Is it really a month since my first blog? I had some very encouraging feedback on it, but I'm finding that, if I'm not in the right frame of mind, I shy away from writing the next! A bit like producing art work, and I'm sure there are plenty of you out there who know the feeling. Anyway, something happened this week to inspire me to write - I met up with a tutor of mine from the Poly, (sorry, Northumbria Uni!), who I knew in the 70's. Oh my god, how old do I feel! I came across him in 2 ways. First of all, through browsing the Internet. I can't remember how, but I ended up looking at a page by the Arts Editor for the Journal newspaper which mentioned a final exhibition by The Newcastle Group at Northumbria. The article listed the exhibiting artists, amongst whom was my old tutor - Derek Dalton. The Newcastle Group are/were a group of artists living and working in the NE of England who felt they needed a higher profile, and to promote the quality of regional art as opposed to that in The Capital. So began, in 1984, a series of Exhibitions, both here and abroad. The group grew as it began to become established, but 25 years on, with many of it's members now living and working far and wide around the globe, it was decided that all good things must come to an end.
I thought I could maybe get to meet with Derek if I went to the exhibition and possibly pick up his contact details. As fate would have it, I came across them in the December issue of the Living North Fine Art supplement, so I boldly rang him. We arranged to meet at his home/studio in Corbridge, where he does 'the odd bit of work now and again', because he apparently doesn't need the money now!!!! What an enviable position to be in. He welcomed me in and we caught up on who and what from the 70's, and discussed the current art scene in the North East. One of the things we talked about was how to price your work, and he told me an amusing story about someone who owned an early Hockney, amongst others, but was having to sell it for financial reasons. The original price was, let's say, £500. He asked Hockney how he decided on the price, seeing as he was a relatively unknown at the time, and the reply was that he sells for the price of a Mini. So Derek asked the collector how much he was hoping to sell it for now, and his reply? The price of a Mini, which was maybe in the £1000's. He then asked Derek how much he sold his work for and the reply came, quick as a flash - 'For the price of a washing machine'! Derek wanted his work to be affordable and accessible. Just what I want this site to promote!
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Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Here's to the future!
Ok. Here I go - my first ever 'Blog'.
After several months of preparation, confusion, frustration, self-doubt, humble prayers and umpteen headaches, I finally became a website owner and business woman on 2nd December '08.
Being a teacher by profession, I have found the whole process of setting up in business a huge learning curve. It feels like I've gone back to Uni and done a crash MA in all things internet/business!
My ever patient web designers/builders certainly had their work cut out when they took me on!
Since I got the go ahead regarding funding, way back in August '08, I have advertised in the programme for the hugely successful Newcastle/Gateshead Art Fair in September and carried out some research there for the site, regarding the sale of Art on-line. That threw up some interesting findings, for example, the younger the person interviewed, the more confident they were with on-line selling, however, 70% of artists interviewed said they would sell their work on- line. I learned that the commission charged by galleries is massive, (upto 50%+vat!), and that 50% of Art Lovers would buy Art on-line, the other 50% saying they would rather view the work 'in the flesh'. It is a feature of this site that because it is highlighting this region's art, then artists are geographically within visiting distance. So prospective buyers can arrange to view before buying. I certainly do feel that it is the future, with more and more artists self-publishing, and galleries and curator's feeling the squeeze.
In November, there was the hugely popular Open Studios Event in Newcastle, around the Ouseburn area. I haven't been down there for years and was pleasanlty surprised that it is now very much an Artists' Quarter. I visited most of the Studios on the Saturday, and returned to the Biscuit factory to video Roy Kirton giving a watercolour demo. That was another first for me - film producer! We're putting it onto the site, in chunks, (I got a bit carried away with my new found talent behind the camera!), and also onto U-Tube. One of the on-lookers asked all the pertinent questions - I couldn't have scripted it better!
My favourite of the Studios has to be The Mushroom Works because of it's intimacy and the artists themselves - all up-and-coming in their various fields, and quite unassuming in their approach.
One query, though, why did Lime Street Studios levy a charge when it was an OPEN Studios event? They lost my custom, how many more were put off?
Last comment on this event - at The Artworks Studio, there were some very enterprising young ladies selling little cakes. These cakes were no ordinary cakes, they were quirky and humorous to boot. The girls had decorated them with different toppings and given them names: one had MandM's on top and was called Tracy Emminem!, another was a FlapJacksonPollock with squiggles of multi-coloured icing! Brilliant! (Girls, if you read this, get in touch, I want some photos!).
I have discovered that there are literally hundreds of artists out there, producing fabulous, good quality and yet affordable art. I am humbled by the standard of the work I'm seeing.
I am looking forward to meeting some of our better known NE Artists, and certainly hoping to persuade them to let me interview them and put these interviews onto the site for members to access. I am thrilled by the positive comments I am receiving both from artists and art lovers alike, which seem to arrive just when I'm having some of those self doubts I mentioned earlier!
