All Hands on Deck! - Preparing for Dodsworth and Kaye

Ian and Rod constructing the Julie Dodsworth Giftware Section, to open to the public alongside John Kaye's Exhibition on Saturday 23rd March 2013.

With most of the John Kaye works framed and ready for Friday 22nd's Preview Evening, the pressing matter today for these two hard-working gentlemen was to construct the Julie Dodsworth Giftware Section.

As you might have gathered from my recent writings, I am quite excited for both of these new exhibits to open next Saturday and as such I'll probably be wandering round with my camera taking many a photo. I think the Julie Dodsworth Giftware Section (which shall henceforth be referred to throughout this blog as the JDGS) is integral to the Gallery as we develop and improve our business. There are two reasons I think this.

The first is the physical look and presence of the JDGS as complementary to the rest of the gallery space. Containing a combination of made-in-house and bought shelving and display units, the corner space on the right of the door by the stairs is being transformed. Our Dodsworth giftware will be able to be both stored and displayed in creative, presentable and continously recyclable ways and will be both part of the gallery yet its own entity. Therefore, because of the way the section fits into the existing space and because of what it will add to the space, it complements our existing browsing facilities.

The second reason is I think that it represents a great amount of potential with regards to what we might do, should the section 'hit it off' with you, the public, with the rest of the gallery space. Ian and I have some big plans already, but this is the first plan which all of us here have opined upon and realised as we re-define and re-inforce the identity of the fine arts and framing business we are. There is huge potential with this section and we all really hope that it gets off to a flying start.

For that matter, continued aviation would suffice!

The variation of spaces within the section will enable us to effectively display each beautiful product as part of its respective series. The items may be in these respective series families, such as Rose Cottage, Chocolate Box and Calamity Jane, but they may also be mixed around. Such mingling ought to breed all sorts of homeware design combinations that compliment, contrast and sell - after all, that is generally the aim of a business!

The JDGS promises to add colour and life to a corner of the gallery previously unexplored by most customers. An attractive showcase for Julie's designs and products, it is the first of many exciting steps we intend to undertake to make our business and our artwork even more exciting.

Of course, you 'darlings' which pop in here frequently can look forward to Rod's anticipation with regards to the JDGS and indeed, John Kaye's exhibition.

Both open to the public one week today.

Both, I hope, will be well received.

Both, I hope, will flourish.

Julie Dodsworth Giftware - and boxes upon boxes of it!

Recently, our vast boxed myriad of Julie Dodsworth brand gift ware arrived. I've hand-picked some highlights from the collection to share with you in this exciting update.  

Over the past year, Julie Dodsworth has become a formidable art machine. Her designs can now be found on just about every domestic mainstay that isn't a cat. Having examined a view of the products with Liz and Iain, I then decided to arrange some on the temporary gift ware display table by the door (I say table, I mean various stacked planks). All of the products we have received are from a variety of Julie's series, including the Chocolate Box and Calamity Jane series.

I ought to explain the contents of this display really (clockwise from left): coasters (with text), fragrance diffuser, milk jug, mug, teapot, place mats, cards and... Well, more coasters. But without text.

One of the things that is so great about Julie's giftware range is that, despite the production of many items in a range of designs, it retains a homely and non-commercial feel. The same personal relationship that Julie conjures in her printwork and the other work we have for sale is replicated in her homeware. I must say, I'm quite a fan of tea and I would happily sport a Julie Dodsworth teapot, mugs, milk jug and coasters. Were I to desire to mix and match the series I could do, but for purposes of consistency I'm quite sure that we have at least a couple of boxes of each main item in each series. But even so- don't delay!

When the John Kaye exhibition opens to the public on Saturday the 23rd March, so will the Julie Dodsworth Giftware Section, located by the stairs in the corner (please don't climb the stairs... *insert forebodings*). Just to clarify, this isn't the entire section... Those of you who visit us in the meantime will see that we have many... Many... Many boxes of Dodsworth Giftware, all shapes, colours and sizes... And of course prices, but its important to note that every item in the gift range is sensibly and affordably priced.

We have most of these items in fair quantities, but that is not to say we have an endless supply! Jump in when it opens and grab what you can (so long as you pay for it)!

I shall write with more details soon... Get excited, chaps! (And chappettes)!