Big Nights In A Minor Pace

'A Minor Place', Artists Workhouse, Studley, Warwickshire, September 2016.
Work By (L-R): Myself, Shaun Morris, Andrew Smith

Well, it’s been a hectic few days, but the ‘A Minor Place’ exhibition now hangs on the walls of Artists Workhouse.  I think contributing artists, Andrew Smith, Shaun Morris and myself are all equally pleased with how the show looks, and how well the preparations for it actually went, in the event.  Bringing three disparate bodies of superficially quite different work together, particularly when one artist (i.e. me), was geographically separated by some distance, might have been tricky proposition.  Nevertheless, I think we all knew enough about each other to feel confident it had a pretty good chance of success.  And thus, I think - it has proved.

View Of The Lower Gallery, With Work By Shaun & I, Alongside (R) Text By Andrew

Paintings By D Shaun On The Stairwell

The Hang In Progress In The Lower Gallery:  Note Andrew & Shaun In Classic 'Standing Back' Mode...

...Whilst Dawn & Martin Just Get On With Stuff In The Upstairs Gallery

Five Of My 'Vestige' Series Paintings Get Themselves In Line...

...Opposite Less Conformist Pieces By Andrew

A major key to that are, I think, the areas where our Venn diagram of shared interests and artistic sensibilities overlap.  Even where the work seems separated by style and approach, there are a numerous ways in which, for instance, a particular shared ‘sense of place’, or possibly a variety of enjoyable alienation creep into all our visions and views of the world.  There are certain two and three-way conversations between our individual bodies of work, both spoken and unspoken, which are undeniably there, whether outside viewers see them immediately, or not.

The Upper Gallery, With (L): Video Presentations By Each Of Us, (C): Work By Andrew, (R):
Myself, Flanking Shaun.

And Again, With Work By Andrew...

...And Shaun.

Prints From My 'Change Of Use' Series, On The Landing

Anyway, I’ll save any profound, drawn-out reflections on the actual work for a subsequent post.  For now, it’s immensely pleasing to be able to draw breath and bask in the memory of a hang, which went far quicker and painlessly than it ever had the right to (on top of three respective full days work back at the educational coal-face), and a thoroughly enjoyable and well-attended Private View.

'A Minor Place',  Private View, Saturday, 3 September 2016

Much credit for that should go to Dawn and Martin at Artists Workhouse, who went way beyond the extra mile to guide us in ensuring the work not only went up quickly, but intelligently too [1.].  Afterwards, as I went round with fresh eyes, I couldn’t find any obvious weak points in the hang, or any decisions I regretted.  That feels like quite rare achievement - particularly given we’d decided to intersperse all the work throughout three very distinct spaces.  They (and several extra helpers) came into their own again a few days later - having attracted significant numbers of interested visitors to the Private View, beyond those the three of us would have mustered alone.  Their diligence in ensuring that potential purchasers were attended to and that no glass remained empty should also be mentioned.

Shaun's 'Depot 2' Provides An Appropriately Colour Co-ordinated Backdrop

Are You Enjoying That, Boss?

While I’m bigging people up, I’d also like to thank my dear friends Susie and Lorel for their support and delicious contributions to our catering cause, and to Chris Cowdrill for once again coming up with stylish and impactful publicity material (on which many people have commented favourably).  I’m always amazed how rapidly he turns this stuff around, and with how little drama.  His work on the publication that accompanies the show is a small work of art in its own right, (about which - more later also, hopefully).  Appreciation also goes to those who’ve already travelled to view the show and, to those who filled the room on the night.  One or two have even shown us the colour of their money already, (you know who you are, and it means a lot).

Shaun (C.) Does Some Mingling... 

...Whilst Andrew Checks For Missed Calls From International Dealers.

Right, I’m off to sort through the rest of the photos.  More to follow...

Artists Workhouse, Studeley, Warwickshire, September 2016

'A Minor Place' continues at Artists Workhouse, Studley, Warwickshire, B80 7AU, until Sunday, 11 September (Closed Monday & Tuesday).

[1.]:  I should mention that Dawn Harris is also working towards her own imminent M.A. exhibition - which makes her efforts on our behalf even more impressive.  You can catch Dawn's work at the MA Fine Art Graduate Show, 'Mindscapes', at: Hardwick Gallery, Hardwick Campus, University of Gloucestershire, St. Paul's Road, Cheltenham, GL50 4BS, From 16 -23 September.