Revolving Gallery

Our Next Exhibition

2010-11-04T20:54:00.002Z

Our next exhibition will be on Wednesday 8th December and to quote the Red Hot Chilli Pepper 'we right on time'. One year on and this will be the 4th exhibition, it's not been easy but we have got there and continue to grow thanks to all our supporters.

It has been a fantastic year and with each exhibition the Revolving Gallery team our proud to think we are evolving into a Gallery people can trust to bring quality art to York as well as highlighting local talent. We have some great artists lined up for this Christmas show and for a twist we are hoping too have a few more in the mix this time, giving you more styles to enjoy. It's not quite time to announce anymore yet but pop the date in your diary and keep your eye's peeled here, on twitter (@revgallery), Facebook or our fantastic website.

Plus remember you can still find all the information about previous Artists & Exhibition on the website.

Nathan

LIVE from the exhibition

2010-10-02T11:03:00.005+01:00

I am currently stood in the Gallery up at Bar Lane with our latest exhibition. If I say so myself the exhibition looks great and we certainly got a lot of very positive feedback yesterday during the opening, even sales. Emma Whiting's works went down very well but all the Artist were praised.

Clare Wilson large abstracts work are looking great up on the white walls and the more I look at them the more I see. They would be wonderful works to have on your walls, the paintings have a sense mystery and through the layers give you something new every time you look.

Cradle Veil - Oil on Canvas, 90 x 90 cm

The word that came up again and again about Ann Winder-Boyle work was Quirky and we agree, people are loving the 'Janet & John Learn To Write'.

Janet & John Learn to Write- Mixed Media, 20 x 15 cm

Emma Whiting was as I said a popular choice and we only have two more of her works available, here is one:

House & Birch Trees- Oil on Board, 48 x 60 cm

We will be getting photo's up shortly and video's of the artists talks, so keep an eye here and on the website www.revolving-gallery.com

Nathan

Art in London & Yorkshire

2010-09-18T15:28:00.003+01:00

After a few weeks off I am back to blogging, it's amazing how time flies. However over the next few weeks I have plenty of exciting things to blog about.

First is my trip to London Last weekend, where I had to remind myself to relax so rather than run around London seeing all kinds of exhibitions I restrained myself too two exhibitions.

I popped along to the Tate Britain to see Rachel Whiteread drawings exhibition and really enjoyed this concise but informative show. It was really nice to see this fundamental backup work, I myself like to champion drawing as an important part of all art. The quality and drive from Rachel Whiteread is really inspirational, you can see a clear passion in all she does.

After this I went to the ever worthy Serpentine to see Wolfgang Tillmans, he is one of the few photographer who really pushes boundaries and keeps innovating. Tillmans also constantly reinvents the way he curates he work and give us all plenty to think about.

Later this week I had a work awayday at Yorkshire Sculpture Park and got an hour break to see the David Nash and really enjoyed what I saw however I plan on going back to see it in more detail before it closes in February 2011.

More to follow with blogs about our artists paintings for the next exhibition.

Nathan

Following on from the last post

2010-08-30T18:57:00.004+01:00

I found this and it follows on from what I talked about in the last post.

Click Here

It's an artwork by Jonathan Harris (who I may have mentioned before), you can see more of his amazing work at http://www.number27.org/

I was lucky enough to see Jonathan talk at this years Shift Happens conference (details here) and was truly inspired so check out more of his stuff. One of my favourites is WE FEEL FINE

Enjoy,

Nathan

Bodies of Work & Collecting

2010-08-26T11:23:00.005+01:00

It has been a week and a half without a blog, slap on the wrists for me, however had a slight rest in Revolving Gallery terms before we hit the one month to go mark. Artists and images are starting to go up over the next few days so keep checking in on www.revolving-gallery.com.

But to the Blog title for today, Bodies of work.

Bodies of work are important in art; they are good thing for collectors to look out for. I have decided on this topic as the question 'what is a body of work' came up on twitter the other day and since then it keep cropping up. So I am going to give my answer to that question. Bodies of work are sets of art by an artists that are linked in some way, this very often is by the idea and can transcend medium. Sometimes however it can be as simple as the materials use, e.g. a body of oil paintings as opposed to a body of etching which might not link up.

For a collector it is important to look for consistency, a body of work built around an idea is a great starting point. Sometime bodies are more obvious retrospectively often reflecting a time period but with a little research you can spot an artists who has a 'scatter gun' approach and if you are look for potential investment this can be detrimental.

One thing all collectors should want in a work of art (whether for pleasure or investment) is passion and this comes through dedication and drive. This can be seen through dedicated research into an idea or materials, a disparate approach from an artists means they have not found there passion yet. All this however is not to say a body of works need to be a repartition but rather a development and from time to time artists will move on to a new body of work.

So keep your eyes open and do your research.

Nathan

Pure Abstraction in York

2010-08-16T15:06:00.007+01:00

16/39 By Tom Hodgson

Above is an image By Tom Hodgson who is a recent graduate from York St John University. This was one of a number of 'Pure Abstract' pieces Tom had on show in Stone Soup offices as part of there ongoing series called Artworks. In there own words Artworks is 'Run by ad agency Stone Soup and art gallery ArtSpace, ArtWork showcases hot art talent in York through regular invitation only private views.' You can follow there Facebook page via THIS LINK

Tom's show called 'Fraction' had it's opening night on August 6th and was a brave exhibition for any artists to put on. The work was simple and powerful in it's conviction; that is not to say there where not a few floors but working from home can be very tricky especially where wood work is involved. Tom is luckily one of a few new interns who will be making use of a studio space at Bar Lane Studios. The show had a strong singular aesthetic with all the works being base on a equation and the remaining fraction decided the proportion of Black to White. The Gloss finish was a nice touch and the way the black was slightly raised also added to the presents of the work not just as painting but sculpturally.

