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)!

Horsing Around - The art of Glynis Mills

This week, after apologising for my lengthy gaps between posts recently, I'll resume regular meanderings and begin so by discussing the art of our February/March Artist of the Month, Glynis Mills.

Firstly, my apology. Not many people read me on here but even so, to those who do, my apologies for the absence. I've been inundated with various burdens... Its time to resume doing this blog.

This week I'd like to promote the art of Glynis Mills. After making her our Artist of the Month back in February, we have decided to keep her on as our Artist of the Month through March as well.

Yes, we love her that much.

Glynis' art is quite different to a lot of the other work we have in the gallery. Here at Gallery 42 we pride ourselves on our ability to offer a diverse range of artwork that we love in one establishment, but even so Glynis' work just seems that bit different to a lot of our other work. Her printing style possesses a distinct luminosity that is unique in both execution and in appearance. By no means is Glynis a photo-realist, but her subjects seem to undergo a transformation that makes them look larger than life; realistic, yet embellished, the edges of their forms floating around their immediate presences. That is to say, she outlines her subjects using repeated contours of themselves.

I love how everything is ever so slightly exaggerated, especially in terms of the angles she places in her pieces. The pieces are not necessarily angular, but Glynis' use of straight lines throughout her composition helps add that sense of vivacity and liveliness that I so adore when I admire art.

I have included some highlights from the work of hers that we have on display. For more information regarding pricing and other such matters, please contact Gallery 42 on (UK landline) 01937 530 465. Glynis' work will be up until the week of the John Kaye exhibition (week commencing 18th March).

 This piece is probably my favourite out of the Mills we have on display. I love the space to the right of the cat and the way the left eye of the cat is central to the composition, around which the cat slowly fades into blue and white mist. This beautiful pen etching is a must have.

This is a detail shot of the above piece. The execution is seamless - I have one hell of a critical eye and I cannot fault this.

I love it!

Glynis is unique amongst our artists in another way in that a lot of her work is named through extracting song lyrics. Suspicious minds is one of my favourites because I love the way the personalities of the horses come across. All of the work we produce is based and studied from the real animals, which I think is fantastic.Finally, I would like to spotlight this work. I am surprised this one hasn't gone yet. The central figure conducts the animals who move with such grace and majesty despite their size. The lighting on this print is also worth discussing - The shadows are simple yet effective and the lighter horses contrast the human wonderfully.

With just over a week left to view and purchase Glynis Mills' wonderful artwork while its on display, I do hope you have the time to visit us. In my next blog I will be updating you with regards to the John Kaye exhibition and the new Julie Dodsworth gift section, both open to the public on Saturday 23rd March.

Understanding Intentions

In my first blog of 2013, I attempt to explain some of the things that people don't quite seem to get when they look at art.

Those few of you that have read my earlier writings will know that I often ask 'the question' - Is it art?

Undoubtedly it's an easy question to answer, but by Jove, its a hard one to justify. From what I've noticed, people who don't know a great deal about art (and ,unfortunately, a minority of those who do) tend to miss the real meaning behind the artist's intentions unless the piece screams what it represents; perhaps, then, such people just don't know how to dig beneath the surface of what they see?

...But then, why should they? How can an ordinary, perfectly normal person come to accept that there is, for example, at least a shred of meaning behind Hirst (or at least his team) trapping animals in formaldehyde.

There are, of course, ways in which you can learn to appreciate art. I'll try explain some below:

Firstly, study past the obvious.

Often, what is most fun about art and for me, most fun about the prospect of studying Art History is indeed to decipher a piece of art like a puzzle. What can you see? What can't you see? Look behind the obvious and discover what is not obvious or what is significantly absent. This can really bring the art alive once it presents hidden stories and ideas to you that can further your enjoyment.

This leads me directly onto my next point:

Secondly, take time to appreciate the formal elements and the composition of the piece.

Buy and large, an artist's placement of the features of a composition is deliberate. Though it is generally a bad idea to force or meticulously position everything in a piece and more interesting for there to have been some looseness in consideration of composition, few pieces possess compositions that are meaningless. Look at where things are and where things are not. Is there a lot of space? What effect does this have? Is someone bigger or smaller than another character or thing? Why? Etc

Thirdly, things are not always as they appear.

Whether this turns out to be a good or a bad thing, take time to appreciate what you are looking at, especially when it comes to the more radical of the 20th and 21st century movements and sub-genres. For example, when studying a cubist piece, consider its distortion and manner of obscurity carefully. Even the most bizarre pieces that you mightn't even consider to be art can indeed be of great bearing when it comes to meaning.

I suppose the moral here is take time and think about it. If the piece doesn't do it for you, maybe the story behind it will. Recently we had a coffee morning in a Literature class and discussed art. Few in the the room would accept the artistic value of Duchamp's infamous urinal statement Fountain, one of 4 replicas pictured below.

Even fewer accepted Emin's My Bed, her famous Turner-prize-winning installation, as being art. Only myself and select others stopped to try and think about the art and explain it to the group, who - buy and large - dismissed us with swift ignorance.

