The Run up to Christmas

Crowded steamy shops and ice covered pavements with tottering shoppers clutching masses of bags. The city was manic and yesterday I could've normally done what I wanted to do in half the time. The commute has turned into over an hour of sliding around in an icy 10 mile queue. The ingredients are all there for a miserable git rant of Dickensian Scrooge proportions.
But for the fact it feels like a proper Christmas. I would skip through the snow coming to the gallery should I not, a) fall flat on my arse and, b) look like a girl. The Manchester markets are brilliant and a few nights ago I sat chatting drinking a beer slowly losing all sensation in my fingers. But it was a discomfort suffered for the greater good of experiencing a country that is exciting and cultured and outdoorsy and ermm german. They have banned outdoor heaters because of a ridiculous notion that they are bad for the environment.
The view out of the gallery is pretty much the same as it would have been in Victorian times and the people coming into the gallery have all been in good spirits. So despite the ball ache of the rush to consume, I'm, in festive cheer. Phillipa was let out of the gallery especially so she could play in the snow she was that excited. She eventually got the teenagers to put down their cider and cigarettes to have a snowball fight. Okay the last bit I am joking but I kind of wished I was a kid again.

I opened up briefly to pick up some artwork for delivery and a few people came in. One of them looked and sounded like Guy Garvey. Bit of a strange one and I'm not even sure it was him but would never come out and ask directly. That's not particularly cool and I like to think of myself as cool in front of celebrities. That way I am more likely to become their best friends.
I hadn't even opened properly and the lights were off but I put them on while they were there. The woman said she had one of Danny Cawley's pieces of art. The conversation didn't go much further than that other than he said the space was great and where was the UGG shop. Guy Garvey likes the gallery, take note people.
We are open till 2m on Christmas eve and there are still people who are buying presents who come into the gallery to buy for themselves. It takes great judgment to buy art for someone else and that's why we offer gift vouchers for the unsure.
Feel free to pop into the gallery and experience the Christmas cheer of the city.

Christmas decoration

I met this woman once in the gallery who got me thinking about the line between art and commerce. We get a lot of artists coming in and coyly dance around the subject before they ask "how do I get my artwork into this place?". It's so obvious but we need to be patient and play out the routine.
She came to Oldham street and said she supplied artwork for new housing companies. 20 or 30 at a time, big bold splashes of colour done in no time at all. She said she sells them for pennies but would like to sell them for more and she could really churn them out. This was the the epitome of decorative art and to be honest made me cringe. A shameless sell out display of sub standard work with little or no thought applied to it except the aim for it to fill a wall, have the right colours and sell. Like an X Factor cover song, fatuous art like this has its place but not in a gallery like mooch.

I used to work for a large catalogue company who went through a huge change and a new CEO who gave us a big presentation at the Odeon cinema in the Printworks. This guy highlighted the products on sale that make a mankini seem like a great choice of beachwear. A sculpture of an elephant with a glass table on top came up onto the cinema screen which was greeted with giggles from everyone. The buyer I was sat next to sank into his seat, saying "but they are my best seller". It was truly crap.

Some stuff is rubbish to start with but also when something or someone starts becoming popular there is always a bit of a backlash against their popularity. They are accused of selling out and lose a bit of their credibility if they find out their parents are into them. I was in M&S last week and picked up a jumper, I was lying it against chest when a doddering pensioner came and picked up THE SAME JUMPER. We even made eye contact and he gave me a knowing nod. Mortified, I vowed to shop in places where this kind of person was not. With original art you realise you won't have this issue.

So I ask where should you draw the line in an art gallery? We see lots of art which is impressive and of good quality but its not the kind of thing people will want to buy. It feels bad especially when you know they have talent. People would just look at the work like they would a transvestite. Curious, but not really interested in being a part of it.
I guess the dividing line is when people look at the art and consider whether the work will fit in with the colour scheme of the room they are wanting to hang it in. Its not a problem if people look at work with a view to it fitting in. That makes sense but It shouldn't be the overriding factor.

Fine art should be created purely for their imaginative, aesthetic or intellectual content.
Collectors come into the gallery and people have bought art and then decided where it should go. It's one of the best moments of this job when someone completely and totally falls in love with a piece and buys it with absolutely no idea where it will be hung. To own a piece of art for love rather than its function is a beautiful thing.

Tis the season to be jolly

I was starting to really sweat when the numbers looked like topping 500. I was shopping for the drink when a mildly nervous Phillipa called to say there was another influx of people asking to come to the Danny Cawley preview. What do we do? Tell people they can't come and risk turning away potential customers? Aaaaaaargh the vein in my forehead was starting to pulse and it felt like an almighty cock up was heading our way.
Someone please correct me but I really don't think anything like it has been done in Manchester before. John Bramwell set up a stage in the gallery and played a 45 minute set to a growing crowd in the gallery. It was an art event with a difference.
Needless to say we filled the gallery. With 68 pieces of art it is a whopper of an exhibition and all credit to Danny who nearly burnt himself out getting it all finished. Transporting it from his studio in east manchester It looked great then, but awesome when hung on a white wall. When we had cleared out all the work he had one piece left on the floor. Like a muppet I managed to tread on this piece but in my defense it was kind of camouflaged against the floor. It survived so these things are pretty tough.

Getting it all into the gallery its like Christmas morning. Phillipa gets all giddy and bounces around for a while laying claim to a few of her favorites. She genuinely had a mardy face on when the first piece to sell was one of these favourites. A clear winner and it could have sold 5 times over. Its weird how people think its a cheap selling tactic to get people to buy when you say it will be gone the next day. They only make that mistake once.
We had the task of hanging which generally involves us placing stuff around the gallery. Hand on chin, standing back, ponderous and aimlessly carrying artwork and me and Phillipa disagreeing on where it should go. Once decided though its all about getting it on the wall and endless fine tuning.
The sound guys came to set up the stage and speakers, Ryan came to set up the projector with the film. John came to bring his guitar and amp. I met him 20 metres from the gallery in the triangle completely oblivious to the gallery (is the signage that bad?). A really sound guy it was a chilled out afternoon of him doing his sound checks. Smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee inbetween him rambling into the mic trying to get the reverb into the sound system to create that John Bramwell sound.
Danny Cawley wise, Plenty of his work sold, loads of people came and everyone seemed to have a good time. I spoke to quite a few people and think it came across as a reasonable together guy. I can't help but feel I had the face of someone who is grossly constipated, worried about his own very well being. If I did then it was only towards the beginning of the night.
We got a few emails thanking us for it which is something which is rare for an arty event. Of course the dust has settled and we are still trying to rearrange the gallery space to fill the pieces that are being picked up and being delivered.

It has really done my nut in today and trying to get the right balance of work in the space sometimes is much harder than you think. The pieces that have sold have left a big hole in the exhibition which needs to be filled with other art. Its a good problem to have so I shouldn't complain. I feel like ramping up these events. It can only get bigger and better and next time I reckon I may be able to put on my regular face.

