Geek Artists Are Us!

Fundamental - Josh Hollingshead

It's up and looking great just one more day until you can see the new Josh Hollingshead exhibition. I have spent the day with Josh getting his exhibition hung and we both realised that we are both art nerds. We both get caught up with the minutiae of the materials that we work with and are fascinated with nature of how things behave when applied.
I only have one other friend who can get so engrossed in the details and that is the artist Mark Lloyd. He can spend days mixing the right colour for a specific part of a painting. What I should say is and is willing to admit it. That is not to say that there are not many more of us out there, because I am convinced that there are.

I am quite excited about the prospect of being open again and having the normality of regular hours. It means that I will actually work less which will be nice. I can focus on getting my own work finished for my exhibition.
It is amazing how the days just don't seem long enough even when I get up early. I miss my lie ins.

So the fellas have gone from the windows I have to say that they did a fantastic job of getting everybody talking. I hope that Robin Beuschers' exhibition causes as much of a stir as the temporary displays have.

If you live locally and fancy an evening of culture then pop along on Saturday at 6.00 and we will give you a glass of wine, some fantastic art and what more could you ask for at 6.00 in Swanage on a Saturday?

A Dream That Came True......Eventually

Call To Prayer
Josh Hollingshead

It is exciting to see new work in the newly pristine gallery. Josh Hollingshead has arrived and we will be hanging it tomorrow. If you didn't manage to get to see his earlier show then do come and see this one. I know that it is unusual to show the same person so quickly but I am seizing the opportunity to exhibit the work that has achieved national acclaim. I really don't think that it will be long before he is seen else where.

In other news, I might have mentioned once or twice that I have an exhibition in a months time. Well it dawned on me that whilst my current work is very well represented my retro stuff is a little thin on the ground. I have been in the attic and it wasn't there.
I managed to track it down in the most logical place, my studio at home. Carefully boxed up my whole art history. You will be able to see it in all of its glory.
I have a little story that you might find interesting.

When I was 24 I was asked to be part of a limited edition publication about Higher Education. They wrote a profile, took a picture and asked me questions. It was to encourage students from diverse backgrounds to consider degrees etc. I found it in the loft, now it all should make sense.
Anyway, this is what I said 'I plan to set up a printmaking and papermaking studio in Northampton and continue to produce my work. I am also quite interested in teaching so that might be an option'.
So I said that nearly twenty years ago now. I was right about the teaching bit I did that first, but I now have the studio I'd dreamt of with a gallery thrown in for good measure. The bit that concerns me most is that I thought I'd do it all in Northampton! Never! I moved down south aged 25.

I am off to see a local bookbinder tomorrow, I am hoping that he can bind the book that I have been meaning to bind myself for a year or so.
I also have had a few more ideas that he could help me with, because I have all the money in the world obviously.

Not Into the Internet...Outernot....That Works

GALLERY

STUDIO

STUDIO

NEW WALL

GALLERY

CEILING

Today I will be tweaking, fiddling and checking both websites. There are so many ways to get yourself noticed online and they all require more work than I have the patience to deal with.
I may well say that but the truth is that I am going to do it anyway. It is just that having spent so many days on the website now it's Facebook, Twitter, not to mention the 1001 online directories. I know that it will all be worth it in the end but in the here and now it is tedium personified if that is possible? Do not think it is.

There are some really good artists lined up for this year and I hope that you will get the opportunity to see some of their exhibitions.
It is so important for everybody to come and support the various artists and their shows. It is a very scary experience putting yourself out there for everyone to see. It is like standing naked in a crowded room. Everybody will have something to say about it, some good, some bad and some general indifference. But something to say nevertheless.

I came across some pictures of the gallery before it was finished today and I thought in light of it being three years since I opened. It might be quite nice to have a look at them. It has certainly come a long way.
See what you think.

STUDIO AFTER

GALLERY AFTER

Three Years Ago I Opened The Gallery!

I HATE THE SIGHT OF THIS!

I have officially entered my third year of trading. Congratulations to me!