All in all it was a nice Exhibition and hopefully there is plenty more to come from York St John Graduates and future artists in the City.

Nathan

How our Artists are getting on

2010-08-11T15:23:00.004+01:00

This post is mainly for those of you who have not yet signed up to our Newsletter (which you can do NOW by clicking here)

Above image - Tongue in Cheek By William Bradley

At Revolving Gallery we are proud of all our previous artists and we would like to highlight some of their achievements since they exhibited with us.

William Bradley - We knew William was one to watch and following his debut solo exhibition at Murmur Art in London this June, his pieces have now doubled in price. He is continuing to develop his strong abstract paintings, has built up an impressive international clientele and is currently involved in a number of high profile comissions.

Freya Horsley – We are delighted to announce that Freya has had a little baby girl called Amalia. While loving being a mum, Freya is somehow managing to find time to paint and has a solo exhibition this summer in the Lake District.

Paul Stone – Following the success of not one but two solo shows this year, Paul admits he is struggling to keep up with demand. This is no surprise to Revolving Gallery as the quality of his painting speaks for itself.

Above image - Lemons In Glass By Paul Stone

If you are interested in any of the above artists work or would like help building your collection, then please contact nathan@revolving-gallery.com for more information.

Nathan

OUR NEXT VENUE

2010-08-05T13:02:00.002+01:00

We are all set for our Autumn Exhibition on October 1st & 2nd, the gallery has now revolved to Bar Lane Studios for our third exhibition. This is a great space to show art in; it also gets us over to the other side of York, where hopefully we can bring in lots of new people to experience quality art form around the UK.

We are not quite at the announcing Artists stage yet but I can tell you we have gone for only 3 artists this time round and it's going to be a all female cast. Soon there will be images on the website for you to have a sample look at what's to come on the night although art is always best seen in the flesh. This is also a great time if you are a collector to get in first, both the previous show have sold works before the opening night.

For more details about what Bar Lane Studios are up to until our show CLICK HERE or follow there blog HERE

What is Arts Practice?

2010-08-04T14:16:00.003+01:00

Axis tweeted the message below and it got me thinking...

Becky is testing us again! Anyone feel like answering whilst I have a think? RT @musehunter: @axisweb - question: what is an art practice?

My reply (restricted to 140 characters only) was :-

@axisweb Arts practice is, Engaged working through of an idea/ideas as a professional artists that is mindful of theory and/or the audience

At Revolving Gallery we insist on our artists having a practice and by this we mean they are engaged in something; when you look at there work you can tell it is their's. The reason for this is simple, when artists are engaged in one thread of work it makes all the work stronger. Some might say this is just self replication but this process shows passion in an idea or style and also helps them build a market which is good when investing in art.

Think of any famous or well know artists and you can probable tell someone what their 'practice' is. This in very simple terms goes back to 'jake of all trades, master of none' so an arts practice is a mastering of (in most cases) an idea. With this development of ideas also comes the homing of practical skills and all in all makes for strong and more professional artist.

Nathan

York Open

2010-08-03T11:41:00.003+01:00

York Open, opened on Sunday 1st August at Bar Lane Studio's and The New School House Gallery

As of yet I have to confess I have only made it along to the Bar Lane Studio's half that features all the 2D works where as The New School House Gallery houses all the 3D and Photography. What I have seen so far does York proud, as with any Open art competition there are some hits and some misses but in all the standards are high. The works were judged by an independent panel, to top this off there is also a public vote going on so everyone can have there say.

The Bar lane Studio section is well laid out, they have followed a slight Royal Academy approach to the curations with different styles e.g. Landscape, portrait group together and also mediums with prints sitting in a nice little group. This gives the viewer a station at which to compare and contrast as well as adding context to the works.

All the work's are for sale, as you know Revolving Gallery are behind getting you all collecting Original Contemporary Art. We will be having a closer look to see if there are artists we want to champion as good investments in one of our future event but for now go and enjoy all there is to see there.

We will have breaking news shortly about are next event which will take place on 1st&2nd October.

Nathan

10 Tips for Early Career Artists in Hard Times

2010-07-27T12:59:00.004+01:00

As of late the creative industries are in turmoil over the purposed cuts in arts funding just see #artsfunding or Arts Funding and give any support you can in lobbing the government.

It is important to remember while funding is important for the creative industries in the plastic art Artists/Galleries have greater control over their own progression. Over the last week I’ve been writing up ideas for a mentoring scheme with early career artists and here are ten one line tips based on that (currently 3 pages of mostly points to expand on)

So:-

-Be professional, you profile is key.

-Always give everything you’ve got, not just making art but the boring jobs too.

-Be organized, it will help no end when working with others.

-Ensure Quality in the work, presentation, documentation & every aspect.

-Network, most people hate it but how will people get to know you otherwise?

-Keep your practice coherent.

-Target yourself in a market don’t just go for every opportunity.

-When applying for exhibitions only send the information requested.

-Don’t over price yourself early on and keep the work original.

-Love what your doing, your passion will shine through.

This also works backwards for collectors, when buying early career artists work look out for an artist following these tips.

If any artists would like advice although very busy Revolving Gallery is happy to give some pointers, we hope to help develop artists and there careers. Contact nathan@revolving-gallery.com

Nathan

Howard Hodgkin in Oxford

2010-07-24T10:33:00.004+01:00

I have always loved Hodgkins work, it is striking. This word is apt as the work hits you, the colour; the bravado in his paintings has at times stop me in my tracks. The most notable time was the last room in his retrospective in the Tate, where his newest works were situated. So much joy had leaked out of them and upon reading the titles this sadness at the world, the war was confirmed.