Sign of the times

I'm very conscious of not talking to the point where peoples eyes glaze over. Being a sophisticated male, adept at noticing changes in mood, I know this is likely to be a bad sign. I love cars and motorbikes but know that if I bleat on about it too much, you will leaving thinking "What kind of freak learns that kind of stuff". In a gallery it is especially important because art still has the air of elitism that leaves casual shoppers feeling like a philistine should you not know the work from Tom Roach for example.

We like to be genuine about our artists and its really important to not get too hung up on artspeak. Concerning art, there is a real need to minimise the outrageous and baffling statements that seem to accompany fine art. The last thing I would want is for someone to have the same disbelief my wife did on hearing Natalie Cassidy is a size 12 on Strictly.

I have a friend who Brands companies (He branded mooch in fact). I have genuinely good conversations with him on fonts. Admittedly I wouldn't talk to anyone else about this lest they feel that time has stopped and they are trapped in boring conversation hell. Everyone has their expertise and interests and everyone has a geek inside them that they are reluctant to announce to the public.

So here be the most mundane post of all. Signage. The look of the gallery is really important so I got really excited when new signage went up the other day. It's an effort to reduce the number of people that stumble on the gallery having walked past every day and not sussed out that we sell art.

The piece de resistance is the white "mooch art" on the counter which looks like a work of art in itself. When my friend sees it he will reach a climax of helvetican proportions. People will flock to see what extraordinary visions of loveliness they can behold when drawn in by some simple lettering that promises artistic nirvana.

When you get there it will be Phillipa who will engage you with riveting conversation. And in coming to mooch art you will definitely familiarise yourself with tom roach (get it?).

Artist Focus - Alan Knight

I stood in the middle of the studio and with my mouth open, peering up onto the high walls of the mill. I did a slow 360. No space was left uncovered by Alans artwork and it was like being inside a kaleidoscope. There was art everywhere and I said, "Wow you can paint". I love the smell of oil paint and the air was thick with it because Alan uses bucket loads of the stuff. Thickly applied with a knife, it is almost inconceivable that such artwork can be created with the tools laid out in front of me.

Formerly a professional guitarist he clearly has a creative spirit. He came to painting later in life and has been refining his technique for a number of years. Only recently though has he hit on a style and technique that engages people. Sometimes I have seen it in the last hour of an artist painting where it all comes together and the piece has that added magic that makes people love it.

I get the impression that Alan paints automatically. If he produces a terrible painting (which I'm sure he has in the past) he will talk about it in the same way as a masterpiece. Self effacing and modest, Alan is unlikely to be seen pulling a gimmicky stunt to gain publicity. This only makes me respect what he does even more.

He will, and is, gaining a reputation for just being a great artist rather than for any other superfluous reason. He lets the work do the talking which in the art world takes longer to build a reputation, but it is a method that will win much respect and admiration in the long term. The people that have bought his work know that they have made a discovery.
He points out an article in a recent magazine that lists him as being an artist to watch out for in terms of investment value. I didn't doubt it and think his work will never be this cheap again.

People in the art business will never normally say the "C" word. Lest they devalue something they are desperately trying to talk up. Even "Affordable" is sometimes frowned upon. The connotations with cheap are that it is nasty but I don't have any such reservation in saying it. Alans work is worth more than its cost. It is cheap. Peculiarities of the English language have given cheap a bad name, but by definition a luxury super car can be cheap even at £500,000 and in 10 years I am sure people will consider the prices paid for his work now are low.

Alan talks me through his work, he is inspired by the surroundings. The colour and textures are outstanding and he has urban to more pastoral landscapes up on the walls and stacked up against one another. The focus is Greater Manchester and Cornwall where he spends his holidays. These are increasingly turning into working holidays as the popularity of his work is taking off but he doesn't regret this.

Leaving the studio I felt I had met a true artisan, a man who would have painted in any century he was born. I have seen a lot of artwork and it is very rare to find work of this quality painted in oil with a pallet knife. It looks like a lot of fun and It almost makes me want to paint myself.

Alan's work is on display at Mooch art in the Triangle.

The past week at mooch

I was standing in front of a small crowd introducing John Robb who was to unveil the portrait painted by Sarah Mayhew by pulling on the red silky material. Normally I'm okay getting up in front of people and speaking but the past couple of times have been slightly awkward. I said something along the lines of "So let me pass you over to John who's going to tug on the ermmm.. errr thing. My poor brain was struggling to come up with a word that sounded better than "sheet" but I ended up just looking a bit simple. Channel M were filming so it was caught for posterity.

Thursday night was preview night again. If you haven't been before it's when we unveil lots of new artwork, invite the artists/art lovers along and generally have a bit of a celebration of their work over some food and wine. It's all relaxed and mainly a chance to chat to the artist and have first dibs on the artwork on offer. Its one of the slightly frustrating things about an artists collection that there are some pieces that can be sold 5 times over. When it concerns original art you get few chances to bag the popular pieces. If you're lucky I will come over and put my foot in my mouth.

This past week has been a really busy time at mooch. Yesterday we had the EDL (english defence league) parading around Manchester. These guys weren't out for a cup of tea and a gentle stroll around the city centre. The pub opposite the Oldham street gallery was the gathering point for a big group that attracted an equivalent number of policemen. 4 vans, 4 mounted horsemen and another 7 police officers (one with video camera) had things pretty much under control. There was a huge amount of tension mostly because the the EDLs rivals the UAF (United against facism) decided to mount a counter march. The stand off was in Piccadilly gardens and there was a very strange atmosphere in the city.

I shut a little early but otherwise all was good. If anyone came to the gallery to find it closed, I apologise but didn't fancy having a run in with a fascist nutter. The city is back to normal now and the area isn't dangerous. I just hope the EDL don't make a habit of doing this sort of thing.

Buy Art Fair '09

I absolutely love art fairs. It's like the footie highlights where you only get to see the best bits from lots of games. The buy art fair at the Urbis is no different and last night I went to the preview night which is pretty much the same as any other time except the Cava is flowing and gallery owners are psyched up and fresh off the blocks to amaze you with their offering.

I did consider the fair, especially as I think there were some better deals going for late comers. The Triangle gallery is just 50metres away though and I just didn't think it worth it. There was a distinct lack of manchester galleries at the fair though and I wonder if others were thinking it just wasn't worth it either. That said, the fair had a some great work on display, I loved the work at Driftwood gallery, Castle art and Didsbury's very own Wendy Levy. We were also mightily impressed with an original Banksy and Phillipa squealed her excitement at seeing the original Antony Micallef from Comme Ca. This is the sort of artwork that the hollywood elite apparently collect (Brad and Angelina amongst others). One of my favorites was one from Mooch's own Simon Taylor. I saw it in his studio half finished. Its a landscape of a womans face taken from a 1970s porn film, nice.

I made jovial greetings with the organisers trying to redeem the fact I got a telling off last year for plugging my own gallery despite not having a stand there. It was a bit on the cheeky side but hey I run a gallery and I want to tell everyone else about it, the printed hand outs were a step too far though.

I also had a good chat with Wendy Levy, one of the established players in the Manchester art scene. I generally go and chat to anyone and often speak to other gallery owners. Sometimes the responses can be amusing, frosty or just downright rude. One gallery owner (no names) had a complete personality transplant when I turned from a potential customer to competitor in front of his eyes. I wasn't digging or involved in any kind of espionage but he may as well have challenged me to a duel. Alas, there was nothing I could do to turn his charm switch back on.