In many ways I cannot believe that I actually am writing this blog because I have had more than enough of being in front  of a computer for one life time.
My computer and Internet were behaving like a narcoleptic on sleeping tablets. If I see that spinning rainbow circle once more today I may well have a seizure.
Just because life is like this, the minute that I closed every thing down and thought let me just have a peek at Facebook...everything worked perfectly and quickly. Like a dream in fact, as opposed to the hellish nightmare that has been my day.

Enough whinging for now as there is other news. Yesterday I told you about my window displays and the fact that they are causing a stir. Well today I had to do my cleaning up chores outside. My smeary windows and pavement sweeping. Obviously, I am generally hidden out back swearing at my computer. Today gave members of the public a chance to tell me what they think. People were honking their horns to get my attention and giving me thumbs up. Some people said it was the edgiest art they had ever seen in Swanage. People eagerly anticipate seeing more of it. I think it is a resounding success, it has got people looking, talking and thinking. Isn't that what art should do? I think so, even the less positive comments mean that it has worked. It provoked a response that is good enough for me.

If you feel like taking a look at the new website it is more or less finished. I have just got organise the booking page. It is a mine field because it involves dates and money. Both of those things involve numbers, which = maths, which = my achilles heel! I anticipate that it will be up and running early next week.

www.lartishestudio.com

I hope that you have a good weekend.

Local Press Taking Pictures @ The Gallery!

UK Super Hero RED TAPE MAN

You know when something is doing its job when the local press turn up to photograph it. Apparently the Purbeck Gazette has had some emails about it. What am I talking about? The two new sculptures in my windows at the gallery.
They aren't even that controversial but it has got people talking. You've seen Red Tape Man before as I have used him in my blog and he is also on the gallery Facebook page. I think it is the bondage aspect that people are subconsciously bringing to it. If they started to actually think a little harder they would realise that they actually agree with the whole concept. Are we not slaves to bureaucracy? Bound by pointless rules and regulations? I think you will find the answer is yes. Let us not get started about form filling.

So keep an eye out because clothed mannequins are apparently more newsworthy than the naked ones that regularly appear in shop front windows. Long live 'Contemptuous Art'!

In other news I have published my website for the studio as I still have a bit more work to do I am not going to give you the link today but maybe tomorrow. I am very over it, I really cannot stand looking at it anymore. But this is just one of the glorious perks of owning your own business and not paying other people to do the work.

Website Eyes Are Us!

Well, I have spent the entire day fiddling with my website! It really is hard to keep motivated but I have uploaded all the images that Shirley and I took yesterday. She did a great job and they were ready for me to use first thing this morning. If you need anyone to do that kind of thing for you then I cannot recommend her highly enough.

The picture for today is of my new improved studio, it is light, bright and spacious. It is amazing what you can do when you reinvent a space. I have thrown away a lot too though. The pictures on the wall belong to Stephen Bishop. You should come and see them and me too. They are bold, vibrant and fantastically textured paintings that really do need to be seen in the flesh to be fully appreciated.

I am doing my first bit of teaching for 2013 tomorrow, I have no idea what I am going to do with them. Before you think I am being remiss they are regulars and I think that drawing is the way forward. Get those creative juices flowing.
I better stop writing this and get some kind of planning done for that then!

Checkout My Windows!

A little sexist I know but it's the sentiment that I am connecting with. I really like to think that this is how it is.

A very productive day for me. The many unfinished things that I regaled you with yesterday are now complete. Phew! That did mean putting in some serious hours. 

I don't know how I managed to no mention the fact that I spent the afternoon with the extremely talented artist Debbie Lee. I was supposed to help her select work for her exhibition. I may have actually failed.

There is nothing more inspirational than going through an artists work alongside them. It can really transport to another place. Especially when the work you are looking at is based heavily on fairy tales and children's art.

I love it and I hope that you will too.

Debbie Lee

To say I had a really good afternoon would be an understatement. I am so accustomed to working on my own that it is a breath of fresh air to get someone else's input. I had Shirley come and give me a hand staging some photographs for my website. We had a good laugh and I am hoping that we got some really good pictures of the studio and of the processes that I teach.

The website is very nearly done so there is not much to do only the most important thing which is the booking and paying page. It's the most difficult and as I am a true procrastinator I have left it until last.

Working from home tomorrow and I bet you cannot guess what I will be doing?

Robin Beusche'rs sculptures are now installed at the gallery so please check out my windows!