However I have just read THIS ARTICLE by Jonathan Jones, from The Guardian. The title is 'Howard Hodgkin - the last English romantic painter' and not only does it talk about Hodgkin's beautiful art but Jonathan Jones writes in a beautiful way.

First he introduces the idea of how in these works you can conjure up an impression of where they are from, nearly all the works in the show are on loan from private collectors. This placing of art is by far one of the joys of collecting and how I would love to have a Hodgkin to hang. Even with a less renowned collection though placement is a joy, I particularly like a collection of small works on paper I have on my stair well (including one canvas by my 5 year old nephew)

But back to Hodgkin and the article, the images brought up give a real sence of what is on offer to see and I fully plan a trip down to Oxford before the end of the show.

DETAILS HERE

Also http://www.howardhodgkin.org.uk/ is a great resource to find out more about the artists and see more of his works.

Below is one of my many favourite works of Hodgkin, 'The Last Time I Saw Paris' 1988-1981:

Nathan

Max Richter - Infra

2010-07-21T22:16:00.005+01:00

Just a quick blog about this fantastic new Album from Max Richter, my expertise lies in the Plastic arts so I am not going to go into music reviews. Max Richter for me has always signified how powerful art can be, his compassion's range from the orchestra to the electronic often with a bit of spoken word. I remember a few years back while house sitting for my parents having his music on while watering their garden early in the morning. The setting was so tranquil and with the combination of back to earth activity and Max Richter I felt completely transported beyond myself. I truly believe all sorts of art form have this power and some times you need to let them take you over, let the art really effect how you are feeling.

For more information and to here the album CLICK HERE.

I have only just come across this album today via Culture Critic (worth subscribing to there e-mails or following on Twitter) stand alone, again I feel transported but after reading the back story (on link above) and researching you find this amazing story of these different strands of art coming together from the music of Max Richter to the Ballet of Wayne McGregor, all set below (Infra) some of Julian Opie's art. It looks amazing see below.

The last notable thing to notice about this is the connection to T.S Eliot's 'The Waste Land', this reference seem to have been coming up for me a lot of late. I have taken this as a sign and bought the album.

Enjoy,

Nathan

Lizi Sanchez Exhibition

2010-07-18T09:33:00.005+01:00

Yesterday I made a special journey out to Malton to catch the last day of the Lizi Sanchez Exhibition at Duckett and Jeffreys Gallery and got there with little time to spare. I was however really glad to have made it, it was fantastic to see this quality work in North Yorkshire. The presence of abstract sculpture is something rarely seen in these parts, the arrangement of materials was considered and poignant bringing a feeling of wholeness to the work.

Duckett and Jeffreys Gallery seem to share many of Revolving galleries goals, the biggest is in showing quality work from the region and beyond and the second to educate the audience. This, as with all the exhibition so far has an accompanying book including an essay about the work. Carmen Cebreros Urzaiz essay here sets the context of the work nicely and although it starts with Baudrillard quotes goes on to talk about the work in a very accessible manner.

Perhaps a bit more accessible than the Sculpture where the collage works, built from magazine pages these works still hold the structural presence of the sculptural work but with many more pictorial devices. By chopping up the magazine leaving only abstract shapes, the assemblages have a look of Malevich Suprematism but also bring up images of 1950's pop artists like Richard Hamilton. The works however only have the link to popular culture references via the use of magazine pages, the way the shapes are used is very clear and concise like the works of Tony Patterson. The picture plan has many layers with objects crossing over one another or folding back all of which is highlighted by a thin pencil border. All in all there is plenty to enjoy in each work as they seem to have there own character despite the strict use of materials and form.

So if you have a chance make sure to check Lizi Sanchez out and also the exhibitions coming up at Duckett and Jeffreys gallery.

Nathan

Philanthropy & Arts Funding

2010-07-15T11:21:00.003+01:00

Thanks to Twitter I came across this letter (LINK HERE) and was more than happy to see the suggestion that; where we can, we should support the arts. This letter is by Stephen Deauchar from Art Fund in response to this article by Peter Bazalgette featured in The Guardian.

The one thing that they both neglect to mention is philanthropy for arts organizations big and small is all very well but another way to support the arts directly is investing in quality art. This supports the Artists/Makers directly, it supports gallery’s who are out there putting there neck on the line, finally you can stand to have a financial investment for yourself. Depending on the scale of your collecting you could later gift works, thus negating the need for Galleries and organizations to by work later (although they still need support)

I admit this is a grand plan but fully believe that if you start collecting bit by bit, educating yourself about art and building as you can you will do a great deal to support art, especially on a local level. Even if at the end there are no works in your collection a museum would want, your children might. The best part of this plan is that you can enlighten yours life and that of those around you.

Remember supporting art & culture does not have to cost millions whatever budget you are on you can be a philanthropist. So give what you can to organizations (drop £5 in donations box at the Tate or local, you can even have a cup of coffee) and buy art for yourself.

Golden rules are to educate yourself and support quality.

Nathan

Once again I need to blog more

2010-07-14T13:53:00.003+01:00

So here I am once again feeling inspired by the Shift Happens conference.

I am going to blog more interesting stuff about art and collecting, so stay with us and interesting things will appear more often than before.

I would also like to start getting some feed back about content, what do you want to hear about? you can e-mail me nathan@revolving-gallery.com. Plus feel free to follow and leave comments, it would be nice to build a community around this blog.

So now that's over I want to talk a little about Shift Happens, this is an amazing conference that Pilot Theatre have been running for the last few years. CLICK HERE FOR LINK This is the first year I have attended and really enjoyed it. The conference covers using digital media within the creative sector and all the 'shift' this brings. There were many exciting projects presented and a hugh enthusiasm of the delegates in using digital media to share, engage and develop the creative industry as a whole. The tag line for this years event was ALT Shift [Arts | Learning | Technology]

One highlight (of many) was the work of Jonathan Harris, this blog is starting to go on but if you have a few minutes its really worth looking at his art at http://www.number27.org/.

