My Galleries Map Bites The Dust :(

Stephen Bishop

Everybody likes to get something new and in my case it was brand new paintings from Stephen Bishop. He is super productive and it is nice to know that his creative impulse is live, well and thriving. Please do come and see them. I have included my not great photographs they are better in the flesh I promise. There are a few in this exhibition that I wouldn't mind owning, but my Bank Manager may see it slightly differently.

Stephen Bishop

It's been a day of mixed emotions as I have had to admit defeat in the world of map making. Sadly, I couldn't get enough people on board to make it financially viable. This is a shame as I have spent quite a lot time on it already. It is now officially on the back burner. I still believe in it as a concept but only time will tell. It will be available on my website as a downloadable PDF in due course. I hope that people will still access it. I think Stoneworks also plans to promote it via their website.

Stephen Bishop

I am going to be focussing all of my attention on growing my own business as that is what matters to me first and foremost. I am ploughing ahead with a whole variety of this that you will start to see the fruits of my labour early on in the new year. I hope that you will enjoy what you see.

Stephen Bishop

I am still looking for some 3D artists to climb on board the exhibiting bandwagon for 2014. If that's you, then you know what to do. I have signed up three already so I am only looking for another three.

I have an exciting afternoon of research lined up so I am off to get started on that.

I Am Looking Forward to 2014!

Stephen Bishop

I am hoping to make the whole experience of my blog richer and a little more interactive in 2014. I hope that I can keep my audience for long enough to make it that far.

It has been a fairly quiet week at the gallery which is quite surprising as it has been really busy. I have no idea what to blame so I'm going to play it safe with the weather.

I think I mentioned the other day that I am entering my analysis stage of the year. This is looking at what I can do better and how I can provide more value for money in terms of bookings. I am hoping that people will like the changes.

I am going have virtual gallery online that you will be able to 'walk' round and hopefully make purchases. This will parallel the exhibition that will be on at the gallery at the time. I know how to give myself a lot more work.

 Now I have a gallery assistant I am hoping that she will be helping me out with some of the behind the scenes activities. I am not sure whether I have mentioned this in my blog, but I am pleased to announce that I now have a member of staff Shirley Walker. Her official title is 'Gallery Assistant', she has already proved to be an invaluable member of the team. Her ability to brainstorm ideas with me is just what I need. I new set of eyes to cast over my increasingly ambitious ideas.

In the future, if you come to the gallery and I am not there please don't be afraid to ask Shirley any questions. She is fully briefed on what is going at the gallery and she should be able to answer your enquiry.

I have set a date for my Open Studio Printmaking Day I am planning to it on Tuesday 5th November. I will be opening the Studio for people to come and print an old etching plate that they have kicking around. Please do contact me if you are interested as the places will be limited.

Also just to mention that 2014 is now fully booked, I am taking bookings for 2015.

I Know What I Am Doing In January, Do You?

Well, I now know what it feels like to start a list of things to do for January 2014. No, I am not joking I am deadly serious.
You may well wonder why I am doing that? As you know I am closed in January for some much needed refurmbishments. My acne pocked walls, my coffee stained carpet, new blinds that need fitting, studio floor that needs repainting, need I go on?

Every time I look around I am logging jobs that can only really be done when the gallery is closed hence the list writing in my 2014 diary. Yes I already have one of those and a year planner that is already full for next year.

It has been really quiet for the last few days which is so strange as it is generally a nice steady flow. That being said though I have had confirmation that my sign on the ferry is working. People who are regular visitors to Swanage (true) are seeing the sign and go on a mission to find the new gallery in Swanage. Ah Bless them, when they ask how many months I've been open? The look on their faces when I tell them three years.

I hope that you can get to see this exhibition because it is the perfect antidote for the current damp patch that we are experiencing. It is truly miserable. I could happily live with sunshine that you see in the picture above. It is a stunning image.

About Stephen Bishop - Reposting In Case You Decide To Catch His Exhibition Before It Ends Saturday!

Between Two Waves 

L'Artishe Gallery Exhibition Statement 

by Stephen Bishop

Whilst staying in an artist’s studio in Andalucia in 1988 I made the life changing decision to live and work in Dorset.  Taking my cue from the Impressionists I have sought my inspiration directly from nature.  Dorset with its rich coastline, heath and woods has sustained my art since 1989.

In my work I am always searching, yearning for a connection which I can’t quite grasp.  I really hope that my paintings are “the song of the hearts desire” to quote from a favourite Van Morrison track.  My satisfaction in painting comes from exploration, working hard and intense intuitive moments that I can only describe as an “otherness”.  Music and poetry have strong influences on my work.  I am actively involved in Flamenco, dancing with the group Luna Flamenca.

Many of the paintings in this exhibition were created on location.  The collage works with sand, shells and other found objects were assembled during 2013 on South Beach at Studland.  These works are made of the beach itself.  The colour of the buoys and rhythm of the tides influence paintings in a musical way.  Time, memory and place are central to my paintings.  The assemblages with ceramic pieces were collected along Poole harbour in the 1990’s and are imbued with memories.  I like the fact that these ceramic shards had other lives and have been discarded and lost to the sea.  Broken and shaped by it’s action and conjured up on the shore.  To begin a new life in an art work reflective of the sea.

