Those amongst you with keen eyes may have noticed that there is a slight error on one of the emailed invites - to confirm the 2nd April is a Thursday not Wednesday.
All Jeff's fault of course!!
Today has been spent hanging Frieda's work, a really vibrant show is the result and once Cheryl has brought her work along for the bottom gallery we will have one of our most energetic exhibitions to date, but then that's just my opinion - you'll have to make up your own mind!
In between the two exhibitions we have yet another piece of art work - Jeff has been working on the staircase having taken up the wine stained carpet. Lots of sanding, painting and varnishing later, it's looking good - not quite there yet - we have still the landing to complete -so temporary measure - yet another purchase from Ikea, how many rugs can one store stock? And tell me why is it impossible to go into Ikea and only buy the exact product you need - does everybody end up buying candles? or is this just a terrible weakness only I can admit to. "Hi my name is Judy and I am a Ikea 'nick knack' addict" - there must be a support group somewhere...
We've had some great news with forthcoming shows - the word is spreading and we've had talks with two artists looking to show into the new year. We've also confirmed a summer showing of work from an Indian artist who we met at the recent arts fair at the Canal Basin.
And btw... for the girls out there, as a result of the arts fair...on the weekend I went over to the studio belonging to 'Trash Blooms' - Claire makes designs bespoke shoes and bags - using second hand & vintage shoes she'll tailor a design to suit your exact requirements and with a forthcoming wedding in mind, a bargain was had - £40.00 - great deal. Picture on the way...
See all and many at the PV - that's this Thursday the 2nd April 6-9pm
TTFN Judy...
Monday, 30 March 2009
Friday, 20 March 2009
A bit of Bach....and cake
Last Sunday we held the inaugural Fishbone Classical Event - If you look at past postings you'll see the details of the event. It was a very hectic day - actually a very hectic weekend.
Saturday saw me having a meeting with curator Gerard Mermoz, who has curated the current exhibitions at the Herbert - 'Through Other Eyes' , Gerard came to our last private view and wanted to talk about using the gallery for a future show. I spent a delightful morning with him and his partner Anna - who gave me some excellent insights into the business of the arts along with many fearsome facts on funding. It was a masterclass! only issue was Gerard served the most yummy coffee and now I am yearning for a coffee machine that turns a simple cup of coffee into an event - can't afford one - gallery needs a new floor! - drat!!
Meanwhile while I was furthering the Fishbone brand and contacts - Jeff with his trusty friend & fisherman in arms - John, spent the whole day and into the evening by the river at Bretwood catching pike & chub. I wouldn't mind but when they arrived home - the whole evening was given over to a postmortem of the day, it only ceased when we popped down to the Nasha for a curry! - double drat!
Saturday led into Sunday, a beautiful day - Emma from the Lock Gallery in the Canal Basin must have been lighting numerous candles to the gods for them to look down on her...today was the 2nd Coventry Arts Festival - when we arrived at the Canal Basin, it was buzzing with visitors at the numerous stalls set around the canal. We had arranged for a narrow boat to leave the lock at midday to take people down to the Fishbone to see the exhibition and sample our hospitality. Jeff & John perched on the end of the boat started their leisurely trip back to Longford. I, on the other hand made my way back to make sure the ensemble were OK for the concert in the church at 2.
The concert was a great success - Jane and her crew of musicians were fantastic, there was great humour when all went wrong during one of the Bach pieces. The crowd really appreciated the effort made by the players and I know the players really appreciated the audience. A 'win win' for all concerned, the Edsel now have a home in the church and will be having open rehearsals, every month and we can look forward to more Sunday concerts.
We had two cohorts of visitors during the day - the people who arrived on the boat about, 30 people and then after the concert about the same for post event drinks. The one thing both groups had in common was the love of home-made cakes they 'wolfed' them down, so we have our formula for Sunday events - tea and homemade cake.
The student show is coming an end this weekend - Jeff and I held a 'crit' for them last night, both ourselves and the students have learnt a lot from this exhibition and we're looking forward to seeing if our input will be evident at their degree show. We have certainly taken on board the experience and will ensure all work from now on, is hung in plenty of time for the PV - no more last minute additions...well that's our intention !!
TTFN
Judy
Saturday saw me having a meeting with curator Gerard Mermoz, who has curated the current exhibitions at the Herbert - 'Through Other Eyes' , Gerard came to our last private view and wanted to talk about using the gallery for a future show. I spent a delightful morning with him and his partner Anna - who gave me some excellent insights into the business of the arts along with many fearsome facts on funding. It was a masterclass! only issue was Gerard served the most yummy coffee and now I am yearning for a coffee machine that turns a simple cup of coffee into an event - can't afford one - gallery needs a new floor! - drat!!
