Welcome to the Gallery

Imagine is set in the Suffolk village of Long Melford.
This is an attempt to record the daily trials, tribulation and pleasure of running an art gallery.

Thursday 23 September 2010






I hadn't intended to write anything today, but a couple of things happened that moved me and I wanted to share them with the world.
Firstly, Maria the wife of the artist Michael Parkes sent me a DVD which explains how his 'Stone Lithograph" pictures were created. I was looking forward to watching it but nothing had prepared me for the amount of work that had gone into creating each picture, which involved the skills of so many people. The film is incredible and totally fascinating, even more so for me as it depicted how one of "our" pictures was created.
What I wasn't prepared for was to understand that there will be no more. We have shown one of the remaining few of the last printing.
The presses that created them are gone, they were sold and melted down. Even more sad was to understand that some of the craftsmen that assisted him in creating these works of art have since passed away.
The film is a tribute and a small recording of history.
Having been very moved watching the film you can imagine how I felt when I put the disc back in its box and noticed that on the sleeve it said

"Parkes art works are only available exclusively through his authorized galleries worldwide.

There are only about twenty of us in the world.
"Just how did I end up being this privileged"?
If you were able to view his work first hand you would understand why I ask.
It seems that while I feel so small and unworthy, he and his wife seem happy that I like them so much. I just don't understand it, especially when I worry about the quality of what we show so and feel that I mustn't let any artist down.
He can chose any gallery to display his work, but somehow he has allowed me.
Despite his great success he seems a very 'down to earth' and humble man, with a wife to match.

The other event that prompted me to write was receiving some images of the pictures that we will be showing by the artist Lindsey Carr.
Lindsey who is such a normal grounded person has a very unique talent.
In the past I have been really pleased to have the privilege of showing her art, the last time was much earlier this year. In fact it is Lindsey who is responsible for me writing today.
" You should have a gallery blog, and dig the dirt, let us know what really goes on with the artists".
So on her prompting I did start one, but I could never tell of the things that she would like to hear. Well maybe, but you would have to take me for a pint of cider first.
So, today Lindsey sent me two images, along with the news that after showing with us she has a solo exhibition in LA.
I'm not at all surprised, her work attracts people world wide, it is amazing.
The funny thing is, while she urged me to start a blog I urged her to give up work and go full time with her art.
The results of both we see here.
If I can use a cliche her new paintings "have blown me away".
I am stunned at how she has progressed so quickly, so fast and with such imagination.
One day, not far away I know I am going to boast to anyone who will listen,
"We showed her here once".
I am just so proud of what she has achieved.

So above is one of her paintings plus a few teasing pictures of another, which I will show in its beautiful entirety soon.
The last picture shows the last Michael Parkes print before they melted down the press.

2 comments:

  1. Ah John! I solved the problem! It's Old Age.....my eyes couldn't make out the word "comments" at the bottom of the post because there is not much contrast between the background and the lettering! I simply didn't see it yesterday. Today in my studio, the light is a bit duller and the word just shows up on the screen. Problem solved!
    Nice paintings

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  2. How sad about the lithographs. Especially sad as Michael Parkes is a long-time favorite.

    ReplyDelete