A day at the gallery.

Went to see my “Pub Cat” in the Harley Gallery Open Exhibition.

Then fish and chips at the Big Fish, Ollerton Roundabout.

 

 All text, pros, poetry, photos & artwork, copyright Ian Gordon Craig.

Accepted & Sold.

 

I don’t think I’ve had anything accepted for exhibition since June, 2014, although there’s certainly been a year or two since then that I haven’t bothered trying. This particular one (a digital print from the original drawing) was even rejected in May 2018 by the Patchings Gallery, and was originally drawn way back in 2012. The Harley Gallery is new territory for me.

Update: Sold! I expected no prize for my little sketch but had a sneaking suspicion that if it did get accepted it stood a good chance of being sold. Which it has! Only £70, which means I get my money back on the framing and printing rather than any profit (let alone my time). But it’s good to get a public sale.

 
 All text, pros, poetry, photos & artwork, copyright Ian Gordon Craig.

Accepted in June.

 

My "Skeggie Day Trip" painting on show this month in Patchings Gallery.

 All text, pros, photos, poetry & artwork, copyright Ian Gordon Craig.

Exhibited, published, awarded.

After being included in an exhibition at Patchings Gallery, my painting “Along the A614” was published in Painters Online magazine as a result of winning the Clairefontaine Award. It was then also selected and shown in the Thoresby Gallery Open Exhibition.

 

 In search of new ideas this month I also painted two quick self-portraits, and three experimental paintings. The third of these was also a parody of a David Hockney's "Flight Into of Italy". I call my Flight out of Liverpool..

 

Thoresby Park stepped back into my life to a small degree when I was invited to  attended a VIP buffet and lecture about the war years on the estate, as well as contribute my memories of Lady Manvers to the Nottingham Uni History Dept. A most enjoyable afternoon, and I was able to contribute / clarify some information the speaker was unsure of.

 All text, pros, poetry & artwork, copyright Ian Gordon Craig.

Colston Bassett accepted.

 

 

A letterbox full of returned A4 prints usually means rejection. However, this year there was one print missing, "retained by the gallery for internet use". Which means my painting of Colston Basset church has been accepted for the Patchings Art Centre 2009 Exhibition.

Of course, one is then left pondering “Why that one, and not one of the others?” But I can see why: The painting looks like the moment in which it was created. Spontaneous; scant regard for fussy detail in preference for bold brush strokes, colour, contrasting tones, and a striking composition. In fact, I had a sneaking suspicion that, if any were to be accepted, this one would be it. It’s almost “commercial”.

All text & artworks copyright ian g craig.

Thoresby Gallery.

 

Thoresby Gallery had the ridiculous idea of using the end section of their gallery as a Salon des Refusés. In mid-19th century France that term heralded a revolution in Art, here it's just an area where they've placed all the entries they've actually rejected. All of my submissions this year were rejected, one to be propped up on the carpet, one hung on the wall. If they are showing them to the public, then they are surely accepted. It makes no sense to me.

All artwork & text copyright ian g craig.