The exhibition has, unsurprisingly, involved a lot of work/time; some have taken more than a fair share of gallery shifts to compensate for others who elected to focus on their own personal agendas instead of helping out. However, I believe that people who did get involved have found it a really rewarding experience – meeting and greeting the public, doing promotional interviews, observing good practice and interesting ideas for display, engaging with each others’ work in order to interpret the exhibition for visitors …. all have been valuable opportunities I think. Personally, I have got a lot out of being able to see my work out of the studio, presented professionally in a dedicated gallery space. Seeing it among other work has made me very proud – my pieces seem to hold their own and in spite of having arisen from several different projects; as a body of work, I feel that a certain style – (my style?) is beginning to emerge. I’m pleased to find this. …. is it ‘style’? I ask or more that one could spot the owner of the same creativity in the set even although a range of processes and materials have been used. It has been interesting to get feedback/responses to my work from people who have wanted to talk – particularly the concrete pieces (people want to touch them I noticed!) and when photographers are in the room – ‘The Circus’ of course – they want (need?) to take pictures of it ha ha ha. Most poignant for me though, was watching my mother come upon the family portrait collagraphs – she stood pointing her stick at the one of my late father, stunned and speechless for quite a while – it clearly moved her quite profoundly.
I am glad that I volunteered to join the curatorial group for the exhibition because it has been such a joy to collaborate with the others on our little team – a motley crew, a happy band of odd-balls – we have had frustrations to deal with – yes, but, certainly more than enough fun to outweigh them.
The exhibition has, unsurprisingly, involved a lot of work/time; some have taken more than a fair share of gallery shifts to compensate for others who elected to focus on their own personal agendas instead of helping out. However, I believe that people who did get involved have found it a really rewarding experience – meeting and greeting the public, doing promotional interviews, observing good practice and interesting ideas for display, engaging with each others’ work in order to interpret the exhibition for visitors …. all have been valuable opportunities I think. Personally, I have got a lot out of being able to see my work out of the studio, presented professionally in a dedicated gallery space. Seeing it among other work has made me very proud – my pieces seem to hold their own and in spite of having arisen from several different projects; as a body of work, I feel that a certain style – (my style?) is beginning to emerge. I’m pleased to find this. …. is it ‘style’? I ask or more that one could spot the owner of the same creativity in the set even although a range of processes and materials have been used. It has been interesting to get feedback/responses to my work from people who have wanted to talk – particularly the concrete pieces (people want to touch them I noticed!) and when photographers are in the room – ‘The Circus’ of course – they want (need?) to take pictures of it ha ha ha. Most poignant for me though, was watching my mother come upon the family portrait collagraphs – she stood pointing her stick at the one of my late father, stunned and speechless for quite a while – it clearly moved her quite profoundly.
I am glad that I volunteered to join the curatorial group for the exhibition because it has been such a joy to collaborate with the others on our little team – a motley crew, a happy band of odd-balls – we have had frustrations to deal with – yes, but, certainly more than enough fun to outweigh them.