Ok. I think that will do for today and my first ever 'Blog'. I hope my kids are proud of me, and certainly this dog is not too old to learn new tricks!
Let me know what YOU think, and please, spread the word.
Till the next time,
Poll
After several months of preparation, confusion, frustration, self-doubt, humble prayers and umpteen headaches, I finally became a website owner and business woman on 2nd December '08.
Being a teacher by profession, I have found the whole process of setting up in business a huge learning curve. It feels like I've gone back to Uni and done a crash MA in all things internet/business!
My ever patient web designers/builders certainly had their work cut out when they took me on!
Since I got the go ahead regarding funding, way back in August '08, I have advertised in the programme for the hugely successful Newcastle/Gateshead Art Fair in September and carried out some research there for the site, regarding the sale of Art on-line. That threw up some interesting findings, for example, the younger the person interviewed, the more confident they were with on-line selling, however, 70% of artists interviewed said they would sell their work on- line. I learned that the commission charged by galleries is massive, (upto 50%+vat!), and that 50% of Art Lovers would buy Art on-line, the other 50% saying they would rather view the work 'in the flesh'. It is a feature of this site that because it is highlighting this region's art, then artists are geographically within visiting distance. So prospective buyers can arrange to view before buying. I certainly do feel that it is the future, with more and more artists self-publishing, and galleries and curator's feeling the squeeze.
In November, there was the hugely popular Open Studios Event in Newcastle, around the Ouseburn area. I haven't been down there for years and was pleasanlty surprised that it is now very much an Artists' Quarter. I visited most of the Studios on the Saturday, and returned to the Biscuit factory to video Roy Kirton giving a watercolour demo. That was another first for me - film producer! We're putting it onto the site, in chunks, (I got a bit carried away with my new found talent behind the camera!), and also onto U-Tube. One of the on-lookers asked all the pertinent questions - I couldn't have scripted it better!
My favourite of the Studios has to be The Mushroom Works because of it's intimacy and the artists themselves - all up-and-coming in their various fields, and quite unassuming in their approach.
One query, though, why did Lime Street Studios levy a charge when it was an OPEN Studios event? They lost my custom, how many more were put off?
Last comment on this event - at The Artworks Studio, there were some very enterprising young ladies selling little cakes. These cakes were no ordinary cakes, they were quirky and humorous to boot. The girls had decorated them with different toppings and given them names: one had MandM's on top and was called Tracy Emminem!, another was a FlapJacksonPollock with squiggles of multi-coloured icing! Brilliant! (Girls, if you read this, get in touch, I want some photos!).
I have discovered that there are literally hundreds of artists out there, producing fabulous, good quality and yet affordable art. I am humbled by the standard of the work I'm seeing.
I am looking forward to meeting some of our better known NE Artists, and certainly hoping to persuade them to let me interview them and put these interviews onto the site for members to access. I am thrilled by the positive comments I am receiving both from artists and art lovers alike, which seem to arrive just when I'm having some of those self doubts I mentioned earlier!
Ok. I think that will do for today and my first ever 'Blog'. I hope my kids are proud of me, and certainly this dog is not too old to learn new tricks!
Let me know what YOU think, and please, spread the word.
Till the next time,
Poll
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
A New Approach to Art Collecting
Affordable Art North East are delighted to announce the arrival of our new 'baby' - the Affordable Art North East website - check it out at http://www.affordableartnortheast.co.uk - and let us know what you think.
The site provides a fairly comprehensive service to both artist and art lover alike, giving the artist an opportunity to display and sell art online, plus giving art lovers a whole host of benefits, including articles on art collecting, tips on what to buy and exclusive Affordable Art North East interviews, recordings and seminars with leaders in the field of Art and Crafts.
We are also developing a strong community of like-minded individuals who can interact with each other, share ideas, voice opinions and generally benefit from being part of the Affordable Art North East community. To make this element of the site more secure and to ensure that the participants are genuine art-lovers , we have made it a 'members-only' area and registration will be required to gain admittance, but the benefits of being a member are far ranging and far outweigh the two minutes or so it will take to go through the registration process.
Call back soon for more updates, but in the meantime visit our site at http://www.affordableartnortheast.co.uk.
Enjoy!
Poll
The site provides a fairly comprehensive service to both artist and art lover alike, giving the artist an opportunity to display and sell art online, plus giving art lovers a whole host of benefits, including articles on art collecting, tips on what to buy and exclusive Affordable Art North East interviews, recordings and seminars with leaders in the field of Art and Crafts.
We are also developing a strong community of like-minded individuals who can interact with each other, share ideas, voice opinions and generally benefit from being part of the Affordable Art North East community. To make this element of the site more secure and to ensure that the participants are genuine art-lovers , we have made it a 'members-only' area and registration will be required to gain admittance, but the benefits of being a member are far ranging and far outweigh the two minutes or so it will take to go through the registration process.
Call back soon for more updates, but in the meantime visit our site at http://www.affordableartnortheast.co.uk.
Enjoy!
Poll
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