We have never had an exhibition that has generated as much media attention as the forthcoming one.

The artist involved is George Underwood.

Always in the gallery there is a selection of his art on display, paintings and prints.

The prints are Limited Editions but we only show the 'Artist Proofs' which are more rare.

Over the period of a few years he has become one of our most collected artists.

For this reason only we have never held an exhibition of his work.

My feelings have been that the public would not notice the difference between

an exhibition and a normal display.

I have often been urged by people " you should hold a solo exhibition by George ".

Now we are.

The decision to do this came by chance and circumstance.

Just a few months ago a famous musician visited the gallery, he was fascinated by one large painting,

Of course the painting was by George Underwood.

 On that day I was not at the gallery, my daughter was in charge of my little empire for the day.

In conversation with her the musician explained that he and George were very old friends

In fact his best selling album featured Mrs. Underwood on the Cover. 

Of course I was greatly disappointed that I was not present that day as I had missed the opportunity to meet a hero. 

However, I did have A vinyl copy the album featuring George's wife and as I was anticipating them both to visit the gallery sometime soon I took the record to the gallery with the intention of getting her to sign it when they visited.

Two days later a gentleman came into the gallery who was interested in only one painting.

A George Underwood painting.

I said "hello" to him then I did a "double take".

"Hey, it's you! 

Don't you go anywhere before you sign this".

As you can tell I have a way with words and famous people.

He ignored my rudeness and we had a long conversation [plus he did sign the album cover].

He explained that he hadn't seen George and his wife for many years, but now he was

determined to make contact with them again.

Two days later I had a call from George. 

"I understand you had a visit from an old mate of mine".

The musician had contacted George and had invited him and his wife to come to see him

on his latest tour.

Joking with George I said "we should have a solo exhibition of your art and get him to come and open it, and maybe sing a song".

We laughed about it, then on the spur of the moment I said 

"shall we do it"?

"Are you serious" he said?

As a result on April 3rd. That is just what we are doing.

We have both been looking forward to the event and George has been [and still is] busy

creating new paintings, it seems that there will be a lot of previously unseen artwork on display here.

Things then became very serious. 

George Underwood has a great many famous friends in the music industry,

One of these was his best friend, David Bowie.

People worldwide had been shocked to learn of the death of this iconic figure.

None more so than George.

This was his mate who had passed away, the boy that he had grown up with, the boy he had fought with over the attentions of a girl, the boy who he formed a group with.

The boy who became the man who then became 'Ziggy Stardust' and who he later toured America with.

The person he stayed friends with until the end. 

Although David Bowie owned a large collection of his paintings

George Underwood had never used his best friends fame to further his own career.

In fact he would rarely speak about their relationship they were just mates.

With our coming exhibition this has presented the media with the ideal opportunity to interview

Bowie's oldest friend.

 The first of these interview's will be published

This Sunday in one of the country's most important newspapers

THE OBSERVER

After that in the week building up to the opening there will be many other interviews.

Newspapers, magazines, radio, television and social media.

Yes, they will be asking for stories about David but the emphasis will be on the paintings by

George Underwood.

 

I think you can see why that should be.

 

Sometimes it is nice to be taken by surprise.

Not always, but sometimes. This is about one of those occasions.

There is an international art magazine titled 'MIROIR'.

They have a reputation of  showcasing some of the worlds best artwork.

                     

I was told by a friend that I would really appreciate the latest issue as it featured somebody I know.

The magazine can be viewed online so of course that's what I did first before buying one.

It might not be as enjoyable but sometimes the immediacy of viewing online

can be irresistible [especially when it's free].

I wasn't sure what I was expecting to find but I knew that it would be good.

It is always nice to read about people that you know.

On this occasion I was even more pleased and excited as the magazine had a very large article

 featuring one of Imagine Gallery's very best artists 

Anne Bachelier

For the very first time I learnt things about Anne that I had no knowledge of. 

My only excuse for not having asked her the same questions as the magazine is,

I feel art is a very personal thing and sometimes it is best not to know too much.
The magic might vanish.

I have thought that it is good to weave your own story around an artwork.

