Summer Exhibition Round-up

So, the summer show is over for another year. Obviously, the Church Hall does not get as much passing foot traffic as the Hillier Gardens, but it is a great venue, and the Cafe is an added attraction. It has also made a huge difference that we now can store our own exhibition stands in the room adjacent. Thank you to everyone who got involved in making these, from a single nail hammered in to a finishing coat of our special grey paint.

Thank you also to Roy and Gill not only for all the amazing work they do for the group, but also for the daily sales update. Members can access the spreadsheet to see who sold what and when, but here’s a brief taste.

The exhibition in figures

We achieved sales on every day of the exhibition. Tuesday 22nd was the lowest (and was it the wettest?) with just cards sold – about 15 in all.  It’s odd, really as Monday 21st was our most successful day – we took over £700 that day, of which over £500 was for displayed artwork (which includes framed, canvases and sculptures). Browser sales also went reasonably well, with over £100 taken on the first Monday and the last Sunday.

Ruth Ann Lewis and Richard Waite each sold two artworks. Jenny Morgan, Trish Brant, Wendy Sleeman, Jocelyn Halfpenny, Patricia Dorling, Peter Maule, Tony Eaton, Chris Benning, Jane Nash, and Joan Willingham were the other successful artists.

Ruth Ann Lewis – Hanging Around; sold on the Saturday

In all we sold 254 cards. The most successful card art came from Nicola Williamson (29), closely followed by Ruth Ann Lewis (28). Totals in the teens came from (in no particular order) Angela Sweet, Colleen Cockroft, Elizabeth Saunders, Gill Brophy, Jenny Morgan, Lynette Vickery, Pradeepa David, Sue Bowery, Susie James and Veronica Bliss.

The browser sales came to fourteen in all, and several members sold more than one, including Angela Chambers, Ruth Ann Lewis, Trish Brant and Nicola Williamson. Jane Nash’s Dunstan Burgh was the last artwork sale of the show.

We didn’t keep track of the number of visitors, but there was a steady trickle most of the time, i.e. there was usually one visitor present! Roy would be interested in any of your ideas for increasing our footfall.

HOS23

The Open Studio in MR3 for HOS 23, organised by Alex Phillips, was a very enjoyable place to be. It was usually buzzing with activity, creativity, coffee, tea and biscuits. Artists reported several delightful discussions with visitors, and many sold pieces they’d been working on at the event. Lynette Vickery sold some of her jewellery, too. This operated separately from the Summer Exhibition, so we don’t have detailed sales figures.

A notable first came for Hisham Edakandathil, who joined us on Monday, took part in the HOS workshop on Wednesday, and sold a picture! May it be the first of many, Hisham.

Here’s a short (14 seconds) clip (on Youtube) of the HOS activity.

The show and HOS are both time consuming to prepare, and can’t take place without the many many helpers. However small you might feel your contribution is, it is invaluable. Thank you so much.

Watch for details of the Autumn Exhibition, scheduled for 11/12th November.


One week to the Summer Exhibition and HOS23

Just one week to go until we hand in our exhibits for the exhibition on Friday night and Saturday morning, 19th August.

The committee and many helpers have been working flat out to make the new hanging stands, and get everything ready, including labels for every submission, every artist, and more.

Forty-eight artists are represented, with 164 artworks, not including browsers and cards. Most are for sale.

The exhibition opens on Saturday 19th, at 10 am, in the Church Hall at the Dovetail Centre. It runs through to Monday 28th, 10 till 4 daily.

You can’t miss the banners already outside the Methodist Church, so tell your friends, and everybody else you know, bring them along, have tea of coffee one morning in the Dovetail cafe…

Hampshire Open Studios HOS23

And while you’re visiting, don’t forget to visit our Studio set-up for Hampshire Open Studios this year. Artists will be working on their projects, as well as showing examples of their work.

Artists change from day to day so come back for a second visit and see some different approaches!

This will be in Meeting Room 3 (MR3), which is between the Church Hall and the car park at the rear. Times and dates as for the exhibition.


August already – exhibition time!

If you haven’t completed your submission forms for the Summer Exhibition, you may be too late! Priority obviously goes to those who submitted on time, but contact Roy if you hope to get a late entry.

No Workshop, Life Drawing or Demonstration

This month we focus entirely on the exhibition so no workshop or demonstration. They’ll be back in September. The Life Drawing session was cancelled as it clashed with the hall booking for the exhibition. That will also be back next month.

Drop in Session

The drop-in session at the community centre in Hursley Road goes ahead as usual. That’s on Wednesday August 9th.

Summer Exhibition and Hampshire Open Studios

The details for the Summer Exhibition and for Hampshire Open Studios were sent to all members at the end of June.

Don’t forget to read the submission guidelines and instructions for presentation carefully, and bring your entries to the Church Hall at the appointed time.

If you are creating your own mini-studio in Meeting Room 3 (MR3), for our HOS23 event, running parallel with the exhibition, don’t forget to bring your working equipment and floor/table coverings!

And… tell your friends. Flyers are available to hand out, but please do not post them publicly except where you have permission.

And even if you’re not exhibiting, please come along and bring your friends. It’s sure to be an amazing show, and hopefully lots of visitors will be tempted to buy a beautiful, unique artwork.

Hampshire Open Studios – NOW ON!

Our takeover of the Dovetail Centre for Hampshire Studios 2022 is now on.

The banner outside the Chandlers Ford Methodist Church

The first weekend of our Open Studios at the Dovetail Centre, adjacent to the Methodist Church, is over.

On Saturday morning at 10 am, fifteen artists set up their own version of their studio around the edges and in the centre of the hall, awaiting the first visitors on the HOS trail.

Continue reading “Hampshire Open Studios – NOW ON!”

Hampshire Open Studios starts Saturday week

Chandlers Ford Art Group take over the Methodist Church Hall on Winchester Road, for nine days of our own ‘Open Studio’ during the Hampshire-wide event.

From Saturday 20th to Sunday 28th August, members of the art group will be entertaining visitors to the Hall with their own mini-studios.

HOS22

What’s on offer?

Different artists each day–although many will be there for a number of days–including:

Continue reading “Hampshire Open Studios starts Saturday week”

Hampshire Open Studios Update

A second planning meeting took place in May, and notes have been sent to all who have shown an interest.

A reminder: we are participating in Hampshire Open Studios with our own ‘studio’ set-up at the Dovetail Centre, from 20th to 28th August.

The idea is that each participant creates their own mini-studio, and does whatever they want with it (within reason). A chance to show your work, the way you work, demonstrate your technique, and talk to visitors about your work!

HOS22

Places still available

Due to some cancellations, and to the extra days at the hall, we have spare tables on several dates. Please contact Alex Phillips as soon as you can if you would like to take another date, another table, or maybe your first step into the studio!

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Hampshire Open Studios 2022

Chandlers Ford Art Group will be participating in the Hampshire Open Studios event during August.

So far 102 members will be reimagining their ‘studios’ at our event in the Dovetail Centre, from 10.00-4.00pm daily. The hall is situated next to the cafe, which is open mornings Tuesday – Saturday. We hope visitors to the cafe will wander in as well as Open Studios tourists.

Latest meeting

At a meeting on March 16th, our event organiser, Alex P, went through the information on tables, settings, and the support the group can provide by way of screens, labels and so on. He also answered questions, ranging from sales to paint spills. A full set of notes, and a follow-up, have been emailed to HOS participants.

Continue reading “Hampshire Open Studios 2022”