I have a knot in my stomach, I think that it is called "Panic".

With the

Cambridge Art Fair

Almost upon us which is then followed by a very important exhibition I am starting to worry that

there is just not enough time left to achieve everything that I have planned.

The past two weeks have been spent framing paintings for both events and there are still many  remaining that must be completed within the coming week.

This might be possible but it will be at the expense of everything else that I intended to have done.

I would have achieved a lot more but a lot of time has also been spent trying to get a small catalogue completed and sent off to the printers.

Actually it was sent to a printer, and it should have been in my hands now,

but there were a few communication problems [I'm being polite], so I started again with another printer .

It is little things like this that eat up any spare time that I haven't got.

So one thing I was certain of the blog was not going to be updated any time soon.

But then I decided that I would cheat and just show pictures and write nothing.

Then I thought "well I've got to say something".

Before I knew it I was in the mood for writing, but then I looked at the paintings waiting to be framed

and decided to revert to Plan A.

So here are the pages of the catalogue that should be delivered next week.

I confess that was a lot easier than writing, besides every picture tells a story, so they say.

Anyway

I must go now as I have some serious worrying to do.

Someone has to, so it might as well be me.

So much for showing "a little but often".

It seems that Instead I am opting for "very little and certainly not often",

But I would like to think that quality is worth more than quantity, or perhaps its just called being lazy.

However at the moment I feel anything but lazy as there seems like I have so much to achieve with little time to do it.

I feel like I have done a days work just getting out of bed lately.

Of course that is meant to be my "little joke" but there are days recently when I feel tired before I even start.

Perhaps that is because I am staying here too late before going home and the fact that my "evening"

isn't starting until around 11 pm.

There is a lot to be achieved before our next event and I am only too aware from past experience

that a month suddenly seems to turn into hours with much still to do.

So, with the approach of our next really important exhibition

and the minor event called an 'Art Fair'

I felt that it would be best to put in some hours now in the hope that I will be relaxed and prepared

come the events.

Even as I wrote that I could hear 'Jiminy Cricket' on my shoulder telling me

"you gotta be joking, you relaxed"?

I tell him that there is a lot to do and little time to do it.

Which of course is yet another excuse for never writing the blog.

Although at the moment I am very focused on our next exhibition there are daily reminders that the

'Cambridge Art Fair'

is approaching at a rapid pace, and apart from the unexpected amount of paperwork

[I should have anticipated that as I have said before, having a gallery is like working in an office]

there are still many details to finalise with the different artists whose work we intend to show.

Because we don't specialise in local artists it makes things more difficult

as there are different works to be collected or sent from artists far away.

The first of these [shown above] is Rob Van Hoek the Dutch artist.

I have desired his paintings for a very long time, which is strange because his work is so unlike

that of other artists that I admire.

I find his paintings very moving and evocative of the English landscape,

It is his "grey" paintings I like the most, they really remind me of everything that I complain about

in our country, because if asked to describe England I would just answer "Grey".

Perhaps that is why I like them so much.

I have been "courting" Rob for some time now and although he had agreed to let me exhibit

a couple of his paintings I began to wonder if that day would ever come.

Simply because he has become so popular and is in very great demand and does not have enough hours

in the day to create sufficient work to appease his many clients.

But

He didn't forget me and recently contacted me saying

"I think it is time that I concentrated on your two paintings"

The two then turned into three, four and now, I think that it is six that are on their way to us to be

shown for the first time in Cambridge.

I hope that they will be the first of many to make their way to us during the coming year.

They paintings are being sent so that has made life easier for me.

Then.

There is my friend of long standing [I nearly said old friend which she wouldn't like] the sculptor

Nichola Theakston

She has shown with us on many occasions over the years and her and her equally talented husband Tony are people I regard first and foremost as friends.

What has been wonderful to observe is how her work and fame has evolved over a slow period of time.

Although she has always been highly regarded and collected I think that she has now reached

the point where she is really at the "top of her game".

Producing a collection of wildlife sculpture that now features at regular London auctions.

Although she is now becoming [dare I say it] famous, I just knew that she would create something for us to display at the Art Fair.

Still haven't worked out how they are going to get here,

I will worry about that at 3 am when I lay staring at the ceiling making a mental list of problems.

Let's face it if I didn't worry what else would I do?

The arrival of the paintings by the French artist 

Agnes Boulloche

Is still a problem I am working on, I think we have it solved but there are still a lot of "ifs and buts" to be sorted out.

I suppose I should be working on that instead of writing this, but my thoughts were

"write now while you still remember".

That is because I know that if I didn't it would be a few more days before I remembered that I was overdue to write [which I am now].

