Overdue post and 3… 2… 1…
Three days left of the six weeks of Artisans on the beach. I have really enjoyed this event for many reasons. I have been successful in selling my art; I have met and chatted to many others about the style and content of my work; I have encouraged young people to enjoy their art for themselves; I have met a wider range of Artisans and made new friends; I have been able to be extrovert in my fancy dress as Superpenguin and Mr Blue sky thinking; I have created many new pieces of work that have varied in size, detail and challenge in terms of content.
So the last three days, there is no urgency just a desire to be at my hut for as much time each day as I can. If I sell more, that would be lovely. The key thing is to have more chances to talk to new people and share what I do. I am going to miss the fresh air nature of the job and this will motivate me to get out for more walks and sketch trips until my boat job resumes.
So here are some images of my 2017/18 Artisans on the beach
Pre event preparation of my gift bags that customers took away purchases of cards or miniature /mini canvases in.
Adding to my black and white printed cards by hand colouring in a range of different colour ways. these have proved popular and especially the LandRover in the Studland Beach Design.
Santa over Swanage and Santa over Chapman’s Pool accounted for half of my card sales throughout the event so local Christmas card scenes proved extremely popular and I have already decided on some extra designs to add for Christmas 2018.
Playing to the extrovert side of my nature and three outfits or combinations that meant the Artisans were noticed:
– on cold days the penguin onesie soon to be named #Superpenguin when not being compared to a nappy.
– paddling in the sea and warmer days – blue sky thinking suit, also seen out on New Years Eve in Swanage and previously seen by members of The Swanage School in Autumn 2016.
– the ringing bells on my best Christmas sweater. Worn so I jingled as I moved or carried as a handbell for my artisan crier role in attracting the attention of pedestrians on the other side of Shore Road
Hut 54 – my artisan Home and although not a display winner, a veritable gallery of the work produced in my first 11 months as an artist.
All pieces produced during the artisan event. These ranged from pieces taking less than an hour to the fat-bike picture that was completed over two weeks. I have been very productive and sat outside the hut on many occasions drawing and working on pieces so that the public could see how my art is created. This led to many conversations both in terms of topic,artistic license and how to select what to include and what to leave out, my choice of media, topic and so on. Many pieces will be seen again in my open studio during Purbeck Art Weeks 2018 (PAW2018) in May/June.
Finally some moments- often with a sense of fun and the pigeons who came for crumbs every time we ate our lunches or other snacks. Two personal events cut across my time as an artisan but in each case I was able to return and fully integrate myself back into the event. The second was to be with my dad as he passed away on Christmas Day. He painted watercolours, produced immaculate copperplate hand scripted signs and made creative fancy dress costumes for myself and my siblings and was clearly part of my artistic inspiration.
I will remember this event for many things and I will be back for Artisans on the beach 2018/19. I hope to see you there.
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