At the fair the 1st floor is where the bulk of the art is located and where the best galleries have set up. The second floor floor, in my opinion, starts to lose its way a little. It became clear that the not for profit organisations have set up there which means a few very stark and strange exhibition spaces more fitting of an alternative art fair than the Buy art fair. Phillipa was disappointed not to see the 3 animatronic heads by Nathaniel Mellors, did we totally miss it or was it not ready?

The range of art is wide and I think it covers most bases. It is unlikely you will go along to not find anything that you like. Having said that, I am a big fan of the affordable art fair in Battersea and next to this, it looks tiny. Manchester needs to start somewhere though and the Urbis is a great location in the heart of Manchester. It also has an amazing gallery called mooch just opposite. www.mooch-art.co.uk

Manchester Pride

This week I've taken a lesson from a spanish girl who's working at the gallery on placement from an International language school. Yesterday I came in from the rain and had a bit of a moan to her about the fact we had small ponds collecting on the adjacent road. Bego said she likes the fact it rains a lot in manchester, "It's always so fresh". Her English isn't good enough for sarcasm and she wasn't being at all ironic. This made me smile.
She loves everything about Manchester which initially baffled me. She comes from Barcelona but raves about the architecture, the music, the people, the bars and just about everything else. One the way walking to the Triangle we passed the Urbis and the cathedral when she said how much she loved the buildings. "But the buildings by Gaudi are amazing in Barcelona" I said. Yes she said, "But its only Gaudi, Gaudi, Gaudi"
Manchester is still the underdog though, and that's what makes people defend it so fiercely. My best friend who now lives in London commented on the magazines dedicated to Manchester and how great it is. I agreed that some press felt a need to justify Manchester as a great city which smacks of insecurity.
Bego is right though, it is a cool city. A creative one that can't and shouldn't compete with London. The largest student population in the country is one of the reasons it's at the forefront of fashion, music and art. Being at the forefront though means people can get it horrendously wrong. I've been to enough degree shows to know that the majority of the work is dross and can sometimes be slightly worrying places to visit when you consider that for 3 years a student has been working towards a video of them drawing lines on the ground around people when they are stood at a bus stop. No amount of academic posturing can justify the crap art that is produced for these shows.
I'm keeping going though, and I'll keep bleating on about how great the talent is around here. My international customers clearly agree. If nothing else I know I work in a superior city to Barcelona.

Artist Focus - Caroline McManus

Another manic monday. It was last year on the 11th August I first met Caroline and as usual I had overdone my meetings for the day and was running late. I wanted to see 3 artists in the mill, Caroline wasn't one of them.

In a rural mill in Mosley on the 4th floor, the dark corrugated metal lined corridors had a mad max feel to them. Each of the padlocked doors a route to another world of light and colour.
I had come to see Chris Cyprus but found that he shared a studio with Caroline. In this mill in particular everyone had gone to great lengths to personalise the space around them. Luxuries like rugs, carpet and sofas were commonplace and so walking from the corridor was like stepping off the plane at your holiday destination when you walk into a wall of heat.

We made our greetings, I accepted the obligatory cup of tea and sat on a stool in the section where they both work. The studio was one of the better ones. The highly sought after corner units where you get two sides of windows that fill the space with light. The studio itself was an impressive example of artists ingenuity in furnishing a space in the most functional, cost effective but homely way.

Caroline sat and chatted with us as I asked Chris about his work and told him of my plans for the gallery of dreams. Chris was a nice guy but ultimately sceptical about what a gallery could do for him. I come across people like that every now and again who think they can do a better job of selling their own work. The truth is that all the well know artists in the country have only been able to achieve long term success through a network of established galleries.

After looking through Chris's work I was intrigued by what Caroline was painting. I find out Caroline is an art teacher and she paints in her spare time wherever she can. Chris is full time, it is largely his studio and Caroline merely makes cameo appearances. For this reason, and in this space, I didn't take her as seriously as I do now. Lesson learned.

They had sensibly sectioned off a small gallery area and Caroline's work was leant against the wall. When I saw Carolines Work I liken it to a humble X Factor contestant giving their first performance. All the evidence would suggest an uninspiring performance where Simon Cowel would lambast the mediocrity of it all. In truth it was a moment where in a couple of seconds it was clear she had serious talent, blasting out an operatic performance that makes you gasp.

The colours hit me as if I had chomped down on a piece of lemon. Sharp, bold and confident. I looked at a large painting of a cow in a bright, almost flourescent green background. I loved it immediately and knew that others would feel the same.

Cows have always held a fascination for her. Their large lumbering forms and inquisitive nature is something she loves to photograph when she is out walking around Saddleworth. She told me she likes to think of food when she paints. Some of them are flavours of ice cream and some are fruity. She had some portraits too and we are now looking at bringing some of these into her collection displayed at mooch.


Since this meeting Caroline has become a best selling artist and her confidence has increased. People love her work and when they have one, they just want to buy another. Her work has universal appeal and always makes people smile. I can imagine people buying her paintings of cows in India where they are sacred or in Argentina where they just like cows for another reason.

Caroline delivered another 5 pieces a few days ago for the current exhibition. They look the business.

Artist focus - Malcolm Croft

I met him 20 minutes late. I had been waiting at the opposite entrance to the mill feeling like a bit of a lemon. The security guard was eyeing me suspiciously, trying to suss out whether I was up to no good.
Malcolm came round the corner and said he had been waiting at the other entrance. We both apologized, an innocent mistake. We climbed the 4 flights to the studio floor of Vernon mill in stockport. I have been to dozens of old textile mills in the northwest but Vernon mill is in better shape than most. They all have a smell that is unique to old industrial buildings. Its kind of a fusty old wood/oily smell that I really enjoy in the same way I kind of like the smell of petrol (in small doses).
On the 4th floor the artists have all made an effort to display their work on the corridor walls. It all looked okay but I was here to see the work from one man alone.
Malcolm unlocked the padlock and led me into his small windowless studio. He brewed a cup of tea and we made small talk.
He is relatively new to painting and briefly tells me his story of how he was knocked of his bike 13 years ago and that left him with chronic back pain. It made him housebound and he had to give up his job as a freelance press photographer. With no formal training he realised he had a natural talent.
We talk through the paintings that are vivid and bright. With no natural light the studio doesn't feel that much worse for it. His paintings are all set within a window frame like wooden surround. Who needs windows anyway, Malcolm's view on the world is what he makes it.
He is frank and open, for someone who has only exhibited professionally for a couple of years he is remarkably clued up on the art industry. Despite what I first thought, he isn't an accidental artist and he is well aware of the pitfalls of the art industry.
His work is bold, simple but carefully considered. He uses oils and thickly applies them in technicolour. It's all still life and is a reflection of his role as a house husband. The table with pot of tea and plates set references family life. The table is set, the daily ritual about to commence. The coffee pot and lemon links to a sunday morning relaxing with the paper. With hints of Van Gogh the simplicity of his work is something that is homely, family oriented and in many ways comforting. Many of the objects are retrospective. The cornishware and coffeepot are memories from Malcolm's childhood in the 70s. For Malcolm these objects from his childhood evoke feelings of strong family bonds, a comforting and homely environment.
Meeting Malcolm is a good experience and he is a very easy guy to get along with. There is no unease, no pauses in conversation and no bullshit. There is an underlying confidence that says, "This is what I do, like it or not". His work comes from within and is very personal so when I met him for the 1st time commissions seemed impossible. He has since found that he can still find his own meaning in a commission.
I left the mill having been there about an hour longer than I intended. My car was ready and I was late for opening the gallery but I felt it was time well spent. If nothing else I've got a new respect for cars when cycling on the road.