I have been drawn for many years to explore abstract qualities inspired by observation.  I feel that I am between two waves, one a figurative and the other an abstract world.  The push and pull of these two forces continues.  The results can be seen in this exhibition.  It may well be that I am moving towards a new kind of abstraction.  I have always strived to make my paintings stronger and communicate emotions in a powerful way.  I feel that a loosening of the ties to the figurative motif and transition into deeper abstraction may provide the key to achieving this.

The following lines taken from Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot have particular resonance for me.

We shall not cease from exploration


And the end of all our exploring


Will be to arrive where we started


And know the place for the first time.


The voice of the hidden waterfall


And the children in the apple-tree


Not known, because not looked for


But heard, half-heard, in the stillness


Between two waves of the sea.


Getting Ready For My Open Studio.

You all know how I love a good tidy well today was no exception. Since my exhibition in March I have been hoarding my work in the studio. When it was all neatly packaged in portfolios it took up so little room. Now it is all framed in bespoke frames. It has to live in them, where do I find their new homes? Good question, one that I still don't quite know the answer to.
Suffice to say that you can actually use both of the etching presses now. That's a start!

I am an ideas person, I have several a day not all of them good I hasten to add. But I have a vision that with a little solidarity and some cross promotion the local art scene could step up to the next level. Oh the dizzying heights. I have said it before and I'll say it again that I want to be the destination that you see in the Guardian. As we have beautiful coastal walks, fantastic beaches, a plethora of galleries and some great pubs. What's not to like?

I have had a video of the Life Drawing Class playing on a loop during this exhibition. I am starting to understand the pain that shop assistants feel in the run up to Christmas when the Christmas CD goes on at the end of October and is on steadily until Christmas Eve.

Gallery news....Stephen Bishop is coming to the gallery this weekend. His show starts on Saturday at 6.00. I am excited about this as I understand that he has been working on some new paintings. It is nice to think that there will be some pieces that will be having their first outing at the gallery. You can say that you saw it here first.

In other news there are just three weeks that are available next year between February and March. Then it is fully booked and I am now taking bookings for 2015. Yes, you heard me right.
There will be a few necessary changes to the way in which the gallery is run next year as I need to increase the income. But I will reveal more about that at a later date.

Tomorrow is your last chance to see the Life Drawing exhibition, if you haven't seen it yet then please do pop in and have a look.

Gallery Now Open 6 Days A Week

Michael Griffiths

Never a dull moment for me. I am currently sat with two computers one of which just keeps switching itself off. My internet has been intent on me not having access to the worldwide web. The rain has ensured that I won't have many visitors. I have had a very busy couple of days I have set all kinds of things in motion so I hope that I will be able to report back to you very soon.

Nothing ever seems to go to plan no matter how organised I set out being. I have 10 envelopes which should all have been posted last week. But I came to work without a coat and the rain had other ideas.
If you are waiting for any post from me I will endeavour to do it today.

I think that regardless of what the weather is doing when I leave for work I must get in the habit of taking a coat with me. Much like today as it is now raining.

It's true that the gallery will now be open on a Monday this is thanks to the office space being perfect for someone who is in need of office space. I am really happy about that as I have been thinking about swapping my days off back to Wednesday as I felt in general I was busier on Mondays than I am on a Wednesday.
So if you are planning to visit the gallery you can now on a Monday. Shirley will be here to welcome you.

I Have Never Seen So Many Naked People!

Stephen Bishop

Wow a bumper crop of visitors yesterday to the new exhibition. It would seem that the post school holidays brigade are visiting Swanage in their droves. Who can blame them, it's the nicest time of year in many ways as the temperature is still nice and warm and there's room to breathe.

I am trying to think of ways to boost our local art visitors, my map is done but I have to get the info to the other galleries. That is my mission after work today to drop my envelopes off. I would have done it yesterday but the solar power man was due to come round and give us a quote but apparently he went off sick. I hope that within the next month there will be maps available everywhere. Keep your eyes open.

I am going to have another exhibition next year. But it will not be of my art work but my underwater photography. I am thinking that I will have a big 4th Anniversary Party, reopen after my annual refurb and my own show. That should be a great reason to celebrate. I am already in negotiations with Chris about how I go about printing them out.

Peter Symons

If you want to come along then the date will be Saturday 1st February 2014, There will be some big changes that will be worth coming for. I will also be auctioning off one of my pictures for a good cause that I am yet to decide upon. So put that date in your diaries and I hope to see you there. The obligatory drinks and nibbles will be served. How better to cheer up what I am guessing will be quite a miserable time of year.

I am still looking for 3D artists to fill a gap in the gallery calendar. If you are interested get in touch I am offering very favourable terms.

As I promised there will be pictures from the next two exhibitions, Peter Symons is a member of Group 7 and they will be exhibiting after Stephen Bishop in October.

One more day until the weekend, if you are planning to visit the gallery on Saturday I should tell you that I will be leaving it in Shirleys very capable hands. I am going on some training, never too old to learn new things.