Hope you enjoy and I will be back posting soon.

Nathan

William Bradley Solo Exhibition

2010-06-10T12:47:00.004+01:00

Revolving Gallery are proud to announce William Bradley's Debut Solo Exhibition. Detail's Below:

We are very happy to see William go from strength to strength and would like to remind you all that some of the works shown with us back in December are still available, CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO WILL'S WORK This exhibition is proof now is the time to grab one of Will's breathtaking paintings that will brighten up any home.

Nathan

Eva Bauer's work

2010-04-04T19:07:00.004+01:00

Aquarium - 35 x 45 cm - Acrylic, ink, varnish on board

Eva's work is about finish, first and foremost you notice the gloss finish to many of the works. The background layer usually comprises of a single colour that is bright and inviting then finished with intuitive ink drawings. The works are organic and often can feel like foliage but on the monotone background it is easy to treat them as pure abstraction. Delicate lines and precise dots make up the form of these paintings, which the open areas then help to highlight giving a sense of movement and growth to the simple marks.

These works would brighten up many spaces and are very affordable, giving new collectors a great place to start.

Nathan

Natalie Bell's work

2010-03-27T10:07:00.003Z

Symbiosis - 76 x 76 cm - Acrylic on canvas

Natalie's work is playful and concise. Using underpainting and then building up in layers Natalie manages to build up worlds to explore. At the exhibition we have two series the 'Nanobot' & 'Microbes' that showing how Natalie explores the idea of science and that which we can not see or know. Using this method the work speaks not only of an other worldliness but reflects on the world itself; though what is left and whats taken out, systems start to build up. These could be roads, houses or and number of islands and as a viewer you are pulled into explore and make connection. The work has a quality whereby you can go back and back to each painting and find new depths, making them exciting pieces to live with.

Nathan

Untitled no.4

2010-03-21T10:50:00.002Z

Untitled no.4 - 129 x 110cm, mixed media on Canvas by Jacob de Graaf

The pealed back forms Jacob uses really appeal to me personally but I see a lot of universal appreciation of his paintings. Without life they become 'non-spaces' in which we can feel alone and reflective or sometimes afraid; a place to escape reality. This painting to me has a real American appeal that highlights how this work can take you places, this is not dictated by Jacob rather there is room for the viewer to react. The colour pallet plays an integral part in removing you from reality, slightly dusky colours fog this new place, you step into the twilight where all is calm but changing. With Jacob's work however there are slight glimpses of humanity in 'windows' emitting light but it is important to understand these works are abstract and through this abstraction the emotive reaction is born.

Nathan

New Gallery in Malton

2010-03-13T16:33:00.004Z

This Thursday it was my pleasure to attend the opening of Duckett and Jeffreys Gallery It's a wonderful space to show art and the gallery picked a great artists; Sally Taylor, to open with. I met Sally only a few weeks before which is where I heard about the Gallery and Exhibition, having seen her work I was keen to go see it. On the night I bought one of Sally's works, just a small one. It was a drawing on a wood block; I was taken with the notion of 'ACTION' 'NON-ACTION' and hoped it would spur me on to take action when needed.

I wish Duckett & Jeffreys Gallery all the best and look forward to seeing their future exhibitions, it's good to see others showcasing strong, professional artists with a clear practice.

Nathan

Studio Visit ready for our April Exhibition

2010-03-02T16:06:00.007Z

On Saturday the Revolving Gallery team went on Studio Visits for three of the Artists showing with us in April. It was a long day, we set off at 9:30am and didn't get home until 9pm but I think it safe to say it one or our favourite parts of the job. It is a real luxury to get to see where and how artists work.

First up we went to Newcastle to Mushroom Works studio where we met with Natalie Bell (Image above), here we got to have a good look through and select the works we are presenting to you (which was not such an easy task with the strong works we needed to narrow down slightly) Natalie paints in many layers pulling her images & colour through in her 'Microbes' series, it was nice to see these works in the flesh where you can see this depth. We also got to see more of the 'Nanobot' series that have more structure and definition.

After Natalie we met up with Eva who happened to be in the same studio block. Here again we got to learn much more about her technique and how much work goes into each piece. With the studio visit you also get a chance to see where artist have come from and where they are going. I (Nathan) also get to talk materials, which brings out the inner geek in me but as said before we do make sure the works are made to a high standard. It was a pleasure to see these works again in the flesh where the colour really hits you and the quality of line in her drawing works.

Last visit of the day was just on from Newcastle so after a late lunch we arrived at Andrew Crane's house and studio. This is the first time we had got to see Andrew's work in the flesh and it was a real treat. Although his work can look grey and dull online once you see it in a good light it springs to life. These works are vary painterly and Andrew has a interesting stories about each one. The end of the day finished with us having to make more hard choices in selecting from his works.

Nathan

Whippit 6 - 20/02/2010

2010-02-22T19:11:00.007Z

Whippit is a national work-in-progress performance night, CLICK HERE FOR LINK

I went along on Saturday, it was really nice to see some different types of art being shown in the city. At Whippit there was video & Performance over 4 hours down at Space 109, Walmgate.

There was plenty to see, first up was Stephen Cornford; image below, and his sound performance was a interesting to the ear and with the live video behind a treat for the eyes. The sound was produced from a machine made by Stephen himself and with a contact mic on different parts plus the resonance from vases on the table you could really lose yourself.