Discovering the existence of Agnes was a great and totally unexpected pleasure.

She wrote to me asking "does my work interest you"?

Four hours later we were making plans together [not marriage as I am playing hard to get].

I have yet to meet her, and I am unsure where that will happen because although she lives in the very centre of Paris [spitting distance from the Eiffel tower] she also has other homes and studios.

She is a total enigma, and I am so very happy that she [I don't know how] found me,

then recognised that I would be drawn to her art.

Art, that has somehow to be collected and delivered here very soon

If only the logistics of getting it here were easier.

Of course it would be lovely to "pop over" to Paris for the day and come home with them

but I think my fear of the French traffic is greater than my fear of the language.

Yes, my fear of the roads around Paris is definitely a lot greater.

Perhaps I am spending too much time in the gallery and not enough time travelling as now even

the thought of driving to that "strange" town London fills me with dread

So the thought of driving the wrong way down the Champs-Elysees is more than I could cope with.

Mind you I could imagine the Parisian women exclaiming

"who is that man who drives with such an independent air, he must be a millionaire,

et aussi he is so handsome".

Non!

He's just owns a gallery and worries far too much.

After showing too many events after they have happened I thought that at last I might

"show up on time"

and preview a little of what is going to happen rather than what has happened.

I must be honest and confess that "late" is my nature and I am usually behind with everything.

This is not entirely true, almost but not entirely.

There are times that I know that I should be talking about events and exhibitions that we are going to hold in the future, but something holds me back

The blogs that I enjoy reading the most are written by lovely 'genuine' people,

people who are often "baring their soul" and are telling us about their life, good and bad.

Sometimes, perhaps they tell us things that they later regret.

I applaud them for their honesty and I really enjoy what they write,

it helps me to feel that my problems are shared and are similar to those of many others.

The blogs that I don't enjoy are those of the "advertorial" kind.

I will say no more.

But, considering that I own a gallery sometimes the things that I write are not all about "me",

They are about other people, their efforts and their art, their lives and achievments

 And perhaps this is what my job is about

So I feel that maybe I should be very proud giving a very loud

"shout out"

About future events and the artists involved with them.

So

We have a very major and much anticipated event coming up in the near future.

That will be the joint exhibition of

Anne Bachelier

&

Rachel Ann Stevenson

Two artists whose work I really adore and who I feel really compliment each other

A sculptor and a painter

Both producing some of the most stunning art I have ever seen

What they create really touches my spirit, and from what I understand from the people who visit our gallery their works move the emotions of many others,

So their forthcoming exhibition is creating a lot of excitement and anticipation with us and visitors.

So don't let me down girls.

But, immediately prior to their exhibition we are showing at a very prestigious event where we will "showcase" their art,

plus also the art of many of our favourite artists who also exhibit with the gallery.

This event is the

'Cambridge City Art Fair'

No prize for guessing where this event will be held.

I have wanted to bring our gallery to the attention of a different audience for a long time

and this seemed like the right time and venue to do just that.

Cambridge is very to us close, plus I doubt that I will be fortunate enough to have these two unusual artists together again at the same time,

so it was decided

"let's show the gallery at the show".

So, look out Cambridge we are on our way.

What better way to start our promotion than to advertise our coming exhibition?

Above are two of the advertisements that will start appearing in magazines very soon

Of course I had the urge to show you a little bit more.

I had told myself that I shouldn't as I have many pictures to show before the exhibition and I didn't want to spoil it for when I do actually get around to showing them all.

That's when I remembered that I am always late, so I thought I had better show something now.

At the top is detail of Anne's

'Quand La Nuit', which she originally described to me as 'The Flying Cat'

I prefer the romantic French title but typical Anne, she told me she liked me referring to it as

The Flying Cat, so if I wanted I should keep that name.

At the Art Fair and the exhibition it is definitely

'Quand La Nuit'

Even I must learn to be romantic and treat somethings with reverence, [occasionally].

Below that is detail, and the whole painting of

'Don Quixote'

I love this painting, for me it evokes the feeling of a Rembrandt painting.

This painting came as a result of Anne asking in all innocence

"Is there anything special that you would like me to create for the exhibition"?

I should have said no, and I am sure that she meant a drawing

But I just couldn't help myself [nor could my ego] as I really felt sure that she could

create something really special for me on this theme.

She did

So believe me when I tell you, this is a very unexpected and rare painting.

Then of course we have an innocent and beguiling sculpture by Rachel, used for an advertisement,

plus also a little detail from another.

From now until the art fair I have decided I will try and show a little but often,

"fingers crossed".