Creative wonder

I am just sat next to my 2 month old son. I have tied a helium balloon to his cot and watching as if I had just provided the most fabulous entertainment there is. His face is of total wonder at the movement and shiny patterns reflecting off the balloon. I think he will probably be the sort of kid who will play with the cardboard box and not the fancy go-cart in Christmasses to come.

I've had his kind of face the past week or so. We are having our biggest inflow of new artwork from different artists for a very long time. My eyes wide, mouth slightly open, a bit of drool coming out. Well not the drool but it is strange how artists and galleries go through cycles. Seasonal changes have meant that many artist have picked up their brushes and gotten painting again. Maybe its the look of the new gallery above.

We have been putting the new work from Alan Knight, Steven Cooper, Caroline McManus, Julie Dumbarton and Emmesse up on the site but there is still more to come from Charles Willmott, Jenny Hirst as well as a further 4 undisclosed new artists. This is a mixed exhibition and we wanted plenty of choice for people coming in over the christmas period.

This amount of work coming in has meant we are having to change things around more frequently. If we had a gallery 8000 sq ft we would easily fill it just like if you take a massive suitcase on holiday you won't let it go half empty. The changes are a good thing though and customers have been giving some very positive comments. Its a better reason to stop by more often when you know the artwork will change week on week.

Our framing service has also been a big hit. Because of this we have increased the number of moulding we have on offer and the pieces coming back look very professional and hugely enhances the work. We've found that many of the block canvasses have much greater impact when framed. Its a personal preference but a decent frame can make or break a piece of art. Its the easiest and quickest way to add visual impact and value to your work. When you see the difference it makes, you will know it's worth it.

We had our teething problems with the move. British Telecom caused no end of problems when we had no phone or broadband for the 1st 3 weeks of October. I know other people have had bad experiences with them before but this was a very serious and difficult problem to deal with. However we are back on the art trail and back in full flow with some great artwork coming in. We still have great artists who are the ones to watch so come along and prepare to adopt your "Just seen a bobbing balloon" expression.

Inside out episode - March 8th BBC 1 @ 7:30

A program on the creativity in mills featuring mooch artists, Caroline McManus,Victoria Ashworth, Sean Caherty and Alan Knight. See earlier blog for some more pics of them filming, it was ever so exciting.

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.