Going on through most the night was Roddy Hunter:

In this performance which lasted through the night Roddy seemed to be the one getting lost. Using imagery from Le Corbusier he was cutting through the image, revealing a mirror. Repartition and ritual through the night again was captured on live feed for all to scrutinise. As the performance developed you as viewer got more drawn in and tried to pull aspects apart but this proved difficult.

On top of this there was plenty to see through the night including a very pleasing video piece by Katy Connor called 'Snow/T.V Snow'. All in all it was an enjoyable night with a really good vibe and a good number of people there to see and engage with the work.

Nathan

Our next venue

2010-02-16T19:24:00.005Z

The Revolving Gallery team are pleased to announce our next venue:

GRAYS COURT YORK - click here for more information

On April 9th 2010 we will be showcasing our next set of Artists at this unique and exciting venue.

So now more that ever keep your eye out here for further information about the exhibition, including previews of each our Artists over the coming weeks.

Nathan

Outside the White Cube

2010-02-13T12:21:00.003Z

It has been far to long since my last blog and I didn't realise quite how long so I must have been busy. The next show is moving on well and we are now confirming Artists, it is exciting times. I do enjoy the blogging so thought it time to get back too it no matter how busy I am.

I saw this Article (CLICK HERE) on the ARTnews website and it got me thinking. The article talks about being as specific in exhibiting works as to use only the correct white, this is something we do not always have the luxury of as we appropriate space for our exhibitions. Many of the sites in York are far from 'white cubes' but often this can add to the Art as much as distract. White walls are good but if you read 'Inside the White Cube' by Brian O'Doherty you begin to see the fall out from this prescribed way of showing work.

With Revolving Gallery exhibitions people are going to interact with the surroundings and this is all part of the event and why we pick certain venues. With closely curated exhibitions we have work able to draw the viewer in and these are the works you live with. Art that demands your attention, work you can see everyday and enjoy no less each time means the background should make little difference and the work pulls you in.

Nathan

Art Bin

2010-01-31T10:11:00.006Z

I maybe a bit late with this but I enjoying the progress of Landy's Art Bin. Follow THIS LINK for more information in an article by Charlotte Higgins from the Guardian.

Another good article on the Art Bin, CLICK HERE from Tom Lubbocks view form the Independent. Added 02/02/2010

So they are all up to it, Hirst, Emin and a loads more to follow. I think rejection of work is a very important part of and artists life. This is a very public display but artist reject work all the time, we just don't hear about it. Sometimes they paint over it, sometimes its just going know where ending up in the bin.

As a collector it's important to understand that not all of an Artists works are their best but good artist will know when to give up and bin something. Often this can happen at the idea stage before the work even starts to take off. This does however bring up the question of worth and it's here where I would say trusting your taste and conviction is important.

So be mindful but feel safe, you need to find a gallery you can trust in being as passionate as yourself, one that works with Artists to build trust. We believe Revolving Galley is such a Gallery and hope to build your trust but remember at all times that worth is mainly down to how much you will enjoy having that work.

For another great work by Landy 'Breakdown' 2001 follow THIS LINK.

Nathan

Good Gallery Practice

2010-01-23T14:37:00.004Z

Just finished replying to all the Artist who sent through submissions and after being an artist and not getting replies feel proud not to leave people hanging. I hate the culture of people who don't get back to you unless they want something, you always get it from job interviews. I feel if Artists take time to submit work then even if we are not going to show them we should take the time to get back in touch.

That's just good practice. (manners)

Nathan

Northern Arts Prize 2010

2010-01-22T13:09:00.003Z

Well done to Pavel Büchler for winning the 2010 Northern Arts Prize although I think all the work was strong however he would have been my pick of the lot. Click Here for link to Guardian article that is a lot better than the bad review they gave of the show. The only thing I don't think needed saying was that this prize was trying to be like the Turner Prize when in fact it's as much like many other art prizes. This is an important thing to happen in the North to help arts culture move itself away from just a London centric position.

On that note Revolving Gallery are doing our bit to open access to art in the North (York & Maybe beyond later in the year) and plans are afoot, news of our next show will soon be here and on Twitter.

Nathan

Installation Art on a large scale

2010-01-18T16:25:00.003Z

In The Observer this weekend I come across this article and the image above blow me away. I know Baltanski’s work and this is not a leap out into the open for him but striking none the less. I enjoyed the writing in the article as well which can be hit and miss in some reviews, please follow the link here. I have enjoyed watching this series at the Grand Palais, Paris but never made it down (although would have loved to see the Serra piece last year) I like the idea of an art pilgrimage and gets me to thinking maybe buying work is not the only important part of being a collector but in seeing art you can contribute to the culture of support that art needs.

It also gets me thinking about un-sellable art and how we could contribute to this culture in York. Would installation art add to our exhibitions? All in all we put art up for people to see, we need some collectors however we also need this culture of viewing, supporting and educating about art. Hopefully our events can achieve this.

Nathan

The City of York

2010-01-14T12:31:00.002Z

As a event based gallery in York it has been a pleasure to going around searching out interesting venues for future show. Let me tell you there are some interesting places out there, most of which make our job hard because York does small and Dark well but I think we are up for the challenge. So we are developing are own free standing display units and working out lighting.

On top of this we are gathering Artist's and looking to break some news early next month so watch this space.

Nathan

Saatchi and thoughts on collecting art

2010-01-07T14:53:00.002Z

First of all Happy New Year to all, Now since the last event there has not been much blogging happening so one of my New Years resolutions is to try and blog here at least once a week.

So here goes, Revolving Gallery has recovered from the first event which we certainly enjoyed, plans are well into formation for the second event but nothing to release as yet.

While wondering about town the other day I popped into a bookshop and found ‘My Name Is Charles Saatchi and I Am an Artoholic’ Artoholicism is something I share with Saatchi (if only I shared his money as well) so I bought the book that features a whole array of questions thrown at the man himself.

