He explained to me how the gallery functions as part of a cooperative with 13 Staffordshire artist members. I learnt the day to day running of the shop and how each individual practitioner uses the gallery for different means in their own practise. Some depend fully on the gallery to sell their work however others use it as just another source.
Each member has a different specialism or style to one another and according to Wayne is deliberate in order to display a diverse range of artwork. He also explained the roles and responsibilities each member undertakes in regards to the business, alongside producing and restocking artwork.
They each pay into the gallery fund to ensure the rent, lighting, bills etc are all paid and the gallery continues to open each day 10- 5pm. I feel this method is a really good way of keeping the gallery, as artists are able to sell there work in their own gallery, run by themselves- an ambition for most artists. Whereas for an artist to independantly open/ run a gallery, it would take a huge amount of funding and the artist would need to produce enough artwork to fill the gallery making it almost impossible.
The Members.
Noel Bennett- Photographer who runs the gallery website
Vance Lupton- Woodturner looks after the repairs and diy of the gallery, ensuring it looks its best
Helen Cartlidge- Painter arranges the exhibitions
Angela Smith- Jewellery are in charge of the accounts for the business
Lyn Cooke- Silver Jeweller looks after the guests
Cathy Sumner- Ceramics
Craig Sumner- Painter hangs and arranges the artwork, takes charge of the appearance
Bob Thacker- Stained Glass business manager (whose idea it was to create the cooperative gallery) he deals with the landlord, utility bits n bobs. he also sorts out the gallery space, the arrangement of work and window displays etc
Wayne Tomlinson- Painter due to his previous career takes charge of marketing/ new strategies and is the member who writes the business plans
Valerie Fenton- Printer
Sally Hadley- Photographer
Anna Drezova- Painter only recently joined the gallery so is yet to obtain a role
Jo Hill- Textiles also does the accounts
Michael Wheeley looks after the repairing and general maintenance of the gallery with Vance
They all have unique styles which brings a certain diversity and originality to the gallery, each of the members bring different skills from previous jobs and careers which helps the gallery to function smoothly. A rota is created each month by Angela and each member spends a day in turn manning the gallery.
We walked around the gallery and he explained his pieces to me, the evolution of his painting and his wanting to move away from his previous representational pieces and to focus more on abstract seascapes.
His inspirational artists include Edward Hopper- an american painter, who also paints alot of seascapes
David Hockney- a photographer im familiar with, who is renowned for his unique photographic tevhnique.
Degas, painter and sculptor i've once studied and admire his sculptural work
He also mentioned some 20th century painters, including John Piper...
I spent the day chatting to Wayne and picking his brains about his artwork, techniques and experiences... he mentioned that he collects photographs of artwork that he finds particularly interesting or striking and pins them to a wall in his studio, these sometimes influence his own work- a kind of subliminal inspiration. We talked about how useful facebook and social media is to the art world nowadays- he's friends with many gallerys around the world and often prints photos of artwork that pops up for his wall, along with many of his own photographs and sketches taken on his travels or when walking around Cannock Chase/ visiting seaside locations etc
He talked me through the process of this painting, the techniques he used and stages involved...
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Inspired by winter walks on Cannock chase.
Mixed media, watercolour, ascrylic and ink on watercolour paper overlaid with tissue paper.
He first created the background wash of colours for the landscape using photographs of the chase, he then picks out the vertical lines that represent trees in the background. He then layers the tissue paper for texture and applies the watercolour, moving the watercolour paper to allow it to run naturally into the creases. This creates darker shading where the water collects and blends the paint beautifully. Next Wayne adds the trees in the foreground following what the paints already created. Then lastly, the odd splatter of acrylic paint for highlights and to pick out the ground flowers.
The gallery runs many charity events for local first responders and open days as part of marketing the gallery, its also quite tucked away and we were surveying the other units in the arcade which have better opportunities to attract custom- larger spaced units with more window space for display and the key aspect of having a window right on the highstreet- catching the eyes of passers by. All these elements must be concidered.
The gallery has an exhibition space upstairs- each month they allow any local artist to come and put up their work for display to the public, this month is a collection by wildlife photographer Colin Preston.
We also talked about Wayne's views on the exhibition space, he thinks there should perhaps be a selection process made between the members, regarding who is allowed to exhibit in the space. also whether they should hold a space for outside artists at all- as the current wall space in the gallery is already restricted and often struggle to display every members work with such a small gallery space.
The artwork is also regularly rotated, to keep the displays current as pieces are sold etc artists replace work with newer pieces or just simply rearrange the work to give each practioners collection the best opportunity. It is important to keep the presentation of the artwork fresh, i found that most people entering the gallery went away with an item- however its easy to forget that it is a gallery so is intended for spectators aswell as customers.
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