Now I understand that I am an idiot.

I learned so much from the article and it gave me a greater understanding of her inspirations.

As a result I love her paintings more.

I am only showing a fraction of the interview and the pages published,

I would urge everyone to purchase a copy or at least like me read the magazine online.

What made the feature really special for me was that on the last double page spread 

they featured a painting that I see each day here in the gallery.

"Wow" that's our painting.

It was so strange to see something that I look at, touch and admire each day

now being shared with the world.

It is a wonderful painting, the longer you view it the more detail you find. 

Like much of the art we show I will miss it when it sells

So while it is still "mine" I thought I would show how it looks in our setting.

It is a strange painting which seems to change.

Wherever I place it in the gallery the light seems to change the colouring.

I look at the image in the magazine and think "yes that is just what it looks like" then I think

"No, it is much softer, more gentle".

Moving it again into a different room it then becomes darker and more menacing

The story changes

Whatever,

It is a stunning painting and for a little time it is mine

That makes me feel proud.

I have just returned home from Paris and here is my photograph of the Tower as proof of my visit.

More snapshots will follow in another post.

However, the purpose of my visit was to meet artists and visit certain galleries,

It was not intended to be a holiday, although I do feel refreshed for a short break, and it has certainly filled me with enthusiasm and idea's for the future.

I think that I was becoming a little "desk bound" and it has been good to remind myself

What I am working towards and trying to achieve.

My main objective and priority of the visit was to meet one artist

Gerard Daran

Nowadays

It seems I am just not very good at getting out of bed early in the mornings,

But for this trip I drove away from home at 3.30 .a.m. and to my body it felt like I was still asleep.

For some stupid reason I thought that it would be good to catch the first train of the day.

My thoughts had been that I could make use of a few more hours in Paris.

Bad idea.

Nearly two hours later I was not only regretting the early train but also the fact that I had not

departed at least a half hour earlier to catch it in time.

Who expects a busy road that early in the day?

[anyone who thinks]

I had forgotten that is when most trucks and container lorries travel

But despite the panic [and taking the wrong road] I was on the train and asleep as it left for France.

 It seemed almost minutes later that I was then getting lost on the Paris metro.

This should be impossible as it has always seemed so much easier than the London Underground.

I put it down to the panic of trying to arrive for my 11. a.m. meeting.

I know that I was being timed or judged but I had given the time of my arrival and I wanted to

make an impression.

After [eventually] leaving the metro

Walking towards the home of Daran I couldn't help but have a feeling of 'Deja Vu'

Despite the fact I had never been to this part of the city before it all seemed a little familiar to me.

The reason for this was explained to me later

It was the location of the most recent Paris terrorist attacks, I was looking at shops, buildings and

restaurants that I had watched on TV at home just a few months earlier.

The difference is that then guns were firing

 

Today the sun was shining and this small part of the world was at peace.

The most dangerous thing for me was to remember that everyone here drives on the wrong side,

so I had to look right not left as I stepped out to cross roads.

 

I made it, and almost on time. 

A short time later I was relaxed and enjoying a breakfast/brunch of Champagne and various

culinary delights that had been prepared for my visit.

Or maybe perhaps this is how the Parisians eat every day. 

I was greeted on my arrival by a friend of Gerard's

He is Pierre Herman a man that I have come to know from many telephone conversations.

Fortunately he has been acting as our 'go-between' interpreter,

Because for some reason Gerard has never bothered to learn the English language

[something unheard of for a French person]

He obviously believed my lies of being multi-lingual

With my French and his English

I don't think that we would ever arrived at this day without help from Pierre.

Someone who is not French and has a very mixed heritage, ["I was born from Saturday Night Fever"]

As a result he can speak many languages.

His life story would make a very good book, but as I struggle writing a blog I best continue

with my own short tale.

 

I was visiting with a purpose. 

We were to be finalizing plans for Daran's solo exhibition at Imagine Gallery.

It is set for the middle of May and there was a lot for us to discuss,

Also, Gerard wanted me to make a choice of his paintings that "I liked" and which I felt would

fit in with our gallery.

