The Private View went off well, with a goodly crowd attending. Each of the three artists brought along their own supporters and, with regular Gallery friends also in attendance, there was an interesting social mix. Among my ‘distant’ friends Deborah (my long-term ‘patron’) and Mark came across from Rutland and Michael (my long-term mentor) and Pat drove down from north Norfolk.

My little sculptures attracted attention and caused some amusement, which is good in itself but a little galling when you think that I put one together in minutes from materials which cost nothing while some paintings in the exhibition were laboured over for months and cost hundreds of £££s in supports and framing.

The recent framing was in fact carried out very reasonably by Linda Thomas, and her skill and good taste have significantly enhanced numerous paintings. Two examples are ‘A refugee’s prospect’ and ‘Geometric 2: black mark’ to the right of one of the chimney breasts:

 

It was good to welcome her and her husband Paul to the PV, especially as they then ‘bought’ a ‘Dachshund’ and ‘Gar’, two of the mini-sculptures. ‘Bought’ is keyed thus because people who wish to acquire one are invited to contribute in the range £5-25 as a donation to the Gallery (see blog 0f 4 August above).

 

 

The ‘Dachshund’, purchased to join two real Dachshunds already in the Thomas family, is in the foreground. It consists of a plastic base supporting an elongated pebble with protrusions as if stumpy legs. On to the top of the pebble are glued a piece of burnt vertebra as head and a slight bit of wood serving as tail. ‘Gar is left centre.

For the mini-sculptures in general see a later blog of 4 August.