Imagine Gallery

I really must be careful, I'm sure that I am turning into Basil of 'Fawlty Towers' fame.

Where he had trouble running a hotel because of the guests, I sometimes find I have the same trouble with running a gallery because of the customers.

Well, actually they aren't called customers, they are called time wasters, people who come in

having no interest with the art on display and treat the gallery as a toyshop, with the various exhibits being pointed out, and being described as "outrageous" or "disgusting", then when having killed ten minutes of their time they then move onto a restaurant where they can spend some serious money on something worthwhile.

Their bellies.

I have the feeling I am sounding a bit cynical but this has been brought on by two visits this afternoon.

The first by someone who I observed writing their name in one of the "sandpit" displays.

Having enjoyed playing the "lady" came over to me and asked "who does the marvellous patterns in the sand"?

On any other day when I may have had more patience I might have gritted my teeth and explained to her that I had made a comb, with which each morning I used to smooth and then freshen the sand before opening the gallery.

But today, I replied "who does the patterns? People like you who are bored waiting for the pub to open".

Basil Fawlty would have been so proud of me.

Hey, why haven't I got many friends?

Later in the day another person came in and after having seemingly enjoyed looking at various

works called out to me "these are disgusting".

He was referring to a sculpture by Emma Rodgers.

I must admit that the sculpture is not ordinary, but I do find it very beautiful and moving.

Never disgusting, but maybe not to every ones taste.

Emma has always made work that is emotive and from nature, her work is in many national museums and has been described as "capturing the life force of an animal".

As far as I am concerned she can also do this when the animal is deceased. She is just a very powerful sculptor, maybe at her peak?, who knows? Certainly producing some very powerful work, you love it or hate it, but as far as I'm concerned keep your thoughts to yourself, don't start to criticise anything that I feel very proud to be allowed to show here.

Talking to the man I understood that he wasn't bad, just a little sad.

He was on his way to one of Long Melfords "best" restaurants who probably serve up on their plates more wildlife than I will ever show here.

This episode reminded me to look back though some old pictures that I had taken in Shropshire.

Ludlow a beautiful old town firmly locked in the past.

The butcher's shop was something between an abattoir and a Natural history museum.

I hadn't seen the like since I was a "very" young boy.

So above you can see the comparison between Emma's bad art and what is acceptable to be hanging outside a shop for public display.

One I find innocent and beautiful, the other very sad.

This aside, I have managed to do another couple of business cards for the new shop.

It seems that people thought that I was trying to decide on a design that I liked, far from it, I had intended to send nine different versions to the printer as I liked them all.

Perhaps I had better do it soon as Irene hasn't seen any of them as yet, and as it is going to be her place perhaps I ought to ask.

No, on consideration [about a second] I will just send them to the printer, I couldn't live with being told "they are not good enough". My ego couldn't handle it.

Things are progressing with the new gallery 'Imagine Lavenham' but there is so much to sort out in a short space of time. In a way I'm glad as I know that Irene and Sam will have to ask for

some help [I hope so] at some point , although our first "group" meeting at the new building on Sunday ended as a disaster. I have become so used to doing my "own thing" here I found it hard to accept that other people may [definitely] have ideas better than my own and that perhaps

[only perhaps] I should stop and listen occasionally.

Still my excuse is that I am deaf in one ear.

There have been a couple of other really important things that have occurred today.

One concerns a major piece of sculpture that is on its way to us, the other about a piece that has

arrived today.

They both deserve to be mentioned individually, especially as one concerns an important event,

so hopefully tomorrow with some new pictures I can tell about what I am referring to.

Until then above are the latest two cards [both Michael Parkes] and the Emma Rodgers pictures.