Early-bird catalogue and "White Van Woman" delivers 🚐
The Society of Women Artists 164th annual open exhibition, CBPP, and other shows in town
Good morning,
It feels like yesterday that I was staring at blank canvases... now they are finished paintings in the Society of Women Artists' 164th annual exhibition
Click here for all the show information, including (just published) the full catalogue of work by some of the finest contemporary artists, available to browse in advance.
Thank you to everyone making the trip to The Mall Galleries this week, I will be uploading event photos to my blog about the show. Please do send me any good shots to include, and leave your thoughts on the show in the comment section.
Transporting artwork to and from shows usually falls to the artists to arrange. Very sadly, for some this consideration, plus framing, and standard gallery commission on sales outweighs the benefits of exhibiting. Especially given the need to deliver work without packaging, on a specific date, and (if not sold) collect it at the end of the show.
As The Raft is so ridiculously big, the most viable option was to hire a big van and drive it myself... which turned out to be cheaper than art couriers, and a lot more fun. With the added bonus of being able to take work for other people:
If you're in London, the CBPP exhibition (in Brixton) promises to be absolutely brilliant, and overlaps with the SWA. Also I can't wait to see the NPG Jenny Saville show, and the RA Summer Exhibition (both very close to The Mall Galleries, both need to be booked in advance). I've put links to the events on the pictures below:
So... there are several internationally renowned artists with work in the SWA show, many are members of other prestigious societies too. But to my knowledge there's just one artist who's scored a hat trick. The brilliant Ange Bell has work in all 3 shows: the SWA, the CBPP, AND the RA Summer Exhibition <oooh, I love an Oxford comma, Ed>.
How cool is that?! Here she is on my favourite podcast, being interviewed by Jeff Hein.
I am happy to have a steady stream of very interesting commissions. Please do contact me to discuss anything, however outlandish, without obligation...
This latest oil painting marks the publication of Cato Pedder's book Moederland. It has been a great pleasure to get to know Cato through the process.
Cato has many qualities I am drawn to in people: a preparedness to put your head above the parapet, to do difficult, uncomfortable work, to challenge, to create ambitiously with tenacity. Also, a willingness to be represented with honesty and consideration. I hope that some of those facets come across in her portrait, and that you might be curious to investigate her excellent book, which is available in hardback, paperback, and audiobook.
What price a [wo]man's soul?!
So, since several people have asked... and you're my trusty confidant[e]s... I had NO IDEA how much to charge for my biggest ever painting. In a sense it's invaluable to me, in another sense I just want it 'out there'. I want to go bigger, without accumulating an embarrassing pile of unsold vanity projects!
My dream would be for it to reach some sort of public political/legal/education/human rights institution where the theme of women's experience resonates, and where a sense of being united is helpful. IFF it doesn't sell, it has been earmarked for another very exciting path. So I went for £9k, which would cover the materials, framing, gallery commission, transport, and a respectable chunk towards the next one.
The world continues to serve up rich subject matter, from the harrowing to the wondrous, from the mundane to the sublime.
Talking of wondrous, I hope you'll stay with me for the ride. You (dear Readers) and Skeleton Steve have done some heavy lifting on this one!
Looking forwards very much to seeing you in the Mall Galleries if you can make it, or enjoy the show online here
Have a great week,
Gail xxx