Imagine Gallery

Ever onwards and upwards.

Or to put it another way, even though the current exhibition is still ongoing it is time to start

preparations for the next, although I must admit that this has been prompted by a magazine chasing me for an advertisement and editorial details.

It does all tend to focus the attention a little bit although I had been looking forward to a period of relative normality. Well actually the normality would mean driving to locations scattered around the country, collecting various pieces of art,

and visiting different shows and art fairs.

So, in early September we will be exhibiting the work of two very different female artists.

Amanda Popham and Jackie Morris.

I tend to show you Jackie's work fairly often so I thought I had better just give a quick insight

into the world of Amanda.

She lives on a remote hillside in a tiny hamlet in the South of England.

I had long threatened to visit her and "take away any work she had",

but this was to be my first ever visit to her home and studio.

It is easier to draw blood from a stone than it is to get hold of some of Amanda's work, almost everything that she makes is pre-sold and her work often appears at auction.

She had warned me that even if I visited there would never be any ceramics available.

Of course, "I just knew that she was lying" and was convinced that if I visited I would leave with a few boxes of her work that she must have put aside.

So when I parked outside her cottage I was full of enthusiasm, knowing that this was one journey that was definitely going to be worthwhile.

It was, I really enjoyed my visit and having the chance to converse with someone I had known only through the telephone and email's, but as she predicted there was no work to take away.

Not one finished piece , everything had been sold and everything she was currently working on was also sold.

What a woman, what an artist, and yet so unknown in the world of ceramics.

I can think of many people who would love to be in such a situation, the public demand being

greater than your output.

In the past I have always struggled to get enough of her work and on the occasions that we had

it was only because the theme [of the exhibition] was close to her heart.

I admit I was very surprised when she agreed to a "one woman" show of her ceramics,

but even this was for a reason.

It had been intended as the last exhibition in our current home [as our lease soon expires],

it was intended as a 'Swan Song".

"I have always wanted to be someones Swan song", she told me when asked.

So for over a year I have been looking forward to receiving a fair size amount of her work.

That didn't mean that I was prepared to go without while I waited,

but go without we have had to do, along with a lot of other eager galleries,

and go without even after a very long drive.

She had so many commitments, including an auction at Sotheby before showing with us.

Still, I enjoyed my visit and it left me with many memories and full of enthusiasm, also at least I was able to have a glimpse into how and where she worked, and this has been really good in terms of giving me a greater understanding of what she is doing.

Also, when asked in the gallery about a particular artist it is good to close my eyes [mentally]

and to re-visit their studio, that way I am better able to paint a picture [with words] about

the person. It makes me appreciate that I was privileged to have visited them and knowing

that any purchase of art is a personal thing I am able to give the customer a second hand

peek into the artist's world. Now I can tell people about her world

So here is your own very small peek into the world and studio of Amanda Popham.