It was my first time as a Select Trail artist and I was unbelievably nervous about opening up my studio to the public for the first time. Luckily I was opening up along with some friends - two potters Jill Watton Ceramics and Anna Simson Ceramics (check out their work it’s utterly beautiful) who are experienced Select Trail artists and helped me through my nerves with lots of good advice; ‘Listen to the compliments!’
Stroud International Textiles (or SIT) are also extremely lucky to be curated by Lizzi Walton and her team. Lizzi has the unenviable task of organising all the artists (and their paperwork!) into a group of gorgeous and professional individuals presented in a fantastic brochure each year. Lizzi also had some good advice for me ‘Treat it like you’re opening your home to guests, offer a drink and be hospitable. This is your chance to shine!’ The booklet which accompanied the Select Trail this year was the finest I have ever seen. The photographs by the wonderful Ben Wright truly captured the artists at their best. Ben was lovely, taking the time to talk to us as individuals and engaging with our work while she took photographs.
So it was with shakey hands that I arrived two hours (yes, two hours!) early on the first Saturday to prepare, or rather over-prepare! The weather was showery but warm so I was hopeful that we would have a few people through the door. I needn’t have worried. The studio I rent is within the iconic Victoria Works, an old steam powered saw mill, which became the now defunct Chalford Chairs. Regular readers of this blog will know about the Last Will and Testament of the building, which I wrote and hid within the walls while it was being renovated. Many of the people who came through to have a look were curious to see the metamorphosis of the building into artists’ studios. Lots of people came specifically to see the wonderful Studio 7 exhibition which was housed in an upstairs room, and most stopped on their way to have a look at my work. Over four hundred in fact over the two weekends.
It was truly lovely to chat to so many engaged and art-loving people. We had visitors from across the road and from New Zealand and almost everywhere in between. I asked everyone who walked through the door to leave me a memory for the installation I had constructed for the day; a memory tree, and over 60 people did. The memories they left were touching and sometimes a little crazy but all were engaging and I felt really touched that people were so honest by sharing parts of themselves with my concept. I’ll be using the memories as inspiration for future stories.
It is an extremely emotional experience to open up your studio to strangers. I did, of course, have a few people who came through my studio tutting and critisising my work. To those people, and to anyone who decides to visit an artist in their work space, I would beg you earnestly to keep negative opinions to yourselves until you are out of ear shot of the artist. Artists are naturally very sensitive beings and although our skin toughens over time, no one wants to hear that the work they put their hearts and souls into isn’t engaging enough for you. Or even that you could produce what they have. You couldn’t, because surely if you could, you would be. That’s not to say you can’t give feedback to artists. We love to talk about our work. So ask questions, engage, read the text, stand as close as you can to absorb the work and increase your understanding. And even if it’s not your cup of tea, that’s completely fine. The art world would be incredibly boring if the same thing floated all our boats. But as in every area in life, be it a queue in a supermarket or walking through an installation piece in a highly respected gallery, there is no need to be rude.
So to everyone else who really did stand and stare; thank you so much. All the feedback I was given was welcomed and made note of. You all made the journey of the Stroud Select Trail 2014 a truly wonderful one.
Clever Monty
