I've just got back from helping take down the art society's show in the National Trust's gallery.
Its a really nice venue when there are things on the walls, with large windows and sensibly sized rooms. The young lady based there was very helpful and utterly charming, the show looked good, there was plenty of footfall and sales appear to have outstripped all bar one of the different local societies' shows this year. It was a good occasion and I was pleased to be part of it, with two major caveats.
I beg any members of any art societies reading this to read my post on pricing from a few months back. This especially means you, the person who put a painting in a £20 frame up for sale at £25. This especially means you, the person who put in a small but decent acrylic painting which had plainly had many hours spent on it at £20. This especially means you, the person who put a substantial and detailed watercolour of a fisherman in at £20. Show some self respect! 13 year old paper boys get paid at a higher hourly rate than you! If you price your work as though it is worthless, that is how people will see it. I will be lobbying for a clause in future shows which says "we reserve the right to mark any piece at a higher price than the artist has specified."
As one of the people who hung the show, I will also add a tirade about presentation in a few days. I've touched on this from a "benefits of..." approach before, but some of what I saw demands a proper rant. Presentation doesn't have to be expensive but it should be competent, careful and considered. Even the amateur-ist amateur will find their work transformed with a few simple and inexpensive steps.
I don't want those outbursts to detract from what was a good and largely successful show. I enjoyed it, and I hope the visitors did too.
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