Here Comes Summer

The Steven Camley exhibition ended on Sunday with sales I'm delighted to say, right up to the last minute. A fabulous forty-five sold, and I really didn't want that show to end.

Margaretann Bennett RSW

But as the new work began to arrive for our Summer Exhibition, I could feel my head being turned by the most gorgeous works I've seen for a mixed show in a long time.



Cathy Campbell



We have a great line up of artists taking part, and the variety of talent just goes on and on.  Here are just some examples of the quality of work and the spectrum of media that will go to make a joyous collection for June and July.

Colin Brown

Other invited artists include John Kingsley PAI, David M Martin RSW RGI, Sandy Murphy RSW RGI PAI, Kevin Low, Ronald F Smith RSW RGI PAI, Laura Harrison, Joyce Gunn Cairns MBE, Sheila Macmillan and more.

Alice McMurrough RGI PAI

We will also have beautiful sculpture by Shaun McLaren and Lesley Carruthers, ceramics by Pauline Zelinski and jewellery by Sarah Anderson.





Patricia Cain RGI



The gallery will be bursting at the seams with works by some of my favourite artists, and I hope yours too.

Ashley Cook

We wil be hanging this exhibition all week in preparation for the preview this Sunday, 16th June.



Neil MacDonald RGI PAI




Do let me know if anything catches your eye.  Several pieces have sold already from the invitation and from images seen.



Thanks for reading!



Natalie

Selling Well

They say blondes have more fun.  I think this Blonde is looking slightly perturbed because she is the only painting left out of Margaretann Bennett's collection of four at The Affordable Art Show (the three that sold were brunettes. . . . just saying . . .).

As I brush back my long dark hair, I'm pondering how well most of the artists are doing at our annual  Affordable Art Show.  Many are selling three or more paintings out of their collections of up to six.  Emma Waine (below) has only one left.

Lovely Marion Thomson (below) has sold three of her five.  I'm so proud when the artists sell well, but of course in an ideal world, I want everyone to sell just as well.

As always, it's almost impossible to predict which paintings will or wont sell, but sometimes I am surprised when an artist whose work I love hasn't sold.  George Grant's work is sensitive, evocative and compelling.  He's been popular at Smithy Gallery for a long time, and he has given us these beautiful small works.

I am interested in George's work because it stands out as something different.  The edges are curved because he paints directly onto a wooden panel shaped that way.  He works on layers and layers, building up a feeling as much as a impression of the landscape.

You really do feel something when you look at them, like you've have just caught a unique moment before the light changes.  This one is called Postcard From Ailsa.  Over the painting, the artist transcribes an old original letter or postcard.  It's sweet and romantic and just lovely.

We've still got two weeks to go though and many more paintings to sell!  I wonder what will be next . . . .

Thanks for reading!

Natalie

With Thanks

It has been an amazing year at Smithy Gallery. 

In such unpredictable times we have had a very good year, including four very successful solo exhibitions.  Thank you so much to George Birrell, Gordon Wilson, Sandy Murphy RSW RGI and Margaretann Bennett RSW for bringing excitement, colour, beauty and drama to the gallery. 

With each show, the space was transformed into a different world and took me with it.  I loved each one.

Thank you to all the wonderful artists that have supported the gallery since we opened six years ago.  And also to the new artists who have entrusted us with their work.  We would be nothing without you, except for four very characterful old walls, wooden beams, a slate roof - a very pretty cottage - but not the contemporary and stimulating place that I had always dreamt of.

And of course thank you to the customers, old and new.  It's lovely to see the gallery being enjoyed by regularly visitors, and it's lovely to be discovered.

Lastly, thank you to the special people in my life (you know who you are!).  You amaze me with your tireless interest in all things gallery, and you help me in more ways than you realise.  I simply couldn't do it without you.

Have a wonderful New Year.  See you in 2012!


Thanks for reading!


Natalie

Calling All Animal Lovers!

Look what's just scampered into the gallery! 

Small, fun-loving creatures have rushed to the gallery to enjoy the Margaretann Bennett RSW exhibition.  After a phenomenal start, her paintings are selling almost daily, and I guess they don't want to miss out!

Look at this chilled out pooch!  Okay, I'll come clean -  they were lovingly created by acclaimed sculptor Christine Cummings.  But I do believe they have a life of their own. And I'm sure you will too when you observe these little guys - still as statues, full of life, ceramic cuties.  Wait a minute, I'm sure that one just moved . . . ..

So, like me, they observe the collection that Margaretann has put together.  She really is the toast of the town just now, having also won an award at the 150th RGI exhibition. I think it may be her fifth award there.  It is really good to see talent, dedication and uncompromising creativity being rewarded.

Margaretann is no sheep!

Thanks for reading!

Natalie

PS I love sheep

Different Dynamics

All the Sandy Murphy RSW RGI PAI paintings have been taken down today and carefully wrapped.  I felt a little sad, but being surrounded by Margaretann Bennett's new work gave me that little frisson of excitement I feel when a challenge awaits.  Plus, they are just plain fabulous!

I have to find the perfect home on the Smithy walls for the forty eight beautiful pieces that make up her new collection.  Hanging an exhibition is always a little daunting.  I want it to be as good as possible, with every piece in it's optimum place. 

I know how much work and preparation the artist has put in, and I really want to do their effort and talent justice.  Although mainly figurative, Margaretann's latest collection also includes some of her intricate still lifes and landscapes.

 

As I lay the pieces out and am mentally going through combinations and patterns, a welcome break occurs from my machinations as Lesley Carruthers arrives with sculpture to complement this exhibition.

Lesley is a widely acclaimed, talented sculptor working mainly in cast aluminium, and I am delighted to introduce her work to Smithy Gallery, particularly in conjunction with this exhibition.