Although I haven’t really warmed up to him I have even more respect for his art buying habits. This is a man who is hugely passionate about contemporary art and offers a great deal of support to Art, Artists and Visual culture as a whole. This all comes through in the book, so if you like art and want some interesting views on collecting it get this book.

Paul Stone's Work

2009-12-07T19:40:00.004Z

It has been a busy few day's. I was on the BBC York on Jonathan Cowap last Friday and you can listen to that HERE Then there has been all the final prep, we have managed to sell two works already so things are going well. Only two more days to go now and tonight I am going to talk about Paul Stone's work.

Green Line - 25 x 30cm - Oil on board

Paul's works are are almost photo-realistic but they are far too painterly, you can see the work that goes into them and the brush marks relates to the rich history of oil painting. This history is obvious in style in terms of his use of still life but the works are very contemporary. The image above is one of my favorites, I love the clear simple composition and the way this works looks at texture with these shining metal glasses placed on glass and how the title also makes reference to the material. This material or subject is important in Paul's work and he is very careful to pick each and spends a great deal of time working with the composition before committing to a new work which in itself can change and develop. All this time preparing really pays off in the finished product making fantastically well rounded work that draws nearly every ones eyes no matter what type of art they like.

Nathan

Thought's on Investment in Art & Inheritance

2009-12-03T12:34:00.002Z

I just found this article that talks about inheritance and how most people don't expect to get any nowadays and when they do they think about it in terms of cash.

Read the article here :

So true investment in Art seems to make sense, if you collect sensibly, buy work you love with an eye on investment you can leave something special to your love ones that still holds a monetary value. By keeping and eye out for up and coming artists with passion and drive and above all quality work (in terms of how it’s made) you can stand to make great gains but this is more risky. The other way if you have a bit more to spend is to buy into already established artist whose career continues to grow but again you need to look out for quality and originality.

At Revolving Gallery we can offer both these options and if you are thinking about building a solid collection come and talk to us and we will offer impartial advice to help you along the way.

Nathan

One week to go

2009-12-02T16:20:00.005Z

Here we are with just one week left to go and things are getting exciting. On Monday Joe & I had an interview with Charles Hutchinson at The Press with an article to follow on Friday so look out for that. The other thing to look out for is a copy of our brochure that has started going out this week.

The BIG news this week is we have now sold two works by William Bradley so red dots are going up already on the website 'Cold Shoulder'(below) and 'Hmm...' have gone but there are still plenty left and fantastic work from our other four artists.

Cold Shoulder - 61 x 82cm - Oil on Canvas (SOLD)

The last bit of breaking news is I will be on BBC York this Friday Lunchtime on Jonathan Cowap show between 1-2pm so listen out for that.

Nathan

William Bradley's Work

2009-11-27T12:51:00.004Z

First of all thanks to Dig Yorkshire for the preview of our event. click here to read that.

Next William Bradleys work, last night us Revolving Gallery lot had a drink and a chat with Will. Better still we got to preview some of the new works he has done for the show and they are looking fantastic, we think they will be snapped up with a lot of early interest.

Hmm.. - 40 x 40cm - Oil on Canvas

Hmm.. is not one of the works we got to see last night but it is the one I want to talk about. As with all of Will's work I am drawn in by the space he uses and the large areas of bold colour's but after this first strike that hits you when you see these vibrant works you eventually (after getting trapped in the picture) find the title and here you get a whole new level. 'Hmm..' for one and others like 'Right Behind You' or 'In The Loop' give open ended invites to the view putting them in control of the meaning. The titles act as hints but I don't think we should get fool into believing these give the game away. Will also implants a lot of formal devices which reflect on abstract painting and its development over the last 50-60 years on from Abstract Expressionism. Making Will's works a dangerous combination of striking and clever which explains his ever growing presence in the London Art Scene.

Why I love 'Hmm..' is simple, first the colour that hits you. It's a brave use of such a bold colour and then there seems to be a little play going on, some type of actions that you can't decipher. With the darker lines running off the surface it also hint that this goes on beyond the borders of this work and this is what makes me think Hmm... when I see the work. It makes me want to tilt my head to get a better look and find more out. This is a painting I could happily look at everyday.

Nathan

Laura Alice's Work

2009-11-27T09:34:00.004Z

I hope to get round talking about some work by all the artists involved in our first event but time is ticking away with less than two weeks to go. We have just been awarded some funding for our strong concept and its ability to contribute to the creative industries within the region, so that has been keeping me busy but it’s nice to have the recognition as doing something positive.

Today I am going to blog a little about Laura Alice is one of our younger artists but already she has a strong aesthetic in her ‘Mushroom Series’ and a definitive style. I have posted two pictures that highlight the clever use of colour in subtle tones but perhaps more importantly is the use of layering that has come over from Laura’s background in textiles. With a clever use of gouache in thin layers, the over lapping of colours gives a strong graphic quality to the work. This is then finished off in this instance with monoprint over the top; with the dark top layer really bringing the work together.

Mushroom Series XVII - 15 x 20cm - Gouache on paper

The pieces themselves work as pure abstraction and I bought one on this merit only to have this reinforced by the fact these works come from a interesting resource material, that of Mushrooms. In Laura’s case these mushrooms are those found in Swedish Forests where she spent her time completing an MA. If you feel like you can’t afford to buy original art, the smaller works by Laura are a good place to start, as really strong abstract pieces that will fit anywhere in the home these works are really affordable and now is a good time to buy.

Mushroom Series XVI - 15 x 20cm - Gouache on paper

Nathan

We're contributing to the art scene in York!