This was a good idea as I hadn't fully appreciated the scale of his different artworks but now I can

make plans in advance of what paintings can be displayed in different area's.

But before that I have to decide which artworks I would like to have on display.

This was going to be a long job as the quantity and variety was too much to absorb in a few hours.

 I made the decision that the best thing to do was to photograph every

Painting, drawing and lithograph I was offered

Doing this I would be able to study them at length when I returned home and with the bonus of

having the sizes plus memories of my first impression.

Prior my visit I had certain preconceived ideas of how the exhibition should look.

I was going to choose only the figurative work, male and female.

Because some of his figures have wings I think that in my mind it was going to be an exhibition of

Angels & Demons

I certainly had absolutely no intention of choosing Landscapes.

But walking through the entrance of his studio the first image I focused upon was a Landscape.

A Landscape with a difference, then my eyes turned to a second.

"I like those", I surprised myself by thinking.

From that moment my thoughts were no longer closed, I decided to "go with the flow"

Or where my heart took me and which Gerard would allow me. 

When I had taken all of my photographs and as we sat and talked together

My eyes kept returning to one painting.

I had liked it from the first viewing, now I noticed as the light altered the picture changed.

It is beautiful but it seemed so strange that as the outside light varied so to did the painting,

it altered dramatically.

I loved it.

My first choice was made, I have to have it in the exhibition.

There is not enough time for me to recount the full details of this delightful visit. 

It was great fun.

Meeting with both Pierre and Gerard's partners.

The wonderful food provided, the interesting stories told, were all a feast.

I can not explain and it is hard to describe how it feels to be sitting relaxed, talking, laughing and Enjoying the company of

Friends, friends that you have never met before.

Yet, people who are not strangers.

Before my departure Pierre insisted that we had a photograph of the occasion. 

Having a dread of being photographed I resisted.

So here it is.

This is my first choice of the paintings.

The others I must decide upon tomorrow as I had promised I would do it today.

But I still can't make a decision.

At the moment I have a list of 20 but I will refine this a little[or add to it].

Decisions, decisions!

I will show them to you in a couple of months.

Promise.

Late as ever. 

Buried behind all of my daily thoughts, concerns, and office work has been one important thought,

Maybe I should mention of our next exhibition?

However,

With so much to do writing my blog doesn't seem that important,

It is just an indulgence for myself and a way of looking back on what we have done

During the course of the year.

But

Today in between making picture frames, painting walls and answering mail

I decided that I must write something or the whole event will be over before I even mention it.

On Valentines Day

We are holding the opening of an exhibition of paintings by the French artist

Sylvia Karle-Marquet 

As you can see her paintings are just a little bit unusual.

Animal portraits with a difference.

Painted in the style of 'old masters' her animals take on a different dimension and personalities

All of which makes it easier to relate to their emotions and sensibility.

Animals that we know to be enemies are shown as friends, even lovers.

Their relationships are those that we would like to believe really happen

Maybe, set in an innocent past or perhaps a place we all dream really exists.

Utopia? 

 

The exhibition is titled

ANIMAL LOVERS

I would love to explain that the reason for the title relates to the relationships of the subjects

[which it does a little]

But that would be a little bit of a lie.

The real reason

Is that the date for the exhibition was set for February 14 [for other reasons.]

Unfortunately none of them romantic

For me the 14th was just a Sunday in February [which tells you a lot]

That was until I had to book hotel rooms for Sylvia and her friends who are all travelling from France for the "Vernissage" of the exhibition.

At the hotel the receptionists exclaimed,

"oooh, six people from France for Valentines day that sounds very romantic".

"What"?

"February 14 Valentines day".

"oh yeah, I've heard of that".

My thoughts were that I had made a big mistake, I should have arranged an exhibition featuring romance.

Then, the more I thought about it the more I decided that I had, this was romantic.

We all love animals

And certainly the animals in the paintings have close relationships.

So until I had a better title it became, and has remained

'Animal Lovers'

I don't think that the paintings by Sylvia need explaining as they tell their own stories

Yet, I am sure that we all read a different story in each painting

They are all different and very emotive yet they all have one detail in common.