One year on.

"You guys have a gallery in London don't you?.." The woman was confident she had seen a Mooch art in London. It occurred to me to say yes but telling lies to me is like throwing a ball with my left hand. I'm just so bad at it that even if I wanted to I'd end up looking like a fool.
I'm sure at some point mooch will open a gallery in London but its great to know that when we do, there will be one woman who will think it has been there ages.

I didn't make a big deal of it but on the 26th June, Mooch art was 1 year old. It's hard to fathom the distance that a small gallery can come in that time. Art galleries along with other luxury goods have taken a hammering since the crunch hit. Rumours are circulating about the latest casualty so surviving and even prospering in the worst economic crisis in 70 years is something to celebrate.

Oldham street is still the Mooch epicentre and that is the way it is going to stay. Things are turning and there is a change in the tide of confidence. Sales have been fantastic in the past 2 months and at the time of writing the FTSE has seen it tenth consecutive session of gains. Is this is a sign that things are on the up?

What is certain is that mooch shows artwork that people want. The starting of a gallery is a risky thing and more that a few people had doubts about it. One of my friends took me to task when I had just signed on the lease for the gallery. He has a lot of experience in business and strongly believed I was chasing a fanciful dream. I wouldn't be able to make enough to live and that it wasn't a viable business. It gave my confidence a serious knock but after some soul searching I went ahead and did it anyway.

Around that time I remember a talk by Trevor Baylis, the inventor of the clockwork radio. He came across massive resistance to his ideas. Like me, (although to a lesser extent) people thought he was just a dreamer with a crazy idea. Trevor sent his idea to the National association of watch and clock collectors who took enormous pleasure in ripping his ideas to shreds. The letter he received back was highly detailed in its criticism. He has kept this as a sign that most people find it easier to knock an idea that to create one. It is easier to be sceptical that to believe in a positive change. Trevor can say it much better than me, "The key to success is to risk thinking unconventional thoughts. Convention is the enemy of progress."

Mooch is still growing and is likely to make some bigger moves very soon. The only difference now from last year is that when I say I'm going to do something, people take me a bit more seriously.

Artist focus - Mike Smith on Mike Smith

Mike pokes his head round the door briefly and says for me to come in. He is smoking a roll up and doesn't want to stink out the flat so disappears onto the balcony leading off the kitchen. The second floor flat on a crumbling street in Hulme could be a set on shameless. Abandoned cars lie in drives and four floors of post war architecture make it clear this is a rough part of town. Mike Smith is an artist, but he also an alcoholic. The two are incompatible.

This is something very difficult for me to write about because it is story of extraordinary waste. Someone who approached me 2 months ago with some paintings which impressed me has since fallen off the wagon. Not knowing his problems I was compelled to show his work, how can I possibly refuse my namesake?

My 1st visit was to his girlfriends house in Chorlton. It was here I realised he was more than just a very talented painter, he was, and still is, a creative genius. I don't use these words lightly and haven't used them before but am certain of their use at this point.

Mike has shown with some great galleries and has sold a lot of work to a lot of people. Never have I met someone who painting is as easy as taking a walk. He can knock out a painting in a day that many other artists would strain for a week over. Its effortless, and it leaves him with excess room in his brain to fill with strange and dark thoughts.

In the flat he offers me a drink, I accept a cup of tea. He makes it and then says he has no milk and that I don't have to drink it. He apologises and curses himself for being an idiot and a loser. He does that a lot.

It was in his little kitchen with him still smoking when I asked how things were going. I knew something was up because in the two months since we met he hadn't produced any more artwork despite being in a new exhibition next week. He told me that fairly soon after our conversations "Emmesse" slipped back into his old ways.

On the 26th June, mooch art was 1 year old and I invited all the artists out for a few drinks. Mike wanted to be involved in a normal social drink but he told me that he stood outside watching us laughing and drinking through the pub window but tragically couldn't bring himself to step inside and sit there with a coke.

Emmesse (Mike Smith) is a caricature of the tortured artist. At first I wasn't sure whether to believe his story, but it has been confirmed by others close to him. He revels in the poetic destruction of his life. When he is drunk he says he thinks he can be like David Bowie, an artist, a madman a creative force to be reckoned with. In truth he is everything but.

Mike knows this of course. His rational side knows damn well just what impact he is having on himself and those around him. He is incredibly open, honest and articulate about his situation and I can't help but like the guy. I expect others have fallen for his childlike qualities mixed with lucid intelligence. But everyone, it seems, finds that the alter ego is too much to deal with. His girlfriend threw him out of her house a week ago and the flat we are in is his own but he now shares it with his former tenant.

Artists have always had an alternate view on reality and some have had a very tentative grip upon it. I have always loved the work of Caravaggio. A renaissance painter who was as unstable and dangerous as he was talented. The dramatic and dark paintings still have massive power and resulted from this incredible mind. Modern day Caravaggios are being born today.

He talks me through some of his paintings, many of which were done to articulate his remorse at being a drunk and many to tackle his overwhelming fear of death. The work is brilliant, but it is stacked like pieces of rubbish in his bedroom. He says he should just chuck them all in the skip, he has done this before. Many pieces are typical landscapes, very skilfully painted without a trace of his personality. Others are malevolent, dark and foreboding pieces with meaning in every brush stroke. The curtains are closed despite it being a bright sunny day. I ask whether he enjoys painting. He pauses and thinks about it. He says he doesn't enjoy it in the conventional sense but he feels it is necessary.

He asks whether I still believe in him. I say I do but its really up to him not me. I'm no shrink, no counsellor. I wonder whether I said too much, or didn't say enough. Whether listening is enough or whether firm guidance is needed. I don't know, and from what I have heard, many people close to him don't either.

So why should I write this about him you ask? Well maybe If people know about this he can be helped. Treating your body to a course of 14 pints of special brew isn't a recipe for a long life. Mike knows this and thinks he will be dead within a year. Whether this is dramatic I can't be sure but It still leaves me with a lot to think about.

Hot Hot Hot

Are we going to have one of the best summers ever? I can feel it in my bones. The papers have fascinating nuggets of information saying Today Oldham was hotter than Jamaica. For sweating bodies in Oldham it is hardly a great victory. I had 2 ozzies in the gallery today up for the weekend. I mentioned the weather and immediately berated myself for being a typical englishman.