2009-11-22T18:40:00.006Z

It is encouraging to read letters like Janet Barnes (Chief executive, York Museums Trust) to the Press promoting art in York and feel quite humbled by the fact Revolving Gallery has been mentioned.

With our first event just around the corner, it is fantastic to hear such positive things about our idea and concept and we hope that all who come along to York St. John on 9th December enjoy the event as well.

For a read of Janet's article CLICK HERE

Rowena

Starting to look at the work a bit closer

2009-11-20T17:26:00.005Z

Well we are now less than 3 weeks from the event and everything is building in excitement. Over the last few weeks we have added more to the website with more images coming from the artists day by day. We have been getting the word out there via the press and hope you all are starting to hear about it. We have been busy on Facebook and twitter so come join or follow us, Facebook has discussion board where things are beginning to happen; starting with a discussion about art and investment so come join in.

Liquid Light - 160 x 160cm - acrylic & oil on canvas by Freya Horsley

At Revolving Gallery we're all about the art so I am going to start talking about the art. Looking through some of the new images I chose the one above to talk about. This really caught my eye, although a bit moody it has a amazing quality of light that is hard to achieve in paint. You can tell from the way Freya paints the passion and respect she has for weather, not only in terms of natural force but emotive force. when you look at this painting you can be transformed to a memory of being out somewhere remote in bad weather, it gives me that feeling you get when you resign yourself to this fact. Yet with that glimmer of light coming through you get hope, with the dark clouds it's a bitter/sweet piece but it's also enlightening. Technically the use of layers and both oil and acrylic give all this atmosphere, with the smooth blends cut into by defined marks adding to this.

Getting back to the Blog

2009-11-13T13:19:00.005Z

I have been bad and not posted in a while, Twitter has grab my attention away but I must stay focus because this is our way of keeping everyone informed.

So what has been happening in my world of Revolving Gallery, the easiest answer to that is lots. Going back a few weeks we had the Artist studio visit that Tarot has been blogging about so here is my take. I am really proud of us as a Gallery taking the time to do studio visit, they benefit us and the artists and all the information we gain so we can pass it on, I feel it's a dying tradition. This good practice relate to why I see myself more as a Gallerist than a dealer. Gallerist is a relatively recent term coined on the New York art market and relates to people who don't just buy and sell work but really invest in the Artist, supporting there career and at the same time works closely with collectors to equally nurture them. It is a much more holistic approach to working with art in a commercial field and I like to hold these ideals.

So as a collector (or potential collector) we welcome you to come talk to us, so we can get to know you and hopefully help you build a collection that you love and can be proud of. The studio visit plays a vital role in this.

Here is an article with more information on the term: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/24/arts/20051224gallerist.html?_r=1

York Press Article

2009-11-12T11:59:00.003Z

We are getting noticed! Today we had an article in the York Press:
Revolving Gallery Inaugural show

Patrick Smith studio visit

2009-11-04T22:28:00.008Z

Yesterday we visited Patrick in his studio which completes the studio visits we have organised prior to our upcoming show in december. This studio was the only visit we have made as all four of us. Four of us plus Patrick in his studio made for quite a cosy visit but we managed fine.

For me at least it was a very educational experience. I didn't know much about printing procedures and Patrick was very patient at explaining both general printing principles and more importantly his own techniques.

We discussed at length the issue of giclee print runs which are either unlimited or runs which are very large. We were all in agreement that such practices were not something that we approved of and we wouldn't be doing anything like this with Revolving Gallery. We take great care in the art we select and as such one of our main aims is that art we sell should be a good investment - for this to be true the artwork should be original/ original print (not Giclee Print). Anyhow we agreed that for the upcoming exhibition we would stick to 'one off' original pieces of art. If that happens to be a print it should also be a 'one off'. This happily coincides with one of our core aims that any art we sell should also be a good investment.

Patrick explained that a way he often works is to start creating a series of prints. In each one he employs slightly different printing techniques, this could be a different pressure or a different amount of ink used. As different layers are built up, you will see the layers are an important aspect of Patricks work, the differences between the different prints becomes larger. He will eventually select one of these prints and the others are destroyed. I feel a little sad for the unused prints that end up in the bin but I guess they are sacrificed for the greater good of art.

Patrick is not only a print artist but also a painter. The works he has already submitted for our upcoming exhibition are all prints but he is hoping to also provide some paintings to show as well. I am looking forward to seeing these.

Finally I know there are probably many people who like me are not very knowledgeable about print. Patrick will be present at our first exhibition and I am sure will help to educate anyone who is interested.

Tarot

Laura Alice studio visit

2009-11-04T22:11:00.007Z

Last week the Revolving Gallery crew were again on the road visiting artists. We visited Laura Alice in Saltaire, Bradford on the same day that we visited Paul Stone in Sheffield. If gave us quite a long round trip but it was definitely worth it. The only problem was the Bradford weather but you can't have everything. I must say that I feel incredibly lucky to be able to visit all the artists studios.

Laura's art was a real contrast to the grey day outside, promise I won't mention the weather again. This in itself is an interesting point as a lot of her work represents nature, in particular mushrooms. For most people Mushrooms, meaning wild mushrooms and not the white ones in the supermarket, are associated with dark forests, autumn and wet weather. Hopefully you are nodding in agreement - this is what comes to mind when I think of wild mushrooms anyway. Laura's art anyhow is in contrast to these autumnal colours. From what I have seen of Laura's art it usually is using bright, fresh colours. Laura did explain that she is influenced by fabrics and textiles, indeed some of her art is made with textiles. I think that this is the influence for some of the colours. Certainly the influence of textiles appears to be present in the layering that is a feature of her work.

