Phew… September has been hard work!

My first taste of NROS Open Studios

Northants & Rutland Open Studios is a vast and exciting yearly affair for its exhibiting members and the public to enjoy.

This year is my first time exhibiting with them, and I reckon I got a bit carried away. Instead of doing the sensible thing and giving one or two venues a try, I signed up for four venues in four different locations! That’s four hanging sessions, four lots of stewarding, four lots of social media… and eventually, four dismantling sessions. (Well! Many of you know me by now, so maybe that does not come as such a surprise … but more on that later).

As I write this, I am reflecting on how taxing this whole thing has been for me. Not just physically exhausting, but mentally too.

I still get the same nervous anxiety before a show. The same suspicion that my work is not quite good enough. The quality of the work exhibited in the Open is incredible, so there’s a fair amount of compare and despair goes on inside – much as I try to fight it. Sometimes I think people are just being kind allowing me to participate at all 😂.

Once I got into the swing of things, I tried to relax a bit. Telling myself, "it doesn't matter if you don't sell any work. You've had fun making it and that is the most important part". And it IS important. But then, let's not kid ourselves, we all want to sell really, don't we? That's where we get the buzz... the 'applause'. The validation – whether you like to admit it or not.

So, I dived into the process, and the process took over my life!
NROS kicks off at the ‘Central Hub’ of Lamport Hall in Northants every September.
The Hall boasts an impressive array of stable buildings and barns around an ancient cobbled courtyard that is transformed with the skill and dedication of NROS Director Katie Boyce (and her team of volunteers) into a stunningly curated art gallery, displaying the work of 300+ artists.

We’re talking over 600 pieces of artwork, sculpture, ceramics, embroidery, textiles, artisan-made furniture and more. No mean feat since there is no ‘theme’ and the work is so diverse. I have 2 pieces in here.

The Central Hub forms the starting point of a journey that enables art enthusiasts, collectors and gallery owners to plan their individual art trail – by noting which artists they love, and the art that fires them up so that they can then cherry-pick the artists they want to visit later at their studios and pop-ups. It was lovely to get some positive feedback from other artists in there. And indeed, my painting  'The Picnic' sold in the first week. 

OK it’s obligatory…

The photo in front of your art.
Has to be done, LOL.

I entered 2 still life paintings for the Central Hub, “The Picnic” sold pretty quickly. This one, “Jolly Jug in Striped Pyjamas” is still available.

A few action shots from the 4 locations…

including en plein air painting workshops and cakes I made for the opening at Buckminster, lots and lots of installing at Stamford and Oakham, the Deputy Mayor opening – and best of all, a wonderful visit from my friend Wendy who came all the way from London for the day!

That moment when you
know you’ve taken on
too much!

Victoria Hall in Oakham was perfect venue for my new ‘The Collector’ series of still life paintings – but boy was it hard to manage!
With just a week to go before we opened, I was informed that there would be no staff available to help man the building as previously promised. Nightmare!

I made a flip book for those that couldn’t make it to the show,
click on this link:
https://heyzine.com/flip-book/bfdf99a669.html

Use password SWJ_Still-life-series_2024

…and catching up with
other artists at
Stamford Arts
Centre

A fabulous big bright gallery where I decided to show my new “Fresh From the Garden” floral paintings. This is my favourite series… but I have yet to sell a single piece from here 😩 which doesn’t help with those blues I was talking about earlier.

So what’s next?

I’m hoping for a long period of reflection and a gathering of spirits through play in my studio – in preparation for a 3 artist still life exhibition I have been asked to do next March at a lovely gallery (OMG how nervous that is making me).

Through Nick Wilton’s CVP I am trying to get to grips with sketch-booking, though I can’t say it comes naturally to me yet. I really have to make an effort, and I’m not sure that’s how it should feel? When I’m feeling creative I’m more likely to turn to bigger pieces of paper – these feel more like me.
I still love to paint on top of a brush wipe-off page. Most of my finished paintings start on a messy background. So I have to start playing with ideas for how I want to develop the new still life series!

On reflection…

I took on too much. But it has served a valuable lesson. I need to really figure out where I want to devote my time. So I have planned another little art retreat – just 3 days away in a gorgeous Derbyshire studio. I’ll let you know how that goes in my next newsletter.

If you’ve enjoyed this read, or have any questions, do let me know 😊.

‘Til next time… lots of love,

Shani x