Hello!
That’s me at the end of my first week of the exhibition at Veneer Gallery in Finnieston Glasgow with three to go. The opening evening was great and loads of friends made it over, from Glasgow Edinburgh & Dundee.
It’s very refreshing to be on the main street as opposed to being tucked away in The Hidden Lane. The busy street life, folk passing in the street. A new corner shop to buy my milk. A new sandwich shop to get a bite to eat from. I am very much enjoying being in this new space and feel somewhat invigorated!
In the run-up to the show, I was very busy getting the last few items framed up and as usual, decided to try for one more picture to include in the show. Altogether I am very pleased with the collection. This has been my most prolific time spent painting in a few years. It’s also very nice to have the glasswork chained up in the big windows as I always intended for the first time. The gallery frontage faces south so I have the sun shining in all day till late in the evening. Well, that’s when the sun does shine which it does occasionally in Glasgow but for the last couple of days, we seem to have reverted to cold and rain. I am sitting today wearing my big wool jumper normally reserved for the coldest of winter days.
It’s funny watching the folk on the street passing by. It seems so difficult to make them feel like they can just come in, it’s a very British thing and to an extent the Scottish mentality. Some hesitate at the window, maybe peer inside but seem reluctant to enter. Everyone is always in a rush to get somewhere, how busy is your life if you don’t have 30 seconds to look at some art? I guess maybe they don’t want to come in, in case they hate it. I’d be of the curious nature that I would go in and maybe see the best thing I had ever seen or indeed the worst. I like the challenge and possibility that something may impress or disappoint. Either way, you come away with some kind of impression.
The first week has been spent easing into the space, moving some things around, and bringing additions from studio HQ. I have a number of paintings that although they may be old to me are new to someone who has never seen my work. So the main focus of the space is on all the new work and I have a collection of my favorite older paintings.
It’s been fun playing different types of music in the gallery. As it’s pretty spacious with no sound absorbing large objects, the acoustics are rather nice. Jazz works the best, and Lou Reeds Walk On The Wild Side sounded great. Anything with guitars and more in a generally rock-orientated direction does not sound good.
I have added all the new work to my web page available in print format either mounted, framed, or block mounted. The new work with the Bird & Moon scenes and the blossom paintings I think will look especially good block mounted. I guess it’s a slightly more modern presentation as opposed to mounted and framed. Also, it suits the style of the paintings with their Japanese / Chinese flavor, the print is mounted directly onto the wood with the sides painted black. It’s sharp, crisp, and modern yet also looks like maybe how woodcuts would have been presented a long time ago, in my mind at least!
Here is the catalogue I made up for the show, there are extra things here that are not included and my prints and such. Check out the new prints on the web page alongside all the older work. It’s filling up quite nicely now.
Come along if you are in Glasgow, and tell your friends to come and see the show
