Tuesday 30 April 2013

Picture, Painter, Printer, Framer

Framed work, paintings by Inky Leaves

Yesterday I didn't manage to do any painting. This is because I was officially exhausted. I've been overdoing it again, what with the garden needing a 'good old dig', the seeds needing a 'good old sow' and the bamboo needing a 'good old removal'. Plus it's been very busy at work and my other half has been poorly. I felt like I had been riding a wave and I pushed it just a little bit too much last week. It was time for a break and today I feel much better for it.

Framed work by Inky Leaves

So on my day off I went off to the printers to drop off Monstera problema and Chelsea Tulips. I don't think I will offer these two pieces as prints, but I like to have a scan as a record. Neither of these are as finished as I'd hoped, but I am keen to move on with new work. At least Monstera is alright not being perfect as that was the whole point. I painted this one at a time when I had an ovarian health issue going on and felt 'imperfect' and like I was missing something. I painted it because the leaf has egg-shaped holes and is itself missing bits... Problem was, I was in a fit of absolute upset when I started it. You know how it goes - you got to get what ever it is out of your system with a brush... I just had to paint there and THEN, but I had no paper big enough, so I grabbed some Intaglio printing stuff I bought a while back from the bottom of my wardrobe. What a mistake that was - this paper is great for Intaglio - but completely unsuitable for botanical art. The paint didn't really stay on the paper very well and the masking fluid took bits of the paper off. It was a nightmare. So this is an unfinished painting of an imperfect leaf on imperfect paper by an imperfect artist. It's finished - as an unfinished piece.


Then I went to the framer to check on my latest frames... "Hey nice going there framer - you did a good job!" - I am really pleased with the job so far. I see a lot of frames in my other line of work and this really helps me to see what shapes a piece well and what doesn't. Over the past year I have seen a lot of David Nash's work and he seems to have the same taste as me when it comes to framing. He uses either no mount at all or a floating one. What I like about this is it looks modern and gives a contemporary feel to botanical art. I'd like to think that customers feel like they are getting a present in a box. 


Friday 26 April 2013

Changes at the Gallery

Rory McEwen Leaf
 One of Rory McEwen's Leaves * 
(I want to know which shade of green he used to get this colour - ideas anyone?)

So it's all change here in the gallery this week! At 8am this morning I witnessed two of our David Nash sculptures leaving on the back of a lorry - The Sliced Cedars. A sad moment in the morning drizzle (below), and the end of a season. I am glad that the exhibition closed during Spring though, as it's a time of new leaves and colour and that makes me feel more hopeful.

Packing up the Nash exhibition, Kew


So less about what is going on outside the gallery and more about what's happening indoors! Like a chrysalis, there is a lot going on inside our walls. We've been having lots of deliveries... all paintings. The Rory McEwen show is starting to take shape as we get work from Kew, the family and from private collections. It's really exciting to be part of this. The paintings arrive all wrapped up in white opaque bubble wrap and we have no idea what's in them. Unwrapping each one if like unwrapping a very expensive and delicate chocolate truffle. It's a million Christmas' all at once. I have never seen so many beautiful pieces of work in such a short space of time. I felt like crying.  It's going to be an extraordinary show - real food for the eyes and soul.

Laying out the paintings for the Rory McEwen show
Laying out the paintings for the Rory McEwen show


As a point of interest, I feel that now is a good time to talk about frames. Many of the frames around Rory McEwen's work are now roughly 40-60 years old. Some are amazing - my favourite one is a bamboo piece which looks very 1970s! However, what I really wanted to talk to you all about is how frames deteriorate over time and what we can do as artists to prevent this.

Fritillary by Rory McEwen
 A close up on one of Rory's Fritillarias*

*Please note that these pieces might not be in the exhibition. We are still selecting work. This is how we work - we select a whole collection of work, and then lay them all out and decide which paintings work well together in each gallery space.


Now I know all us good artists invest in proper frames with acid free boards and mounts and a proper seal at the back. Rory probably did too. But something I have discovered since working in this show is what happens to frames over time and how badly they can age. I had a chat with a conservator about frames as I was interested to know more about them and how damage occurs. Apparently, the biggest killer is just neglect on the owners part. Even acid free materials don't last forever. This brought back memories of me working in a museum and the fact that we have to repackage objects every few years because acid free tissue paper loses its effectiveness. I guess the same goes for frames. 

Laying out the paintings for the Rory McEwen show

So apparently we need to check our frames every 5 years for damage and bugs. We need to pay particular attention to the seal at the back, the state of the mount and for rusty nails etc. Even if acid free board has been used, this still needs replacing roughly every ten years. So, if anyone owns a piece of artwork which they love and value, like a classic car - you need to maintain it. I think there is a bit of a mentality in many of us that once you have parted with your hard earned cash for a piece of art, one feels that they don't need to pay anymore. They own it and it's theirs, but like a classic car or a house - you need to keep injecting the cash now and then to keep it looking good and structurally sound.
 
Bugs are the worst problem - they get in all sorts of ways, but it's especially bad if the taped seal at the back is broken. Acid boards are pretty bad too, as are woods that emit a lot of acidic gas. Apparently pear wood is the best wood you can use as it emits less gas and lignins and isn't on a CITES list unlike other woods.

Rory McEwen Leaf
A close up on one of Rory's decaying leaves*

*Please note that these pieces might not be in the exhibition. We are still selecting work. This is how we work - we select a whole collection of work, and then lay them all out and decide which paintings work well together in each gallery space.

Friday 5 April 2013

Music Hiding In The Air by Christian McEwen


Music Hiding in the Air by Christian McEwen

I have just been informed that another book about Rory McEwen is due to come out this Spring! The book is a beautiful memoir about Rory McEwen and is entitled ‘Music Hiding in the Air’. It talks about Rory intimately and honestly. Christian really helps you to understand the man on an emotional level and it very touching in his words. The book comes with some family pictures and four or five reproductions of his artwork and talks about his musical career. It’s a small book and will be on sale from May, in the Kew store, to coincide with the show. If you like Rory's work, I recommend adding this little gem to your collection.


If you are interested in purchasing this book, here are the details:

Title: Music Hiding In The Air

Publisher: Bauhan Publishing. Distributed in the UK by Eurospan.

ISBN: 978-0-87233-166-2

Price: £9.99

At this point in time the book is not available through tax-dodging Amazon, but it will be available at the Kew retail store and an independent book seller can order it in for you. Or, you can order your copy personally through:

G. Heywood Hill Ltd, 10 Curzon St, London W1J SHH. Tel: 0207 629 0647.