It just goes to show that art deserves time - to consider, to do and to observe. I haven't discussed these works in depth so that maybe after you're done reading this, you can explore their meaning yourself and test out my steps to artistic appreciation through means of two of art history's most controversial works.

You can learn all of these things if you're willing. Although, as the saying goes:

You can take a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

Clive Perry's 'Jubilee'

Over the past week in the Gallery, there has been featured the year's great masterpiece -Clive Perry's Jubilee. Jubilee is a brilliant retrospective of HM The Queen Elizabeth II's 60 year reign, which features many of the notable events - be those happy or sad - that have occurred during 6 decades of our current Monarch. It also includes several 'nods' to aspects of our culture. I'd like to share with you all some of my favourite features of the piece:

-The bottom left corner, which features The Beatles and Henry Moore's sculptures.

-The fireworks above the River Pageant, which represent Crick and Watson's DNA discovery.

-The clever re-interpretation of Mt. Rushmore, featuring the heads of 5 notable PMs.

-LS Lowry in the bottom right hand corner, whose canvas stretches into the foreground of the piece where his matchstick men and a 'living' version of the mother he is painting pushes her pram.

-The Miners' Strike, though this is perhaps because I'm quite into Pulp at the moment (On the last day of the miners' strike, there was a Magna Carta in this part of town... etc)

Limited strictly to 100 prints, we still have some of these left which all come with an informative key in your choice of frame if you so wish. Prices are negotiated through the Gallery; our phone number is available on our website, which does indeed possess a painfully obvious URL for your convenience...

Must curb the sarcasm... (!)

Anyhow, this piece is a great commemorative artwork which is strictly limited. I do believe Clive is also willing to sell the original, which measures 100x76cm, which is in the process of being framed.

Jubilee is currently on display along with a key and a print-out of the letter from Buckingham Palace we received after sending Jubilee as a gift to the Queen. Its from her Lady in Waiting; fantastic!

In the meantime its important to announce that the Gallery will be closed after the last customer leaves on Monday 24th (Christmas Eve) right through until New Years Day (Tuesday the 1st of January for those who prefer a numerical option). We will reopen on Wednesday the 2nd of January. From everyone here,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

1000 Customers, a new exhibition and new Alister Colley prints? By Jove, we must be busy!

This past week has seen Gallery 42 reach a mini-milestone in our new pricing system; our 1000th customer! ...Well, order, but let's not be picky.

Mrs Christine Goodcliffe was rewarded for her monumentally recognised custom with a complimentary bottle of wine and a box of chocolates - what an award! Our lovely Managing Director Liz Allison is delighted the award has gone to Mrs Goodcliffe and is chuffed to bits that she (and we) can acknowledge such a valued customer in this way, since this is by no means Mrs Goodcliffe's first visit to the Gallery! (I wonder what the 2000th customer will receive?!)

Mrs Goodcliffe purchased a frankly awesome original by Mr Wayne Ellis, a large mixed media illustrative artwork depicting toxic waste at sunset, in which a man walks with a ship toward the horizon. Filled with warming tones and creating a (surprisingly) happy mood in the viewer, the juxtaposition of which with the subject matter is part of what makes the piece interesting. This piece is just one of the Gallery's many unusual artworks. Mrs Goodcliffe also bought another original, though by Mr Geoffrey Smith, another regular exhibitor with us.

I'd also like to highlight some plans we are beginning to work on for an exhibition; regarding which I shall have some curatorial role; which features work by John Kaye and runs from the 22^nd March to the 6^th of April 2013. Although this is a long way off, I have no doubt that, like most things, it will creep up on us as the time draws nearer. I hope that if you live locally (or even; if you're feeling dedicated; you don't) you will be able to celebrate Mr Kaye's work with us next Spring. Since it is to be my first experience curating, not only am I excited but I'm also a little bit browning myself, for want of a better term... Though I'm sure I'll put on a good show in the end!

Over Christmas we continue to celebrate the work of Mr Alister Colley of Zeitgeist Fine Art. Most of his prints are not on display, but are available to view upon request as we often are inundated with orders, orders, orders galore... *Cough*, excuse me, who do I think I am - Dr. Seuss?

Anyway, we have a wide selection of prints which, as I mentioned, can be viewed upon request if not on display. Despite being our featured artist over the festive season it is unlikely we will be able to hang much of his work as the frames (though ready) are on hold whilst we fulfil actual orders placed by all our lovely customers much like Mrs Goodcliffe, as obviously the customer takes priority. We shall ensure that we pick out a grand, if concise selection of prints to display, whilst all Colley gift cards are available along with the other cards at the back. That's right! Underneath the colossal Italian artworks.

I'm also getting my act together with regard to sorting out the blog being visible on the Exhibitions page on our website, www.gallery42.com. This is in addition to reading it here on Wordpress, where I am able to maintain for you all this wonderful FREE space thanks to their smashing team. The blogs on our site will merely be  the same as those in the Gallery 42 section of my Wordpress.

So, lots to think about, and lots to follow! If you're not already, follow us on Twitter and check our Facebook for regular real-time updates, which I often am responsible for. Links at the side. Hope you're enjoying yourselves this December everyone!