Cycling into the gallery this morning there was a buzz in the air. The women are solar powered and everyone is looking beautiful. Everything felt right and the world sorted. On the train (with my bike) a spontaneous conversation broke out between the myself and the other guys sitting next to me. On a cold dark February morning with the windows steamed up, barely a word would have been said but the feel good day was too much to contain to ourselves. I could tell we all had to spout mindless stuff to reaffirm the fact that it really was a good day INDEED.

Views can change within the same day. Our love/hate relationship with heatwaves remind me of my Gran (bless her soul) where no day is ever the right bloody temperature. "Oooh isn't it hot, you just can't do anything" "Oooh is just too close isn't it" "It needs to rain, it does, but I don't like it when its raining."

The galleries are baking too. Have sympathy for Sophia in the triangle where the lovely light and bright space means she has to wear shades indoors and have a fan constantly blowing on her. Oldham st is cool though, a natural spot that makes winter electricity bills skyrocket also means without air conditioning its actually very pleasant now.
What has this got to do with art? Absolutely nothing. I just like talking about the weather. Damn it.

Painting above is called Sunflowers by Victoria Tsekidou and is currently on display at the triangle gallery.

Mooch Focus - Danny Cawley

On first glance the place is an outrageous mess. Its like a paint factory where a series of small explosions have gone off. Canvasses are laid out flat on the floor all in varying stages of drying and they cover most of the available space. Dannys studio is big though, it needs to be. This was my 1st visit to Danny Cawleys studio in east manchester. A room in an old mill that artists rent out because no one else could put up with the lack of heating. I entered slightly out of breath from climbing the 4 flights of stairs.
Stepping through the maze of canvasses on the floor and you start to see order in the chaos, beauty in the mess. The smell of paint is really strong, oil based, emulsion and spray paint cover the canvasses. The odd squelch of carpet is because of the water he uses in the process. This also explains why he work flat.
This is one of the great things about the artist Danny Cawley that is so far removed from the typical view of an artist. Sat next to the middle aged watercolourist sitting with easel en plein air, Danny looks, sounds and paints very differently. The art is abstract, bold and urban and is a reflection of Danny himself. A former graffitti artist he challenges what we consider to be "Fine art". It doesn't whisper, It shouts. It doesn't mince its words, It tells you as it is.
Going to the same school and growing up in the same neighbourhood as Liam and Noel makes me think that Manchester is a great breeding ground for creative brains. His swagger and manc accent says "I don't do art bollocks". I know what he means. He does it his way and he does it purely to get the best result. Tear up the rule book and paint how you want. If we always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we always gotten.
Danny takes me through the paintings that are stacked high all around his studio walls. He clearly loves what he does. He is borderline going full time but for an artist thats like stepping off the edge of a cliff and you are at the mercy of the fickle art market. I point out that Lowry alway held his job as a rent collector throughout his life even when he became well known.
I came away from the studio impressed, having selected some great work to display with the gallery.
I meet a lot of artists and see a lot of work. I look for the right attitude because to succeed as an artist you need to be mentally tough and damned determined. How else can you take being constantly judged in a few seconds by hundreds, if not thousands of people. So coming away from the studio I was impressed as much by his determination as by his art.
Danny perhaps arrogantly said he is a name to watch out for in the future. With most artists I would discount this as naive bull. But with Danny I believe he has the trousers to match his mouth. Watch this space.

Suits you sir

It's a scene only in dreams/nightmares. You turn up to work without your trousers or worse still, completely naked. This is the feeling I had last night, only less intense and I didn't break into a cold sweat.
I went to a young professionals networking BBQ. It was held in the courtyard of a solicitors and being my 1st time I have been hadn't a clue what to expect. Made up of mostly of accountants and solicitors there was a sea of smart shirts and dark suits. Most had shed the small strip of material tied around their neck to signal they were out of intense work mode and just into casual work mode.
Naturally I stuck out like a sore thumb. (Why do sore thumbs stick out I wonder). Jeans and trainers are my uniform now and I left smart stuff behind blue chips and corporations 2 years ago. For me I only wear suits for weddings and funerals and am glad of it.
The gallery is a relaxed and easy going place and a suit would give out the kind of signals that say serious, formal and worst of all, unimaginative. For the accountants and solicitors it shows they are responsible, reliable and professional, which is great for their business, but not for mine.
Standing out if you're an accountant, bad. Standing out when you run an art gallery, good.
Viva la revolution.

A busy gallery owner?

My Inlaws were up for the weekend. I gave them the tour of both galleries, which should have been a proud moment for me. It was capped by “Are you sure you don’t want me to bring you a paper or something”. Gutted. Coming from my mother in law she had obviously taken pity on me and felt that I can’t possibly have enough to do without her help. It left me trying to convince them that running a gallery doesn’t involve waiting for people to come to you all day.
Every word from that moment sounded hollow, fatuous and left me feeling like a schoolboy again. I was saying too much which only heightened the demeaning arch of her eyebrows. Keep it simple Smith. If you are late for work it sounds better if you stick to one reason rather than “the train was late and my mobile battery died and the dog ate my watch and and and”.
Anyone who runs their own business knows that if you wait for people to stumble your way, you ain’t going to last long. The nature of an art gallery is that you don’t have huge numbers of people coming through. But then you don’t need huge numbers because what we sell is higher value than the newsagents on the corner.
We are starting to trial Sunday openings at the triangle so this is a time when I need to take on staff because no one can work 7 days a week. Any extra time is spent searching the mills and art studios, going to degree shows and networking events. How else can I be a specialist in emerging talent?
Mooch art Oldham street is also named the “Gallery of dreams”. It’s on my business cards and makes people smile whenever they read it. My take on “field of dreams” isn’t because of a penchant for cheesy 80s films. I loved the phrase “If you build it, they will come” and they have and do come. Artists all over the world sent material to me, and the gallery really is a beacon for attracting people who paint. Every now and again, not often mind, I see an artist who makes my week or even year. An artist who blows my mind with their talent and who still hasn’t a clue just how many people would love their work if they knew about it.
Don’t get me wrong, for every diamond there are hundreds or thousands of lumps of coal. Recently I have founds a few diamonds and It leaves me with a sense of enormous well being.
The next exhibition should be very very interesting. If you come along to Oldham street you will be able to see these artists before they are officially unveiled.

So am I busy? The answer is very.

Hungry Pigeon festival

The Northern Quarter in Manchester is becoming known for its cool bars, quirky fashion and serious music shops. It treads a fine line of respectability with its fair share of adult shops and old school pubs with guys who are there waiting at the door come opening time. It reminds me of Kings Cross in Sydney. It's a place where backpackers and tourists mix with prostitutes and drug pushers. It's a red light district where the Mcdonalds sits next to a lap dancing bar. Smut sits next to mainstream without anyone blinking a disbelieving eye. You may assume that this would make the place unsafe, but you would be wrong. The area mooch gallery occupies isn't anywhere as "Red" as that, but it has that feel.

The northern quarter is cool, its quirky but in some places bizarre and a little intimidating. It shows that people are prepared to turn away from the homogenisation of the high street. Perhaps more now than ever. I lived in the northern quarter so knew of its resurgence. The streets we moved into 8 years ago were derelict and have now been filled so that its the nightlife centre of the whole city. Sunday morning used to be quieter than a remote cottage in the highlands. Quieter in fact because there was no wildlife.

