My father was an artist, and he would hold regular studio visits in our home in Southampton, England. It was an opportunity to meet potential collectors and to spend lazy Sunday mornings drinking tea and discussing the latest happenings in the local art community.
Art is one of those unusual creative pursuits in which the artist is not immediately connected to his or her audience. Unlike a singer or a theatrical actor, an artist does not get to experience the reaction to her work in real time. That’s why I love having the opportunity to meet collectors in the studio and hearing their feedback.
I generally showcase the paintings in my home so that collectors can get an idea of how the artwork will look with contemporary furniture and interior design. I am always fascinated to see their reactions, and often surprised at the comments they make.
My work seems to appeal to collectors in a very intuitive way. The paintings have an ambience that touch people in a subtle way, even if they have trouble communicating the experience. My mother, who is a great lover of nature, describes the work as being able to get ‘inside her’. That is probably the best feedback an artist could ever wish for.
Most of my days are spent alone in my garden studio with only the bush turkeys as an audience. It is a nice change of scene to turn the house into a gallery and meet the collectors interested in the work. Studio visits are always welcome.
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