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.

Saturday 10 October 2015

Exhibition in Progress




This is the current exhibition that still has another week to run.
Obvious from the invitation cover above it is an exhibition of the art by
Blandine Anderson
A ceramic sculptor who lives in a very remote part of Devon.

For six years I have wanted to show her paintings and sculptures so this was an ambition realised.
Which shows that with perseverance some wishes do come true




Her exhibition was focused upon wildlife that is rapidly disappearing from around the world,
more importantly the animals that are common to us both from the East to the West of Britain.
Many species of animal that we take for granted, not exotic wildlife just the "everyday animals that
we always expect to see on our journeys into the countryside.
Hares, sheep, deer, birds................
A long list of animals that are in decline.




This exhibition has been a real pleasure.
Blandine drove for ten hours to be here in time for the opening,
she then spent hours talking with her many admirers.

One collector spoke with her for so long [over an hour] that I thought that I should perhaps offer to rescue her so that she could relax for a little while.
"No, I'm enjoying the conversation with him".
This was a relief, first to know she didn't want a break, secondly that the interest from people was important to her.
It all made for an enjoyable relaxed and happy opening.
Although not too relaxing for her, as a few short hours later she was in her car driving home to arrive there in time for a full day on her farm the next morning.




The scale of her sculptures varied considerably
From miniature pieces in porcelain to very grand sculptures made in stoneware, each piece finely detailed.
From photographs it is hard to determine which sculpture is 6cm tall and which is 60cm
the only indication is the different pricing, in my opinion much of it too low but this is what she wanted.
There was something for everyone.
As a result there have been many happy visitors.







We have intended to purchase some sculptures for ourselves
But as each day passes our choice has become more and more restricted as piece after piece is sold




I had hoped to own a small porcelain Hare sculpture but I have gone from "first favourite"
to "sixth favourite" and I am sure that before the exhibition ends it will be
"tenth favourite" or nothing remaining.







So far it has been a very enjoyable exhibition which has received daily praise.
We have been told on a few occasions how fresh, different, and cohesive it all looks, which it does.

But with each passing day another lovely piece leaves us for good.
Today another "very good" wildlife sculptor visited
"I have got to buy a piece", he told me.
He did, and now unfortunately my own choice is becoming smaller, but is good to learn that her work is admired and collected by such a well known artist.

So, I can imagine a conversation with Irene at the close of the exhibition.
"We are going to have that piece"
"why that one"
"Because it's the only bloody thing remaining".

Which will be a nice end to a good exhibition.

4 comments:

  1. Oh wow! How could you limit yourself to just one piece...they're all fabulous! Well worth the six year wait, John.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Mrs Moon [or may I call you Ogham]

      It is the way of things, I want to sell everything that we show for obvious reasons.Otherwise we would not be here, but at the same time there are many pieces of work that I am secretly pleased about when they don't sell to fast.
      Of course this does not make me popular with the artist but for a short while I can pretend that they belong to me.
      It is a lovely feeling [until they sell].

      So, for me to purchase anything at all is a very rare occasion, otherwise we would have been broke and lost our home long ago.
      So it is a rare treat to treat myself.

      If I could tell you of the many pieces that have slipped through my fingers and are now worth £xxxxxxxx
      But that is life and at least for a short time "they were mine".
      How many people have that pleasure?

      Delete