Having said all of this it maybe that some of the colours in Laura's Mushroom paintings are realistic colours. I know that mushrooms do come in some very bright and unexpected colours so maybe the colours are based on nature. I guess if you want to know the answer to this question and others then you can ask her in person at our opening exhibition on 09/12/09 at St John University.

Paul Stone studio visit

2009-11-01T17:55:00.012Z

Last weekend the revolving gallery team went to visit Paul Stone in his studio just outside Sheffield. We initially had agreed that we should make studio visits to all of the artists that we feature in our exhibitions. There were many reasons why we thought this would be useful. Firstly we just want to meet the artists in person. We also thought that visiting their studios would give us a further insight into their work.

From our first studio visit it seems that our commitment to meeting the artists in their studio was a good idea. We talked with Paul in great depth about the kind of processes he goes through to produce his art. Also we learned a great deal about his passions and artistic influences. I was particularly interested to hear about the importance of light and reflection in his works and got to compare quite a range of his painting with drawings that he has done and found exactly the same trade mark attention to detail in light and reflection that can be found in his paintings
.
I had previously only viewed Paul Stone's work on the internet and I must say that when his works are viewed in person they really come alive. It's difficult to explain, at least for me anyway, but there is definitely an added dimension that you get viewing his paintings in person. Having said this I really liked them viewed on a website even before I got to see them in person. I now definitely want to purchase some of his works for myself in the future.

I really hope anyone who hasn't yet viewed his work will be able to come and view his paintings on display at our exhibition on 12/12/09 at York St Johns University.

Tarot

Getting organised

2009-10-23T22:04:00.005+01:00

This is my first post on the Revolving Gallery Blog. It was probably me who first pushed about the idea of having a Revolving Gallery Blog but since the initial idea I was, until now, the only member of the Revolving Gallery yet to post. Anyhow here I am making my first post.

It suddenly feels like the Revolving Gallery has changed from a concept into reality. First we spent a lot of time talking about the art itself and the concept of revolving gallery. Then more recently we have been bogged down in the practicalities of setting up a business which inevitably is much less fun than coming up with the concept. However this process was not too much of an ordeal and now it seems we are once again able to concentrate on the exhibition and the art.

During the last few days I have started adding new information to the website about our upcoming show and the artists involved. I have now added information and some images for Laura Alice, Freya Horsley and Paul Stone. Hopefully we will be receiving even more art and information to put on the website in the forthcoming days and weeks.

Joe last week went to meet with Freya Horsley in her studio and tomorrow me, Nathan and Joe are having a day out to visit both Paul Stone's studio in Sheffield and Laura Alice's studio in Saltaire. I am really looking forward to meeting both of them and maybe even getting a sneak preview of some of the art they maybe showing at our exhibition in December. I will report back soon...

Tarot

Print Making

2009-10-22T20:34:00.004+01:00

This week at work (Art Technician at York St John University) I have been working with First year student on two original print methods; Lino print and Dry Point Etching. Both of these are amongst the most basic of original print making techniques but these can even have great effect. I have really enjoyed being in the print studio and its great to equip the students with this somewhat different way to approach there practice and I hope many go on to develop these skills.

Bring Art home

2009-10-11T09:24:00.005+01:00

Yesterday I collected a piece of art I bought a few weeks ago by Melanie Alexandrou, it's a drawing of a Sea Gull. It is a nice simple good quality drawing which is refreshing. Mel graduated last year and in this show there was drawing, lino's and woodcuts; the graphic quality of her work is high as is her skill in these original print processes. The reason I have chosen to blog about this is after collecting the work I realised what a joy it is to bring it home, find a spot on your wall and even going through the process of hanging. I think there is an important link between this joy and the prospect of living with an artwork, the idea of placement and bringing art into your home to interact with it.

On top of this purchase for myself I even managed to pick up my first Christmas present from the show which is not something I usually start this early but I am looking forward to giving more original art to people this year.

Nathan

A day out in Newcastle

2009-10-08T21:37:00.005+01:00

I agree with Nathan - the emerging artist section was well worth a look. We'll be keeping an eye on some of these young artists as their works evolve for potential Revolving Gallery events.

Bones and the Newcastle Gateshead Art Fair

2009-10-04T10:08:00.003+01:00

Yesterday the Revolving Gallery staff all went on an outing to the Newcastle Gateshead Art Fair. We had a great day and it was nice to see other people out there with a passion for selling and collecting fine art up North. The place was packed and there were plenty of people buying (which is encouraging for both dealer and collector). I myself managed to restrain myself to by only a small and strange object in the emerging artist section of the show. It was a painted piece of bone by Iris Priest, it is an object of great beauty and detail with a delicate nature. It's going to look great on a fireplace with an acrylic case and judging by the paintings alongside this work she is going to grow into a strong and highly engaged artist in the region.

So I guess all in all this day shows that you can get out there and collect art, as always there was hit and miss elements but there where some really nice pieces of strong artwork, much of it at affordable prices. So I hope anyone who collects or hopefully people wanting to start will join me in supporting the fantastic talent we have in this region and country as a whole.

Nathan

First Post

2009-09-19T11:53:00.007+01:00

Welcome to the Revolving Gallery Blog.

I just thought I would start with a quick post about how I am going into this gallery not only as an Artist but also as a collector. I have a number of works from local artists and friends as well as more renowned artist like Sandra Blow and David Hockney. All the works I buy are important to me for many different reason, each one I can remember where, when and why I got the piece and still love every work because I have bought based on an initial attraction

I don't want to go on for ever and seen as it's the art that’s important I thought I would share one of my favourite works with you all. It's 'Three Square' by Sandra Blow. An important name in British art; this piece is a very simple print that pays reference to modernist grid formula as well as the rich process of etching itself.

Hope you enjoy your visits to the blog and keep coming back to see further developments.

Nathan Chenery