More luck than judgement has been responsible for the area leading the Mancunian cultural scene. The creativity and ideas aren't a result of hours of planning and council funding. In fact its precisely the opposite. An untended garden will flourish with wildlife without any planting, pruning, watering or fertilising. Maybe the best strategy is to just let things be, watch it grow.
Most people didn't give a monkeys about the area until some young businesses decided to take advantage of cheap rents and start injecting some colour and vibrancy into long forgotten buildings. So its a chance occurrence. A result of low barriers and free thinking, of plucky business owners and broad minded customers. Yes there has been key investment from property companies like Crosby and Urban Splash, but this hasn't given the area its character and it hasn't contributed to its soul.

A couple of key players are really going to put the Northern Quarter on the map . The arts council are building their head office on the adjacent road to Mooch taking 18,000 sq ft of the Hive building. Band on the wall are renovating the fabulous building that was the cornerstone of the punk scene in the late 70s and was where the buzzcocks, the fall and joy division first played. It is due to open September this year. These developments are part of a £30 million masterplan to turn the area into London's Camden locks. Manchester's Camden locks needed something to promote and celebrate the good stuff.

The Hungry Pigeon festival is the start of an annual celebration of art, music and cultural shenanigans. From 22nd - 25th May there were over 200 bands playing, dozens of events, the biggest staged in Piccadilly gardens on Saturday. I went along and the sun was shining, thousands of people were basking in a festival atmosphere. The organisers rolled the dice on banking on a good day and came out with a double six. It was perfect, and hats of to them for a well organised event. I had wondered whether there would be trashy music that makes me feel old and baffled at what "the kids" listen to nowadays. I was pleasantly surprised and thought that the unsigned bands I heard were actually something I could recognise and actually like. Like the Northern Quarter in general, the festival will only get bigger and better and that's great news for galleries like mooch.

Art Critics. Worth their salt?

I really don't think I could be an artist. I could possibly gain some skills in applying paint to a canvas but that isn't what makes me want to stay on the other side of the creative spectrum.
What other job can you do where you work for years only for someone to judge your life and career in 3 seconds. The lives of many a creative are in perpetual turmoil resulting from ecstatic praise or crushing criticism. Sometimes fragile egos take a battering from the casual curt comment.
I have massive respect for these artists for who the vast majority, do it because they love it rather than for financial gain. To articulate their imagination as art is a process that fascinates me.
Thalia Allington-Wood has written a review of the opening of Mooch Art and Revolve Gallery in the triangle. Click Here. Generally positive but one of Revolve galleries artists received some criticism which is highlighted as all journos are adept at doing.
The question is whether art criticism can be constructive given the subjective nature. Can someone telling you they don't like Marmite be of any benefit to people who haven't tried it but love a tasty, nutritious, salty spread on their toast (My cheques in the post).
My feeling is that everyone's opinion is valid and the only way the gallery will get better is with feedback. I have mentioned in a previous blog that browsers who are positive about everything leave me a little lost. Smoke blowing or fence sitters are terrible for galleries especially if an artist isn't selling. Perhaps the worst criticism would be apathy, if people came to the gallery cocked their head to one side and sighed at how mundane it all was then I haven't done my job properly.
So art critics are needed just as all other customer feedback is needed. They are worth their salt but just take their comments with a pinch of it.

Just read a great article in the guardian by Jonathan Jones see below.
CLICK HERE

A popular do..

Christian from Barefoot wines raised his eyebrows in surprise after making his third trip downstairs to bring more bottles up, hustling through the crowds. We expected quite a few people to turn up but even I was left a little bewildered by the shear number of people that came and the shear amount of wine that was drunk.
120 bottles and over 220 cups later the official launch of Mooch art and revolve gallery was deemed a success. A big gallery means more art, more food, more wine, more everything. Scale it all up in a great location and suddenly I can see the artists getting giddy with excitement. With all that space and all those people I just didn't get round to speaking to everyone and maybe there were people who wanted to buy but just didn't know where I was so vowed to come back another time.
One of my 1st previews I spent with a red ring around my lips and grey teeth. I looked in the mirror that night and cursed the red wine and the fact that no one pointed out the fact I looked like a right numpty. Smooth Mike, very smooth.
I went for an eclectic mix of art, which is difficult to pull off and can often translate into being jack of all trades, master of none. This isn’t the case with the artwork hung in the new gallery In the Triangle though.
The best, most accomplished artists covering abstract, figurative, photography and landscapes were hung with a clear aim to have appeal to a broad range of tastes.
The event is now over and we have had some good coverage in the press but I guess its now onto the day to day gallery business. Until the next event that is.

The Art of knowledge

The woman looked at me and apologized for not knowing anything about art. It was a few weeks ago, just before she bought a couple of paintings based on the fact that she absolutely adored them. I have heard this hundreds of times and still wonder why it is that Art, makes people apologise for not swotting up on the latest and greatest artist in their spare time.

Most customers aren’t art collectors but just know what they like, and that’s fine with me. Imagine going into Marks and Spencer and apologising for not knowing anything about clothes. It's absurd, and the more you think about it, the more ridiculous it seems.
I try to make it accessible and not to intimidate people but art has a reputation that can’t be undone by one gallery.

Prices at mooch are not out of reach of most people, starting at £65 so Its not that it has to do with the price. Omega watches are expensive but your won’t find anyone apologising for not knowing anything about their history or reputation. Similarly you won’t find Ronaldo apologizing for not knowing the racing pedigree of his Bentley. If something looks good and makes you feel special then surely you don’t need to justify it with technical speak.

Most people who buy art from me, do so using gut instinct rather than knowledge of other artists or past exhibitions. That’s not to say you shouldn’t read up on an artist. If you love the work its useful to know how well they are doing as the art can also be considered as an investment.

If you are reading this then perhaps you will change your approach to buying art. Stick up for what you like. Don’t be afraid to say what you think. Don’t apologise and don’t feel intimidated because there is no need. The bottom line is that art consists of very basic raw materials of paint and canvas, and that’s as uncomplicated as it gets.

