October 2016 – ateliernewsdotcom

I needn’t have worried

After all my angst about getting my exhibition up in th cafe with curved beams it all went so smoothly I can hardly believe it. Knights in shining armour in the shape of the cafe proprietor and one of his staff put all the pictures up in record time . All I had to do was stand there giving directions. Amazingly all the pictures found a place and I had half an hour to spare to have a cup of coffee and take pictures for the record. The Mayor of Bognor Regis and Chairman of Arun District Council arrived at the alloted time followed by other invited guests. The catering was scrumptious and wine was served as people entered as well as coffee for those who wanted it. I have to say this was the nicest experience of putting on a show I have ever had, in contrast to those times I have greeted my guests whilst still trying to get myself looking as if I have not spent the entire day running at full tilt through a hedge, dragging on a prepared change of clothes at breakneck speed at the last minute. Thanks to all who made this such a delightful experience for me.

Hanging day

Exhibitions

In my last post I mentioned the difficult job of hanging my paintings in a space without walls. They will be suspended from hooks in curved beams. What can possibly go wrong? I have put long strings from D rings only fastening one end so that the height can be adjusted in situ. I have tested how they hang by suspending one from a bedroom curtain rail. An additional complication is that the cafe does not have car access so we will unload onto two flatbed pull along trollies at the entrance carpark. This brings back memories of dragging a cart of wooden bricks along as a child. Down the main path, past the clock tower and boating pond then round the corner to the cafe where we will have access at 5pm. Then for an hour and a half all mayhem will break loose to get everything in place by 6.30 and attempt to look as though I have just stepped out of bath, rather than been dragged through a hedge backwards, to greet guests and the Mayor. No worries really!! Photos of the event will follow.

dscf1112

Nightmare hanging

Exhibitions

Don’t get me wrong I am not about to put a noose around my neck but I do have a problem with hanging of an exhibition in Hotham park cafe on October 24. I am delighted that Arun District Council have arranged with the cafe for me to have a one night exhibition to showcase the work I am doing as Artist in Residence for the Park. Whats not to like? Well I have exactly one and a half hours to get the show up before various dignitaries start to arrive and the cafe reopens. “It can’t be too difficult to put a few paintings up.” I hear you say ….weeeell yes, fine if you have a wall with hanging fittings, but I will be hanging them from hooks in the beams holding the cafe roof up. Again not too hard, except that the beams are curved with one end about 15 inches higher than the other. Entails hanging each picture with a difffernt length string to get them level. After much agonising I have devised a system which I THINK will work, the trouble being there will be no practise run! The whole thing will have to go like a military operation (and we know what can happen with those!), if I am not to be up a ladder looking hot and bothered when the Mayor arrives. Wish me luck with that one!