day old stereo gives up the ghost. I just realized I revealed another guilty pleasure without even telling you that it was one.
Ever since I was old enough to listen to the chart show on a Sunday evening, I have a need to have music on whenever possible. I cannot imagine even walking into town without my iPod. It is part of my daily routine. My first car stereo cost more than the car I put in, that should clearly illustrate my point. My brother and sister have had the same addiction. We all have had extensive music collections on nearly every format it has been available on. So my need to have music in my studio is of vital importance to me.
Another Bank Holiday weekend is upon us and I would just like to take this opportunity to let you know the times that I will be opening as it will be a little different from normal.
I will be opening Sunday 12.00 - 4.00, Monday 12.00 - 4.00. I will be opening as usual on Saturday 11.00 - 5.00. I've shortened the days a little as I would actually like to spend some time with my family.
I fear the weather may do us all a disservice this weekend. I am going to do a little Desko sun dance so let's hope it works.
Have a great weekend!

Don't Ask Anymore Stupid Questions

How many times do you think you should reheat the same cup of coffee in the microwave? Answers on the back of a postcard please.
It is interesting when they say that everything happens for a reason. Does that mean absolutely everything? I'm sure there are loads of things that happen for no reason whatsoever. I'll give you an example, one we all know, why does toast always land buttered side down when dropped? Who knows the reason for that? If you're sat there saying it's to do with the weight of the butter, the point is what's the reason? By now I'm sure you are wondering where the Hell this is all going.
What is the reason for me to be woken up ridiculously early every time I have a day off? Come on why does it keep happening? I have no idea.
Well, I had a great day yesterday opened the gallery for a couple of hours and then went to look at some of the artists exhibiting in their homes/studios as part of PAW. I had the pleasure of seeing the artist Magaret Lawtons' work. If you are a fan of abstract art, colour and texture you should totally go and see it. I spent at least £2000 of my imaginary money. Be warned. I have included my personal favourite which is called 'Climb To The Chapel'. I just love it. Check out her website Lawton Gallery http://www.lawtongallery.com/ if you don't find at least one picture that you like I'll be shocked.

Margaret Lawton

I have spent the morning making sure that the gallery is sparkly clean in preparation for the talk this evening. I am going to close for an hour later to go home and prepare the nibbles for later. From what I can gather it should be well attended.
I hope to see some of my readers there that would be great.
I have had even more interest in the workshop side of things so that is looking very optimistic for the future.
I am hoping to spend the afternoon working on some collagraph plates. I have to get printing again I miss it.
I've had some lovely visitors to the gallery today it's always nice to engage in some down to earth art conversations with other artists. It is definitely a perk of the job.
May write another cheeky blog later to let you all know how the talk went, if weren't lucky enough to be able to attend.
My blog title is very obscure today. I wonder if anyone else knows who sang this song?