Opening a new gallery - looking back

The picture here is a map of manchester from 1650.
The Electrician looked at our simple faces and said "You've got your work cut out for you".
I normally hate painting with a passion but the new gallery is making me change my mind. Creating big solid blocks of white with immaculate edges is curiously satisfying.
If art is any substance, arranged to make a statement then mine is "Clean white walls are gallery nirvana". Ugly brick walls are transformed into glorious white textured surfaces. It's clean and fresh and like a little piece of heaven, only you don't have to be good to get there.
I need to be involved in painting the new gallery for me to feel a part of it. I need my shoulders to ache and my scruff jeans to be encrusted with paint. I even put up with curious white bogeys and paint getting caught in my ring (wedding). I need to do this because as with many parts of this gallery I want to stand back and say with confidence that we did that.
I appreciate that there aren't too many people who have opened a gallery before but let me say.. Wow it's hard work. I mean, really it is. At opening events, gallery owners will smile and play down the shear effort that has gone into showing other peoples artwork. But trust me when I say that every one will need a holiday afterwards.
In June Last year Mooch art, Oldham street, opened to a receptive crowd. Perhaps people would have been more impressed had I have put the before pictures of the gallery up on the wall. There was a monumental effort involved by workmen and myself in getting it ready in time. Pure graft and passion went into that gallery.
Mooch is expanding sooner than expected and this effort is being repeated in the Triangle. We are in Unit 17, and we have already figured there is a great community in the triangle as there is in the northern quarter.
I had a chat with the guy who runs the Titchy coffee company and its fascinating to find out the history of the building. The triangle used to be the corn exchange "For many year's, (up to the time of the bombing), the building acted as a covered market hall, a Mecca for students and specialising in "alternative" produce - vegetarian foods, numerous "New Age" and Occult shops, palmists, tarot readers, books, aromatherapy prerequisites, music and clothing. Well worth a browse, even if nothing takes your fancy." But now the triangle is one of the most underrated retails spaces in Manchester. Glorious Victorian architecture houses a modern light spacious interior. Go through the fairly well hidden opening into a triangular courtyard. Calling the triangle a "shopping centre" is like calling Charlize theron a "tasty bird". It's just not classy enough. The gallery's doors will open inside to the interior but also onto Cathedral street. A beautiful cobbled street runs between the Triangle and Manchester cathedral that should be the biggest drawcard of the "Shopping Centre". Many shops for security reasons haven't utilised the best looking street in Manchester. I'm serious, it's picture postcard stuff and having lived in Manchester for 8 years kept wondering why I didn't know about it.
I have yet another spell of 12-13 hour days to get it ready and looking pristine, white, and as good as possible. The satisfaction is immense, the artwork will speak for itself. Great quality original art always does. Mooch art is passionate expression concentrated onto a canvas and I love it. If you want to come to the soft launch of the new gallery e-mail info@mooch-art.co.uk with the names of who wants to come. We are pinning in tuesday the 14th April but this may change. It will be fairly low key until the proper launch will be sorted out.

Probably the best new gallery in the world.

Mooch is opening a new gallery in the triangle shopping centre in Manchester city centre. I opened the Oldham street gallery in June last year so this is an exciting time. Mooch is growing fast and the additional gallery offers a huge amount of wall space to exhibit.
I have always know that people need to see the artwork to appreciate just how good it is. More choice from online galleries mean that the quality is patchy at best. The key to a great gallery is representing fewer, higher quality artists. The bottom line is that with fewer artists, a gallery can focus and boost their career more effectively which means the artwork is much more likely to rise in value.
Mooch has relatively few artists but even with the 20 artists, it is impossible to show all their work. The Oldham street gallery is a light and airy space that is in the creative heart of the city. However it's a bit of a walk for those shopping in the arndale or Deansgate so the Triangle will be a great location for more customers.
The gallery in the triangle will be open in 3-4 weeks so we have plenty of work to do in order to get it up to standard. Think of the amount of work you think is required and then triple it. Many galleries need a monumental effort for every opening and change of artwork. It's time to pull out the stops and make the new mooch gallery the best in Manchester, dare I say, the best in the country.

Photography and art, Digital trickery?

I have had more than a few photographers approach the gallery in the past week and have recently taken on another 2. For some reason there has been a big influx from people who are all keen to show off/sell their images. I have to be the bad guy and tell them that their work is tough to sell and isn't valued much by the people that come into the gallery.
It begs the question why we don't appreciate photography the way we did even 5 years ago. Have we seen too many mind blowing images that have desensitised our appreciation. I love photography, take photos myself and really rate the good stuff as art in its own right.
Digital cameras have opened up the medium to anyone and everyone. It has lowered the barriers and everyone is a photographer who can instantly show the world their work. There are billions of images out there and online imaging websites like FLICKR show that the standard is high. Worse for photographers is that if they do have a unique style, it is relatively easy to copy. By contrast the painter takes years to hone their skill with a paintbrush, the strokes akin to your own handwriting that are extremely difficult to reproduce.
Cameras with incredible spec are cheaper than they have ever been. There has never been such a level playing field in the world of photography. In many ways photography is going the way of the music industry where there is a proliferation of images that devalues each and every photo.
There is also the question of image manipulation. How much is too much? Where should we draw the line between photography and digital art? Magazines are being questioned for thinning and airbrushing their models but it is also prevalent in landscapes. The pristine white sand and perfect blue sky in "Wanderlust" is unlikely to be straight out of the camera. Colour will be boosted, distractions eliminated and you have to question how real the images you are seeing are.
The truth is that photographers have always used artistic license in their work. Before photoshop they would use different shutter speed, aperture, coloured filters or lighting. Post capture they would use different methods of developing the film and for example use silver selenide to give it sepia toning. I have to hold myself in check before I bore people too much about this stuff.
The fact that this manipulation has been taken to a new level doesn't make the images less worthy. I think its a great liberation where you can have anything you want. It also opens up the possibilities that have previously only been open to artists of the painterly kind. Work with photoshop gives that point of difference, that advantage over other photographers that may be thinking they can copy the style.
And this brings me to the photographers that are represented by Mooch art. We only show artwork that hopefully people recognise are by exceptionally talent people. This usually involves digital work that gives them the edge. If you want documentary images then watch the news. If you want outstanding art, come to mooch.

Art and Celebrity

Clint was leant over his decks, the gallery lights were dimmed and the Inspiral Carpets came on by request. "Lets bring on the Boon army" he said. His wife, Charlie, turned to me, rolled her eyes and said "I have to go home with that". That really made me smile and like them all the more.
Thursday night we had the unveiling of the Portrait of Clint Boon. Yet the night wasn't about Clint, it was to promote Adam Hayley and build his reputation. Adam is patently aware that his portraits of random people aren't newsworthy. He has set out to find people to help him make people take notice.
Adam Approached Clint when he saw him at the Salford degree show. I know now that Clint is a genuinely decent guy who has thrown all he has at this to help Adam get into the papers. Maybe that's the reason you are reading this.
Georgie and Paul who run PDC Copyprint across the road saw Clint unloading his gear on the day. Being Inspiral fans, Georgie printed off a photo of Clint and ran out onto the pavement with it in her hand. The wind blew it away and she stopped, felt a little sheepish, and skulked back into the shop. Clint went to pick up the photo, went inside and signed it for them, "Keep on Copyin" it read. They were clearly chuffed and have put it onto their facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5983051&id=27406035402&ref=mf
What is our fascination with celebrity? Why do so many news papers sell on the strength of something happening to a famous face? The famous nearly always have something remarkable about them. Something extra ordinary that makes them more interesting than us lesser mortals. The era of the pointless celebrity I think is coming to an end. Trashy mags that will highlight Tom Cruises' sweaty pits or Cheryl Coles weight loss are falling in popularity.
In my mind the artists with Mooch have extra ordinary talents, so why aren't they famous? Well it takes time and they have to want it. Those artists like Damien Hirst and Tracy Emin had superb publicists and were incredible innovative in their artistic concepts. The tent of former lovers and the Shark in Formaldehyde were brilliant stunts. Like it or not, their breakthrough pieces were remarkable.
So what about the future of mooch and its artists? Well expect the unexpected. Mooch will be grabbing the headlines but not because of a cheap stunt. Pure talent and innovative artwork shown off and displayed in new and different ways is what will bring Mooch to the forefront of art lovers minds. I think with some artists, like Adam, I strongly believe he will be a famous name in the art world and break into the the consciousness of those who have never been into an art gallery.
I once overheard an old dear talking to her friend waiting for the train at Bramhall station. Both of them unaware their brief chat was going to have such a profound effect on me. One said to the other, "Oh look, the train is coming", to which the other replied, "the train was always coming".

