I think it can be said it was a resounding success - over 1800 visitors were recorded coming through the doors and it certainly felt extremely busy from a minute to 11am until closing time ; there were four really good talks ( by James Russell, Jonny Hannah, Alan Powers and Emma Mason ) on offer in the new auditorium at Towner and lots of people made a day of it. Hopefully it might be a regular fixture. The weather and the trains ( more or less for a sunday) were kind and there was a really lovely atmosphere and buzz and some excellent things tucked away on the stands - it was just a question of getting near enough to let the dog see the rabbit.
I was very happy to buy a small but exquisite little watercolour of a decorated elephant by Denise Hoyle, one of the Bardfield painters, from the stand next to me - not much time to browse further afield as a continuous stream of lovely customers and old and new friends passing by. Kind patrons not only purchased but brought me presents, both comestible and literary. Bought some lovely Harold Jones wood engraving Christmas cards from Judd Street Papers; there is always good stuff on Neil Jennings Fine Art, and Emma Mason, lovely goodies on Design for Today, and just managed to to get a good look at the last minute at some fascinating watercolours by Kathleen Hale ( better known as the Orlando the Marmalade cat lady - but also a very good artist before, and after, the cat took over ) on the Michael Parkin Fine Art stand at very reasonable prices. I've been writing about Kathleen in my book about Women Painters but you'll have to wait another year to read it...
A copy of my new book Some Light Remains has gone off to the British Library so you can ask to see that in due course...thank you to them...
Conversations with visitors are always interesting and a couple told me they had recently managed to buy one of my very early ( 1976 ) woodcuts printed Japanese style with rice paste and pigment, The Tree of Life in a Lewes flea market. It would be interesting to know its history of how it got there - at least it didn't go in the bin! and is now very well loved, carefully restored and remounted and hangs over their bed. I was very touched by this story; they had looked me up online and come to introduce themselves; sobering to know I really exist out there; and really lovely to talk to them. I wonder where all my other paintings and prints over the years travel around and end up, how many survive .....
I just remembered to take a pic of my stand at the very last minute (when no-one in front of it) - so it looks a bit rumpled! ( not to say blurry in low res - a bit how I felt by 4.30) I didn't have time to take a picture of the wonderful Jonny Hannah and Sharon driving away in their Cakes and Ale Press painted taxi which had been parked outside the gallery all through the show - I had my hands full of bags and managed a wave but not a pic....
next time....
here's to it - many thanks Joe Pearson Design for Today and Tim Mainstone...and Towner, for a fun day....
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