A Ladybird.

 

Ladybird

The small red insect with wings beneath its shell.

There is one featured in each and every painting.

Recently I have grown a little "rusty" with my "parlez vous'ing" 

Becoming to understand this Sylvia suggested that "perhaps" to aid our conversation "perhaps"?

I should speak with her friend who is fluent with English.

Not a problem,

I can do English.

Multi tasking, multi-lingual, I can do it.

I'm also pretty good at multi bullshitting, but that's something I am working on.

Her friend Evelyne explained to me.

You may have noticed that each painting contains a 'Ladybird' hidden amongst the detail.

I confessed that I hadn't, but then I started to search.

Sure enough in every painting there was at least one Ladybird.

Evelyne told me the reason for this.

She recounted a story, a story that I have since researched [multi tasking]

and found many variants of.

 This is the version she told me:

It was the time of the French Revolution.

Beheading of Royalist's and people of wealth were a common occurrence.

In one incident a farm worker was assigned the task of being the executioner.

His victim a beautiful young girl.

The "executioner" was not happy with his job, he did not want to do this,

But rather than become a victim himself he proceeded.

The woman placed her neck upon the block.

As he looked down upon her the farmer noticed that sitting upon her neck was a Ladybird.

This meant that he would not only be killing the woman but also the innocent creature.

He reached down,

Picked up the insect and blew it away from his hand.

In doing this he felt that God would understand that he was not a bad man

Perhaps he would be forgiven for his horrid act deed.

Sylvia

Includes the insect in each painting she creates.

If the painting is not good enough she hopes that she will be forgiven.

I don't think she need worry.

 Enough!

There is just a limit to how much time that can be spent doing paperwork, answering emails and tossing bills in the dustbin. 

Sometimes, just "now and again" I like to remind myself of what we are really about.
It's not an office it's an art gallery.

It seems impossible but sometimes an entire weeks good plans can disappear with nothing seeming to happen.

Except, office work.

So.

After just placing a stamp on the last post of the day my thoughts were

"right, whats the next job".

Whooooaaah! 

No, lets do something good for a little while, I decided

The something good is to tell you about a recent visit by an incredible sculptor/craftsman.

Dan Morrison.

Dan had been recommended to me [and me to him] by another artist.

I was told....

"he makes these incredible lights, they are just right for you and your gallery".

The statement from a person I highly regard gave me pause for thought.

So I decided immediately to look at Dan's work.

I was impressed it but wasn't sure.

Would it be right for us, maybe?

I had to see it to be certain.

Dan generously offered to visit the gallery a few weeks later, so time would tell.

How many times have I had to remind myself,

"never, never judge a book by its cover"?

Too Many

So it was again.

A few simple pictures can only give you a glimpse of an artwork not an understanding and appreciation of it.

This was certainly the case with Dan's lights,

no pictures will ever adequately show the full beauty and complexity of his work.

In the same way the photographs I had seen of this "serious" craftsman did not prepare me

for the meeting with this exciting artist from "up't north".

It turned out that Dan is equally excitable and mad about many different things like myself.

We were at friends [it seemed like years] instantly, our thoughts and idea's matched.

He had visited to bring me his

"Alchemist Clam Clock".

I think no further description is needed once you have seen the photograph's.

It is incredible, beautifully designed and very well crafted.

It made me think of being a small boy playing with my "Meccano" set, it made me feel young.

This is what he wanted.

I am now proud to have it on display and in the evening it is a treat to see the response of people as they walk pass.

Glowing in the window it stops them in their tracks and I often hear laughter and words like

"Wow"

It appeals to all children, whatever their age. 

After 2/3 hour visit [which seemed like minutes] Dan prepared to leave.

"Before I go would you like to see my clock"? He asked 

Sure, Why not.

When he returned from his car I was on my knees under the counter sorting out a receipt.

"Here it is", I heard him say.

"Just a minute" I replied.

When I raised my head above the table  I was

STUNNED.

I have never seen anything like the sculpture that was sitting there.

