Hello and welcome!
We can’t quite believe we’ve reached our 20th Newsletter, yet here we are!
It’s been a long and bumpy road hasn’t it? But over these months, as Ann & I have taken a road without support from ‘traditional galleries’, there has been one constant thread: YOUR SUPPORT!
So let’s keep the momentum going with Ann’s latest picture: ‘Life’s a Breeze’! This one’s been a long time coming (I’ve teased you with it at least twice), but we think it’s been worth the wait!
Oh, and just in time for Xmas, we’ve also got news of… GIFTS!
And, err, a ‘Live Show‘!
Okay: let’s get on with it!
Gary & Ann
Life’s a Breeze…
This intriguing work celebrates the thrill of travelling with neither plan nor map: exploring somewhere new for its own sake.
And why? Well, let’s be honest: in our busy lives (and in these difficult times), it’s something we hardly ever do!
Yet isn’t there something intoxicating about ‘taking the road less travelled’? The beauty to be found in unexpected views. Fresh, new tastes to savour. The lifelong friends you’re about to meet for the first time and the memories you’ll share…
The longest journeys sometimes bring us homeward again; whether that’s a real place or a state of mind, is irrelevant. Turns out, that home really is ‘where the heart is’.
The Work features an adventuring Ring-Tailed Lemur, who’s returning home to the ‘Cloud Islands’.
In his company, is a Red Panda, who’s looking directly at us, the Viewer, as if suddenly aware of being observed…
They ride aboard a Hammerhead Shark; ornately decorated, it hangs from a Dirigible and lazily swims the skies, content yet powerful as its tail swooshes them forward.
Our heroes are accompanied by a pair of Roseate Spoonbills (not to be confused with Flamingoes!). From their satchels, fall ‘Pearls of Wisdom’, similar to those found in this work. As before, these Anglo-Saxon Runes spell-out a simple message; a translation is included when you buy a print!
In the foreground, a Carp watches them pass from its vantage point in a tree-top. It grips a balloon in its mouth. A familiar sight in my work, balloons have come to represent a playful, intervening force. In this work, it lends purpose & drive to their wanderings.
In short, balloons are symbolic of change, in all its forms.
In the distance, an outcrop of rock can be seen piercing the clouds. Just another island-in-the-clouds, complete with another tree and, maybe, another Carp!
Can you spot the little bird, perched on the tip of the propellor?
A word, perhaps on the Dirigible itself? This is actually based on a real machine, built by the Brazilian inventor & aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, for a series of demonstration flights over Paris in 1901…
In order to get the proportions right, I was able to find a scale-model of the real airship and photograph it from the right angle – though I confess, all the detailing is my own! It’s a bit hard in this view, but the tail-fins all carry intricate patterns, and there are individual stitches for the outer cover!
Last – but not least – we reach a conclusion: the sight of another island-of-stone.
This one has a sole inhabitant apparently waiting for the traveller’s to return: another Ring-Tailed Lemur! I will leave it to you, to decide whether this is truly ‘Home’, or another of those ‘lucky’ coincidences we encounter along the way…
I particularly like the rickety jetty stretching out into space; perhaps our Shark isn’t such a rare sight in these parts…
And have you noticed the final touch: that the hut, is actually an upturned-boat?
But it hasn’t been an easy road to get here.
We’ve been debating this for a long time. Shall we..? Shan’t we..? If we offer Gifts, would our collectors even be interested?
But there really IS only one way to find out: so here we are! We’ve taken a fair number of chances before, so one more shouldn’t be this difficult. Should it?
We’re excited to see how this grows, as we offer more lines, but we’re starting with Mugs as a (nervous) first step!
However, you ought to know at the outset, that we’ll only be taking SAMPLES to our weekly show in Cirencester’s Corn Hall. Our space there is going to be increasingly limited in the run-up to Xmas, so if you ARE interested in picking up a mug or two, please order online in-time for Xmas to avoid disappointment & a wasted journey!
The Mugs we’re using, come in a variety of colours, that cover the interior, rim & handle. They’re generously-sized, have a pleasing weight and are both Microwave & Dishwasher-safe.
More importantly, the print quality is excellent and where a picture has to be cropped in order to fill a given print-area, I’m doing my level best to give you the ‘best’ of the image.
All printing & shipping will be undertaken by our partners in this venture, but Ann & I have been using samples for some weeks now, and can vouch for their quality.
Oh, and Please Note: these ship in plain, brown boxes; we can’t offer Gift-Boxes – YET!
As a result of using an external partner for the first time, who are levying their own P&P, we have had to change our own shipping rates to make this work.
As a result, we are now offering FREE shipping to the UK, on all Print & Gift orders of £50 and over.
It means that If you’re only buying one of our small prints, nothing changes: you’ll still get Free Delivery!
To kick things off, all but one of the Fantasy Artworks has been included in the range and we’ll try to add every new picture if we can.
For those who might be wondering if Ann’s existing range of wildlife artworks will make it into Gifts… All I can say, is that that’s a ‘definite maybe’!
We think these are going to go well: Ann & I can think of at least a few of you, who might be tempted: ESPECIALLY AT JUST £14.95 EACH!
Tote Bags are coming soon…
Made of tough, recyclable vinyl with canvas handles; a bit like the new generation of ‘Bags For Life’ seen at your supermarket.
The last big announcement for this month is that – technology willing – we hope to be running TWO LIVE ART SALES in the coming weeks!
Q: Sales? Of what??
A: Over the years, Ann has painted a LOT of work. Not all of it got made into Prints, which means that much has never left her Studio. As a result, this sale will feature un-Framed, Original Wildlife Work ONLY. Nineteen artworks across 2 shows.
Q: Why now??
A: Two reasons (alright, Three).
Q: What about pricing?
A: Across the two sales, prices will range from £250 to £550, which is excellent value for Ann’s Original Work these days.
Q: And Framing?
A: All Artworks will be sold Un-Framed. While we offer framing on other bespoke sales & projects, we’re running into logistical & timing issues with this sale that prevent us from offering framing this time around.
Q: What about shipping?
A: Tricky, this. For Mainland UK collectors, we will INCLUDE shipping. If feasible, we can deliver work, or you can collect it from the Studio. For collectors outside Mainland UK, Shipping will be an additional cost and will vary depending on the size of the Work.
Q: Can I see the work in advance?
A: Yes! All being well, a few days prior to each show, I will send out an email letting you know that Previews can then be seen on the website. There will be a special ‘Sale’ tab on the Home Page and the first batch of work can be seen AND PURCHASED there! The Sale will be open to all our Page Followers on Facebook, but as a Subscriber, you will get the Preview and the chance to get in first. If work sells ahead of time, we won’t ship it until the Sale has passed, giving everyone time to ‘see what they missed’.
Q: When & Where can I watch you make fools of yourselves?
A: All being well, the First will be on Thursday, 18th November @ 7.30pm, with the Second a week later, on November 25th, again @ 7.30pm.
We continue to show a selection of framed, Fine-Art Prints at the Corn Hall, Cirencester every Saturday!
And Mugs? We’ll ONLY be taking samples to the Corn Hall. Our space there is going to be increasingly limited in the run-up to Xmas, so if you ARE interested in picking up a mug or two, please order online in-time for Xmas to avoid disappointment & a wasted journey!
Open every Saturday from now until January. 9.30am – 4.30pm
(except for any 5th Saturday in a month)
Everyday Miracles…
Well, that’s it for now: we hope you enjoyed this month’s Newsletter.
If you find yourself at a loose end and you’re able to visit us in Cirencester one Saturday, we’d love to see you!