Mooch Boom time?

The past week has been just crazy. Sales have been great and It finally feels like people are coming out of their post Christmas/recession blues. I feel that enough has been written about the recession already and most people are getting a little tired of the media bringing us all down. Franklin Roosevelt said is beautifully in 1932 "the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself". Therein lies the problem and the solution to our economic woes.

I see it a lot in some people buying artwork. The way people decide what they buy, and even if they buy, is fascinating to me. Much of the time you have to go with your gut instinct and for some people this is really strong and they can have reached a decision within 5 seconds.
Phil at Ascot studios see a lot of very successful people come into his gallery and believes they have a very opinionated and decisive approach when choosing their artwork. This makes sense as to be successful you need to know what you want and make positive decisions on how to get there. We are all the sum of our choices. Flapping and indecision only costs time and money.

Gallery owners appreciate honesty when people look around. If you had a big bit of Parsley inbetween your front teeth, you wouldn't appreciate going through the whole day without someone telling you. Feedback is really important and honest opinions are what drives the development of the gallery and the artwork it shows. If you are a customer reading this, and you come into the gallery, don't be afraid to say you hate something. The worst possible reaction would be indifference but we seem to be getting the right artwork in.

It's important for me to stay down to earth when talking about the artwork. Complex, poncey jargon is not what mooch is about. All I really want to provide is information because I strongly believe that quality sells itself.

Its a Boon for Mooch art

He mentioned it just in passing. A cursory comment that I didn't take to seriously. "Oh yeah, I'm doing a portrait for Clint Boon". I'd heard of Clint but wasn't sure anything was going to come of it. Adam Hayley says these things in his typically modest but excited way. He won the Mooch Artist of the year last year and already had a head start in promoting himself. He'd met with Clint a couple of times, taken some photos and worked out his angle on the portrait. The portraits bring out the character in the individual so Adam needs to understand that. He automatically injects this into the brush strokes on canvas and it is remarkable what he can do.
So the result is a night unveiling the said portrait at the gallery on Thursday the 25th. Clint has been fantastic and is a true man of the people. He is a champion of emerging talent so we are on the same wavelength.
He is bringing his vinyl along, and playing some tunes while his lovely wife serves her home made cakes and tea. I'd never heard of his wife's business before but she is putting on regular events at TV21 bar where she makes tea parties cool again with vintage crockery and great music.
Adam is entering the painting into the National portrait gallery awards in March so It could give him a £25k prize and a springboard to a great arty career. The event will hopefully raise his profile so that people know of this great talent.
Fingers crossed it will go well, Clint will be mentioning it on the radio so I hope we can deal with the numbers. Actually I hope people come, the worst fear of anyone organising an event it that people simply don't care.

Angela Wakefield update at Mooch

Angelas exhibition is doing really well and has had some great press if you check out these links.

http://www.citylife.co.uk/arts/news/12453__angela_s_a_hit_at_mooch

http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/chester-news/local-chester-news/chester-celebrations/2009/02/06/city-scenes-in-artistic-exhibition-59067-22866390/

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/ribblevalley/4086882.Ribble_Valley_artist_s_exhibition_is_inspired_by_Lowry/

http://www.chesterstandard.co.uk/chesternews/Colours-inspire-Chester-city-artwork.4937579.jp

http://www.lep.co.uk/news/Story-shorts--030209.4939478.jp

I hadn't seen the Lowry connection but the more I look at her images of Oldham street the more I see. We've reduced the density in the gallery to give each piece more room to "breathe". I think it really works and not only are the comments really positive Angela is also furiously painting to fill the gaps left on the preview night. It's a nice position to be in but I guess people see the quality in her work.

New Exhibition - Angela Wakefield

the time has come again when the gallery undergoes an upheaval to change all the art on the walls. It's Angela Wakefield's chance to dazzle us with her skills. I have seen all new work now and can genuinely say I am very impressed. Art is subjective and I do need a balanced perspective but I just love her work.
Despite all its flaws, I love Manchester and think she has made the city look as colourful and exciting and maybe its reputation ought to be. The streets I have walked so often are captured with such a different perspective it has changed my view of the city.
Anyway so Wednesday is when we begin the long process of rehanging. Like anything it always takes 10 times longer than you expect. Its worth it in the end when you get that look on peoples faces when they first walk through the door.
Angela Wakefield Exhibition preview starts on Thursday feb 5th at 6pm and will go on until around 9pm. The gallery often stays open as people like to stay and chat and I don't switch the lights on and off, as a subtle sledgehammer hint. By that time I'm parched and starving having been running a la legless chicken for the past day.
The events are great though and people are always genuinely interested in the work. If you fancy coming along then send me and e-mail to info@mooch-art.co.uk.

The Manchester art scene - In a recession

Happy new year. My boiler packed in a couple of days ago and I awoke to minus 7 degrees. Sweet Jesus bring on global warming if it means I don't whimper getting dressed of a morning.
After the excesses of Christmas and New Year is there a finite amount of good will to go around? If so then its time for me to get into the mood, kick back and withdraw into 2 months of grouchy apathy "That's it my love, I'm spent". Listen to the gloom and you get sucked into it. Ignore the media and continue with a positive mental attitude. When you can do that, let me know how it's done.
There are still economic woes for many and there are a few big names yet to fall. So what of the art industry? Well in Manchester it is still pre pubescent and feeling slightly embarrassed at its high voice and lack of stubble. Underdeveloped doesn't come close, you can count the number of commercial galleries on one hand which for a population of half a million is shockingly few.
So if it isn't that great in the 1st place what's going to happen in a recession?
Clearly there has been a reduction in demand for art and anyone who says not is telling fibs. Mooch is really well placed, has already made a great impact and continues to grow, adding new artists every fortnight. I strongly believe that the recession could be a good thing for the businesses that are forward looking and positive in their outlook.
A guy called Maslow worked out our pyramid of needs, working up from psychological (I need air, water etc) up to self actualisation which involves creativity. There will always be a market for food; artwork on the other hand is on a roller-coaster of a journey. There are ups and downs and that's the key. Buy on a downer and you'll get a nice return on the upper.
You don't find galleries overtly slashing prices but they will be very carefully considered and will generally be lower than at any time in the past few years. Besides which, stocks and shares don't look anywhere near as nice on your wall. Think of a great looking room and your friends compliments as your dividend.
Buying artwork can however can be a little daunting so I will soon post a blog on how to buy art in a recession. It will give you an insight into how you should go about choosing artwork and hints and tips to get the best deal, the best investment and the piece that suits your home to a tee. We are also offering a free advice service for those unsure of what type of art is appropriate for a space. We can visit your home and help you make an informed decision.
When it comes to artwork there has never been a better time to buy so what are you waiting for?