These three pieces, set on the best quality oak plinths will be a fabulous punctuation to such a strong body of work from Margaretann.

Even with such a lot of work to do, I am already looking forward to the opening of the exhibition this Sunday, mainly because the gallery will be transformed into something completely different.  From the tranquility and tonal subtlety of the Sandy Murphy exhibition, it will have an altogether new and vibrant energy about it, and this is what I love about art, expression, creativity and being lucky enough to house it all under one roof.

Hope to see you there.

Thanks for reading!

Natalie

And Now For Something Completely Different!

The Sandy Murphy RSW RGI PAI exhibition comes to an end this Sunday, and I have enjoyed every minute of it.  I have wanted to hold this exhibition for such a long time, and I'm amazed to say that it exceeded my stellar expectations.

  

Seventeen paintings are going to excited buyers, and this has been a dream in itself, but what I didn't expect was the overwhelming feedback from every visitor.  This included Sandy fans, people new to Sandy's work, and a lot of well known Scottish artists who didn't want to miss the show.

 

 

I know we must never look backwards, but I feel a tinge of sadness that it will be over on Sunday.  It has been such a positive experience, and a bonding one too.  I have never had so many discussions about art and painting, and what it is about an artist's use of paint that can make the heart flutter.  I revelled in realising that I am not the only one who holds Sandy's exceptional talent in such high regard.

  

So I guess what I really need now is something to take my mind off it . . . . .

 

 

  

A distraction.  Something striking, thought-provoking and very, very different . . . .

  

  

Something like . . .  well what do you know!  Here comes Margaretann Bennett with a stunning solo exhibition of new works from 23 October.  Ignore at your peril!

  

 

 

Yes, that might just do it!

 

 

Thanks for reading!

 

 

Natalie



Keep Calm

I see blue skies, I see sun, I feel a fresh chill.  My favourite weather . . . .  

. . . . . I'm back.  I had to run outside there and stand in the sun listening to the sound of the river running past.  The gallery is positioned right beside a river, the river Blane (we are in Blanefield).  For those of you who think I had to go look that up, I knew that already.  Okay, I checked, just to be sure.  What a beautiful sound though.

Okay, I'm avoiding the job at hand.  It's actually a job I like, but it's huge.  After weeks of planning, I'm about to receive Margaretann Bennett's exhibition invitation brochures back from the printers.  I always feel nervous and excited about this.  I like to design them to suit each individual exhibition.  The invitation is inspired by the work itself. I love this part, I even love obsessing about it. 

But are they going to do the artist's body of work justice?  Are they going to grab the attention of the envelope-opener so they immediately run to their diary and take a note of the dates, I imagine, in a red pen with an exclamation mark!

Here's a sneaky peak of part of the invite.

This is 'Dirty Blonde, Little Black Dress'.  Each painting has a fabulous title, and so much more behind it.  I'm really looking forward to the discussion the exhibition is going to stimulate.

So in preparation, there are the envelopes . . . envelopes, labels and stamps on every surface I can see. 

Margaretann is busy finishing off her new collection of works, and I'm worried about whether my stamps are straight.  Well, my last post did highlight the many important aspects that go into running a gallery. . . .!

I'm now up to a thousand envelopes . . . I need a break, I'm off for five minutes of river susurrus (my new favourite word - look it up!).


Thanks for reading!


Natalie

Indifferent Directions

There are many different aspects to running a gallery.  Because I feel so lucky to be surrounded by such beautiful paintings and sculptures, sometimes I don't realise how many directions my mind is going in. 

Sometimes when I am talking to a customer, they might ask me 'What do you do here all day?  They are asking this whilst standing in the serenity of the gallery space, balanced and calm.  I smile, and try not to reel off the list of aspects that go into creating the balance and calm.  I do sometimes feel like a swan with my strange little webbies silently propelling the gallery forward.  I want people to feel happy and calm and I think they do. 

Of course, I also want people to be stimulated, as there is nothing I like better than a good discussion about the paintings and art in general. 

And this is what the upcoming Margaretann Bennett RSW exhibition is going to be all about.  I sometimes find that people worry about 'not knowing anything about art'.  For me, creativity is a very human quality and can be discussed by anyone.  I even enjoy discussing why someone doesn't like something.  These can sometimes be the most interesting discussions and sometimes,  opinions can change just a little.

Apart from the beauty and the drama of Margaretann's work, I am looking forward to the discussion.  Indifference is not an option!

Thank you for reading!

Natalie

So What's Next?

I'm getting a little excited again.  Yes I know this seems to be happening quite a lot, but that's because I'm surrounded by exciting artists creating beautiful and bold work.  I'm too lucky, and I appreciate it every day!

The Sandy Murphy RSW RGI PAI continues to wow me, and all who visit.  We are up to sixteen paintings sold so far, which is a wonderful total with almost three weeks to go.

So where do we go from here . . . . well, it has to very different, and it has to be bold . . .  so it has to be Margaretann Bennett RSW!

Having won numerous prestigious awards and the distinction of RSW, Margaretann has become one of Scottish art's more interesting leading lights.  A true artist, she lets her work develop, pushing the boundaries as she goes.  The paintings deal with remembrance, loss and the nature of human existence.  This results in intriguing work that can sometimes cause discomfort, is usually loved, but never ignored.  

A Margaretann Bennett painting grabs the viewer's imagination whether they like it or not, and this is what I love about them.  Like Sandy's work though, they need to be viewed in person to be fully appreciated.  The bold image is created through intricate, delicate layering.

Although her work deals with some serious subjects, there is a lot of humour as well.  Meet . . . . 'Skank Puss'!

I have a feeling he's going to be very popular!

The exhibition opens on October 23rd.  Contact the gallery if you would like be present at the Private View.

Thanks for reading!

Natalie