I was certain of only one thing

"THAT is not leaving this building"

It is fantastic, it is 'Buck Rogers' meets the future, very modern yet 'retro'

and so incredibly engineered/crafted/designed.

I had to have it

Well, the gallery had to have it or I would never have peace, it was too good to go anywhere else.

"This is not leaving my building". I kept telling myself.

Being the lovely, generous, foolish, like minded soul that he is Dan agreed.

So, I was happily able to wave goodbye to him as he drove away, content that I had the object

[just for a little while] of my desires.

"CLANG"

I turned startled as the clocks 'Cymbols' clashed together 

Reminding me that I now had a very remarkable new sculpture from a remarkable

and very different artist.

A man who lives and works in a very old working class industrial town,

steeped in the history of production.

Yet, producing sculptural art for the future.

GENIUS

[but fun]

Birthdays

 This wasn't the way I had anticipated starting the New Year posts but life chooses for you.

In theory it can only get better and I hope to write about that soon.

This morning, like many of us I awoke to the news of the death of

David Bowie.

My immediate thoughts went to the artist George Underwood.

I have spoken of George many times, and will do again.

George is one of the galleries best selling artists, more importantly he has become a friend.

But when it comes to friends he has had one important and enduring friendship throughout his life,

That has been with his mate David Bowie, friends since the age of 9 years old.

On my visits to see George he rarely mentions David, and on most occasions it is myself who instigates the conversation.

As a result I have learned that they have been life long "true" friends.

The painting above I have shown you once in the past, now I will tell you why.

On one occasion I had made plans to visit George to collect some new art for the gallery.

He asked me when I would arrive because he had plans for the afternoon.

It was his birthday.

I offered to visit another time but he insisted that I come.

So, understanding it was an important day I took him a little present for his birthday.

He was very appreciative that I had bothered, and I admit that I was pleased that I had thought to do so.

But, I will cut a very long story short and move on to my departure.

Just before I departed the doorbell rang, it was a courier with a large parcel.

It contained a Hamper from David Bowie.

I have since learnt that one would arrive on every birthday.

Since that day I have often visited near the time of George's birthday and over coffee he will ask

"do you want some lovely biscuits or a nice piece of cake, they are from David"?

Could I say no?

On another visit I was looking around George's the studio in the anticipation of bringing something home with me [for the gallery].

George is a very shy, open and modest artist, he never "pushes" his art towards you,

So I had rarely dared to ask for some work as I feared he didn't want me to have it.

The result of this is that I have on occasions lost out on paintings that I could have taken because he thought I had no interest.

I think because we are both too shy.

As a result my motto became "If I don't ask I won't get".

So on subsequent visits I have asked for everything.

On one of those visits there was a beautiful painting of a figure on a horse, framed and propped against a wall.

Pushing my luck I asked "Could I have that"?

He told me "no, it is sold, well actually it is going to David".

David being his friend David Bowie.

It came about because for David's birthday George had sent him a betting slip for a horse race

The odds on the horse were 100-1.

George explained "what could I send him that he hasn't got"?

The result?  The horse lost [of course] but Bowie did contact George and explained that although the "nag" had lost it was a thoughtful present as he had an interest in horses.

He asked George would he create a painting of a horse for him?

The result is the painting at the top of this post.

So the painting did not come to the gallery it went to a more important home.

However, George did agree to send me a limited edition print of the painting.

From memory I think that hung in the gallery for 2 days before selling.

It was thinking of this today I remembered how important it was for them both not to let a birthday

pass and be forgotten.

In fact, just a couple of days ago I was wondering what George had sent David for this birthday.

Of course it was to be the last birthday of the great artist

David Bowie.

My thoughts today were for George.

This evening I made a call to another artist and friend [also a friend to George].

This is Terry Pastor.

The artist acknowledged for creating the Ziggy Stardust album cover.

I was not surprised that the call was unanswered [the line was busy].

Later I had a call back from Terry's wife.

" Terry said you might call John. He is not here at the moment but if you turn on the TV he is being interviewed on the news as we speak.......................".

A sad day for everyone.

Above are the different artworks by George and Terry.

George named the horseman painting

The White Rider