Imagine Gallery

It feels like I am in the eye of the hurricane at the moment.

The Jim Malone exhibition continues and it is still demanding lots of time before it comes

to a conclusion. The pressure of preparation before the opening is over but there are many things still to do, and indeed we are still promoting it as much as we can.

Never the less, things are a bit calmer now.

BUT! The next exhibition is on the horizon and this is starting to worry me, not for any particular reason, but I just don't want to leave a 'stone unturned' in the promotion of it.

I have spent the last couple of days calling the artists, finding out if they have any pictures of

pieces that we will show, so that they can be included on the invitation.

The exhibition is titled 'SCULPTOR', and it features the work of five different artists.

Emma Rodgers, John Maltby, Herman Muys, Paul Priest and Eve Shepherd.

Emma Rodgers, as usual was well "in front of the game" and had images prepared for me.

But even better.

She had called me a couple of weeks ago, just as I was leaving for the printers to get the

re-prints of Jim's invitations.

It is always the way, whenever you have a really important call or visit something intervenes.

I really wanted to speak with her and hear what she was telling me but my mind was screaming "get to the printers",

So I confess I was very short to point of rudeness with her.

Emma is one of the most prominent young sculptors in the country, and she has helped the gallery in many ways and been very generous in the past.

She has never needed to be involved with us, she can sell her sculptures wherever and in whatever country she chooses, but she is that sort of woman.

She does what pleases her.

We have had "up's and down's", but she has remained to be one of the nicest and most professional artists that we have dealt with, and I am ever grateful for her support.

She, like the artist Jackie Morris doesn't need us, but for whatever reason allows us to show her

beautiful and highly sought after art.

So! Emma was telling me that she thought it would be good for us to have her bronze

"Boxing Hares" in the exhibition.

These are on permanent display in the V&A Museum, and this was the last available sculpture

world wide.

"No it's too big, anyway I can't talk now I have to rush", was what I replied.

Or something along those lines [I hope not that rudely].

We finished the conversation and I rushed off out to the printers.

Thirty minutes later, new invitations in hand and panic over I re-played in my mind what she had said to me.

What an idiot [actually, my mind said much stronger words].

How could I have turned these down?

Such a prestigious and beautiful work of sculpture.

Luckily, some people know me better than I know myself, so when I called her this week

asking if she had any pictures of pieces for me she said [in her lovely Liverpudlian accent]

"Oh! By the way I'm including the Hares, I think they would be good for you".

Thank you Emma.

Sometimes it's good to have someone holding your hand.

I spoke with another sculptor, John Maltby.

A very famous English ceramic sculptor, and one in poor health and advancing years.

Another person who doesn't need us, but has chosen to be part of us.

I understood from the conversation that he was in poor health, and I really regretted any pressure that I was putting on him. He doesn't need it.

However, all he said was "tell me the date you need them and I will get them done".

These sculptures of his will be the last from his kiln as he said that it is on the verge of collapse

and can't be used ever again.

So we will have a little piece of history on show from a very great and collected artist.

I am still awaiting pictures of sculptures that we shall have from the other artists, but I am sure before the week is out I shall be showing them to you.

So just to show you what I am preparing for her are a few photo's.

Just looking at the different things makes me excited, I can't wait to see and touch them.

But before that.

I just had an occasion to go outside [I must add that it is 7.40 pm and all other sensible gallery

and shop owners have gone home long ago].

It is a typical 'Suffolk' evening. Beautiful, large, bright stormy grey skies, but with such strong

evening sunlight. Illuminating the many and varied coloured cottages along the road.

It is an evening that makes you feel "good to be alive".

So why am I not at home enjoying it?

Because I am following a dream, a dream that shows a different beauty. One created by people,

just ordinary people, but with extraordinary talents.

I turned and walked back inside thinking "what am I still doing here"?

Looking around I understood why.

The beauty was without and within.

Above we have Emma's Hares.

A beautiful intriguing Herman Muys sculpture

Detail of a "Dancer" by Emma.

John Maltby "Wall Piece".

Plus a piece by an artist who wasn't include but I have a VERY strong feeling she will be.

Monique Muylaert.