Postcard #25: The Open Studio

Once upon a time I had a large studio, on the site of a Craft Centre, in a huge stone barn, called the workshop barn.

It had a shop area, a front window, a gallery space, storage and large working area, it was huge and at the time I thought this was it, all my dreams come true.

A common theme in my early art career was reaching a particular goal or milestone I’d been working towards and realising it wasn’t what I wanted or how I expected it to be and then sometimes I’d have simply changed my mind and gone off the idea.

I think sometimes we can get so focused on a goal or a destination that we ignore how practical it is, what it might be like when we get there and I don’t think this is unique to me.

This was a prime example, the space was big and therefore expensive. I travelled a lot so the unit was often closed. My idea of what I thought might work was not matching my lifestyle in the slightest.

I was not at the stage where I could comfortably employ someone to run the shop in all my absences, but when I did have help, I found most visitors wanted to to speak to me the artist if they could see me and lastly, besides the commitment of being there daily (I’m not great with a permanent routine), I found the constant interruptions meant I wasn’t getting enough work done and they were, in fact, a tad annoying!

In under a year, I closed to the public, but people could still see in and I’d get people rattling the door to get in (rude) or looming at the windows, interrupting still and asking for directions or if I could run up a pair of trousers?

These particular people were in fact looking for my neighbour who made curtains and didn’t run to trouser alterations either

So eventually, I moved out into what I now affectionately call my cupboard, in the same workshop barn, but down a dark/dingy corridor where it’s difficult to find me, I can close up to go travelling whenever I want, I get zero visitors and I couldn’t be happier.

The exception to the ‘remaining closed’ rule, is ‘Open Studio’ week in July. I’m part of a large group of artists who open their studios once a year as part of an annual art trail in the Forest of Dean & Wye Valley area, this year 55 art studios opened, some with multiple artists.

I’ve written about this before and I’ll link to that at the bottom.

If you’re vaguely familiar with past editions, I usually get some cracking comments from visitors who I hear talking as they come down the corridor, usually about my neighbours

I have a Wedding Dress designer 2 doors up:

‘Lets try and not stare at the bride-to-be, trying on her wedding dress on the way out. Oh all right then, let’s stare but no waving’

A Ukelele teacher next door: Squeals of delight; ‘ Oooooh Look! Mini-Guitars!’

And until recently a Tree Shop opposite; ‘Have they been burgled?’ I think they’ve just moved out, albeit in a hurry…

And sadly for this year that was the peak of the comments section, at least one (the mini-guitars) I heard last year , so a disappointing result!

I often find with these things, the people who know about the trail and have the brochure will pre-plan their journeys around who they want to see and I’m most flattered that so many have come to see me today which I’m taking to mean, I’m top of their list. The only problem, I wasn’t ready.

I’d made the classic error of thinking I’d done more prep before we left for Mongolia (see last post) than I actually had.

A day of dog lovers and of me still feeling top of peoples lists, in between talking all things dog and art, I painted this bespoke piece.

All visitors were art trail visitors, many who were on holiday and described the art trail like being on a treasure hunt and my cupboard didn’t disappoint (I’ll take that).

I was going to a birthday the following day, Broadlands Pottery next door (my usual go to for wrapping paper) was closed, as is the rest of the site on a Monday, no alternatives to try, so I decided to make my own with some layout paper and a black marker pen.

We’ve moved onto a different crowd of visitors, lots of questions about process and materials, I even did a quick demo of how I apply masking fluid. Today I also worked on this posthumous dog portrait.

Heat wave is beginning to bite, honestly I was surprised to see anyone, today I did a sketch, colour study and began work on a commissioned dog portrait which I can’t share here as it’s a surprise gift for a special event next month. Instead I’m going to share Grafitti who I had the pleasure of painting last month and is along similar lines.

I am closing my commissions for this year at the end of September, if you’d like one, just reply to this email or leave me a comment and we can take it from there.

After I closed I headed out to visit another artist on the trail who was open later than me Jane Foot, who I interviewed last month.

Too Hot!

Early start so I can pop in and see another artist on the trail Charlotte Keating, hopefully coming to my interview series soon. I bought this gorgeous little dish from her.

I’m very pleased with these framed canvas prints, the quality, the colours, seriously impressed. I spend today uploading four classics from my ‘Conversations With My Dog’ collection to the website.

Special visitors today, Caroline & Emma Tatham, who’ve also been on my interview series here. We go for a cooling raspberry iced tea, it’s almost too hot to do anything else, certainly not sort out my desk of sketches and paintings (hoping to get these in my online shop for a studio sale of originals in August, although some were sold this week, if you see anything you’d like let me know?)

A busy day, lots of conversations and this print which is on the wall outside of my studio got a lot of attention, as a result it has made it back onto my website here.

Last Day and the Sale box was almost cleaned out, anything left over will be going in my summer studio sale in August, you’ll hear about it! It’s been a good week despite the heat, I’m signing off as a happy artist.

See you next week for another Postcard, with a slightly different format going forward, you see I’m experimenting again!

Jo x

Book: The book I was giving in my home-made wrapping paper was HOME by India Knight coming out in paperback soon too I hear

Last years Open Studio diary:

The Mongolia trip part 1:

Flowers: Forest of Dean Florist, who provided the flowers for my studio - https://www.lavenderstoneflorist.co.uk/