Meanwhile while I was furthering the Fishbone brand and contacts - Jeff with his trusty friend & fisherman in arms - John, spent the whole day and into the evening by the river at Bretwood catching pike & chub. I wouldn't mind but when they arrived home - the whole evening was given over to a postmortem of the day, it only ceased when we popped down to the Nasha for a curry! - double drat!
Saturday led into Sunday, a beautiful day - Emma from the Lock Gallery in the Canal Basin must have been lighting numerous candles to the gods for them to look down on her...today was the 2nd Coventry Arts Festival - when we arrived at the Canal Basin, it was buzzing with visitors at the numerous stalls set around the canal. We had arranged for a narrow boat to leave the lock at midday to take people down to the Fishbone to see the exhibition and sample our hospitality. Jeff & John perched on the end of the boat started their leisurely trip back to Longford. I, on the other hand made my way back to make sure the ensemble were OK for the concert in the church at 2.
The concert was a great success - Jane and her crew of musicians were fantastic, there was great humour when all went wrong during one of the Bach pieces. The crowd really appreciated the effort made by the players and I know the players really appreciated the audience. A 'win win' for all concerned, the Edsel now have a home in the church and will be having open rehearsals, every month and we can look forward to more Sunday concerts.
We had two cohorts of visitors during the day - the people who arrived on the boat about, 30 people and then after the concert about the same for post event drinks. The one thing both groups had in common was the love of home-made cakes they 'wolfed' them down, so we have our formula for Sunday events - tea and homemade cake.
The student show is coming an end this weekend - Jeff and I held a 'crit' for them last night, both ourselves and the students have learnt a lot from this exhibition and we're looking forward to seeing if our input will be evident at their degree show. We have certainly taken on board the experience and will ensure all work from now on, is hung in plenty of time for the PV - no more last minute additions...well that's our intention !!
TTFN
Judy
Friday, 13 March 2009
Closed for refurbishment 21st March - 4th April
Please note that the gallery will close after the current show finishes on the 21st of March and will open again when the next show starts on 4th April. We are going carry out some essential work on the carpeted staircase which after just a few shows is looking very grubby, with blackened red wine stains and road muck turning it a nice post-industrial grey. It won't last another show so we are taking advantage of this break to strip it out and varnish (heavily) the lovely pine stairs hidden beneath, and also lay a new floor upstairs, all work that will take at least a week.
It will all be done by the PV of the next show on 2nd April.
All activities, such as the photography groups who meet in the evenings downstairs, are not affected, and will carry on as usual.
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Cov Uni PV
Hi to all
This time last week we were setting up the student show - it became a little of a case of 'good cop' 'bad cop' with Jeff becoming a little (justified) irate with the lack of progress with the installation of work. Anyway as they say 'all's well...' and Thursday opening private view was yet another successful event. The great benefit of a group show is that the artists bring along a new cohort of visitors and indeed this was the case, we had a good number of Fishbone 'virgins' who I hope will come along to other shows and more importantly spread the word about us. The best (and cheapest) publicity available is word of mouth and personal recommendation, the web stats certainly are looking healthy -- this is my new obsession - checking out the numbers of visitors to the web page - of course, i do take all the credit with my witty blog entries!!!
Kate started her second group of beginner photography sessions Monday gone - around 7 people turned up which is a good number to work with.
Talking about visitors to the web site, two of my students were asking about the gallery on Tuesday, possibly just trying to get out of doing their actually class work. Anyway they seemed quite interested and foolishly I offered to invite them and the other 13 students to the next PV - might make that a day time outing instead though. The discovery of the website does mean that I shall have to curb my language and watch my P's & Q's if the students are reading -- after all teachers aren't actually human and of course they couldn't possibly have a life out of college - surely !!! - Ah if only they really knew the truth.
See you soon....Judy
This time last week we were setting up the student show - it became a little of a case of 'good cop' 'bad cop' with Jeff becoming a little (justified) irate with the lack of progress with the installation of work. Anyway as they say 'all's well...' and Thursday opening private view was yet another successful event. The great benefit of a group show is that the artists bring along a new cohort of visitors and indeed this was the case, we had a good number of Fishbone 'virgins' who I hope will come along to other shows and more importantly spread the word about us. The best (and cheapest) publicity available is word of mouth and personal recommendation, the web stats certainly are looking healthy -- this is my new obsession - checking out the numbers of visitors to the web page - of course, i do take all the credit with my witty blog entries!!!
