Exhibitions - Location, Location, Location
With an exhibition just around the corner, the deadline is increasingly prominent in my day-to-day life.
I've had several exhibitions over the years. Some inevitably have been more successful than others. But success is a subjective thing. Is it about selling work? Or looking to network with other creatives? Or could it be the hope of attracting people to some workshops? Or bolster a professional profile?
I have found the location of each exhibition paramount in all of these cases. Inevitably, when I have exhibited in more affluent areas, sales of physical paintings have increased.
Bedford Panacea 2020
I have a secondary line of products: my journals. I will write more about those in a different post. But, as Im not really a committed illustrator, rather a fine artist, I don't sell other items, such as T-shirts or mugs. But I do sell prints.
Beds BC 2016
When I exhibited at Bradford Industrial Museum in 2023, there was a visit figure of nearly 9000. I didn't sell a single piece of work at that exhibition, but I did sell some journals—at a more reasonable price point.
And what about marketing exhibitions? Does one know if the local press really works? Or word of mouth? Obviously, these forms of marketing are never going to hurt, but the more prestigious the gallery, the more justifiable the fee to advertise in high-end areas. It’s a roll of the dice.
The next exhibition I will hold is in West Bridgford, Nottingham. Although it is in a library, I am paying a substantial fee to exhibit here over the summer. City exhibitions of any notable size are highly sought after. And I'm delighted to say that my exhibition is running over the premium time of the summer holidays. This suburb is affluent and happening, it’s always busy, being a stone’s throw from the Trent, Trent Bridge and the City itself. There are boutique shops and cosmopolitan cafés, and having a Marks & Spencer's is definitely a sign of the area's general class.
Bradford Industrial Museum 2023
This new exhibition has taken 18 months to bring into being. And I'm so glad that, despite my commitments, I've managed to produce work I'm extremely happy with over the last couple of months.
As humble as it sounds, my main objective is to facilitate a connection with my art. Over recent times, I have poured into each piece the conflict of human emotions that have been the backdrop to my own life. Despite some of the subject matter being difficult, I am dedicated to creating beautiful work; many a self-portrait symbolising the pain of parenthood when a daughter’s needs aren’t met or taken seriously, being neurodivergent, and all that brings, the beauty and staple of nature, dealing with health issues, relationships and so on.
Recently, I've been inspired by folklore and myth. If I feel an affinity with a historical or mythical figure who represents something I feel is just as relevant today, then they will be my muse. Subjects such as the fire horse have been so apt for 2026 so far. I’ve also painted Psyche and Guan Yin, and presently I’m working on the last piece before the exhibition starts - I won’t mention what it is yet. Beauty and meaning that stirs the soul in an AI age. Inspiration, examples of courage, beauty, and overcoming.
And of course, if I sell some works, I will also be very happy!