Kate started her second group of beginner photography sessions Monday gone - around 7 people turned up which is a good number to work with.
Talking about visitors to the web site, two of my students were asking about the gallery on Tuesday, possibly just trying to get out of doing their actually class work. Anyway they seemed quite interested and foolishly I offered to invite them and the other 13 students to the next PV - might make that a day time outing instead though. The discovery of the website does mean that I shall have to curb my language and watch my P's & Q's if the students are reading -- after all teachers aren't actually human and of course they couldn't possibly have a life out of college - surely !!! - Ah if only they really knew the truth.
See you soon....Judy
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Frieda Van De Poll & Cheryl Portlock
Just confirmed and finalised, we'll be mounting a fascinating double solo exhibition of the work of two artists, both of whom utilise narrative forms and saturated colour, but with very different effect. Van De Poll's 'Feast of Beasts' is a personal bestiary in various media that includes all kinds of fabulous and mythical creatures, and Portlocks "Oh darling, don't be ridiculous of course it's African" is a collection of personal stories in acrylic from her early life as a colonial child in Zimbabwe and South Africa.
More detail soon...
More detail soon...
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Life drawing sessions are go!
The life drawing sessions are now going ahead offically...
For those experienced artists wanting to hone their draftsmanship or those wanting to try their hand at life drawing for the first time, we are offering untutored life drawing and painting sessions. The sessions, organised by experienced professional life model Bryony Lewis, start on Sunday 17th May 10am -1pm, and follow on the 3rd Sunday of every month thereafter. Our reasonable rates are to be announced very soon.
Interested in the sessions? Then don't hesitate to book your place.
For those experienced artists wanting to hone their draftsmanship or those wanting to try their hand at life drawing for the first time, we are offering untutored life drawing and painting sessions. The sessions, organised by experienced professional life model Bryony Lewis, start on Sunday 17th May 10am -1pm, and follow on the 3rd Sunday of every month thereafter. Our reasonable rates are to be announced very soon.
Interested in the sessions? Then don't hesitate to book your place.
Monday, 2 March 2009
Life Classes
We had an email last week from someone interested in starting some life classes - Briony Lewis works as life model and has asked us if we can accommodate her over the summer months - Briony seems very enthusiastic and has great experience working with different groups, Briony's sessions will be untutored and are due to start on the 17th May (Sunday) each session will last for 3 hours from 10am until 1pm. Email your interest to the normal Fishbone address.
Working our way up to the private view this Thursday - have just been down to order the food so that's the main thing sorted !!
Also Jeff and I went to an exhibition taking place in the Alan Berry building at Cov' Uni' worth a visit during your lunch if you are around the area. Spoke to the artist, Jiancheng Ma, he expressed an interest in using Fishbone in the future to show his work along with that of his fellow artists from his home collective - wonder if we could get an Arts Council Grant for a fact finding trip to China - worth a try!!
One last thing - went to the auction raising funds for the degree shows - went on impulse - spent too much - ouch! Now Jeff is threatening to spend the equivalent money on fishing paraphernalia - how many rods can one man need - double ouch!!
Post again after PV.
TTFN Judy
Working our way up to the private view this Thursday - have just been down to order the food so that's the main thing sorted !!
Also Jeff and I went to an exhibition taking place in the Alan Berry building at Cov' Uni' worth a visit during your lunch if you are around the area. Spoke to the artist, Jiancheng Ma, he expressed an interest in using Fishbone in the future to show his work along with that of his fellow artists from his home collective - wonder if we could get an Arts Council Grant for a fact finding trip to China - worth a try!!
One last thing - went to the auction raising funds for the degree shows - went on impulse - spent too much - ouch! Now Jeff is threatening to spend the equivalent money on fishing paraphernalia - how many rods can one man need - double ouch!!
Post again after PV.
TTFN Judy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Fishbone Gallery
- Who, What, Where, are Fishbone Gallery ?
- Longford, Coventry, United Kingdom
- The Fishbone Gallery is something of a rarity. A gallery committed to promoting the diversity of the visual arts of the West Midlands, that supports new artists and encourages them to show work that otherwise might not receive the attention it deserves. We are not primarily a profit making enterprise, and therefore we can afford to show experimental work that would never gain proper exposure through commercial channels. We also host a wide range of community projects and events, clubs and classes, run by specialist practitioners with thorough knowledge of their particular disciplines. We welcome all people of all ages and all cultural backgrounds, to come along and be part of what we do. Our mission is to make art and art practise an integral part of the lives of the people of Longford, and to encourage a broader audience for the visual arts in Coventry and the West Midlands. The gallery is run by Judy Kay and Jeff Hatt