Cambridge Original Printmakers Biennale 2016

At 10.30am this morning (about half an hour from now, as I type this) the Cambridge Original Printmakers exhibition will open to the public. If you live near enough to to Cambridge to visit, it's well worth the trip . . . over 500 framed prints for sale, representing probably every printmaking technique you can think of.

How do you organise about 40 artists to arrive at a venue in the historic centre of Cambridge during the rush hour; each of them unload about a dozen framed pictures, carry them to their allotted stand and hang them on the only just erected display stands? Did I hear some-one say 'herding cats might be easier'?

The answer was 'time-slots' so not everyone arrived at once, my arrival time was almost the last - 7.15pm, so by the time I'd carried my work to my stand, I had precisely an hour and half hang my work. There would be no extra time, 9pm meant 9pm. No pressure! 

In fact, contrary to popular opinion, artists - particularly printmakers - are usually organised and focussed. With only 45 minutes to go the collective creative adrenaline and effort was heating up the exhibition rooms like a sauna.

So while many of you were watching Bake Off, I was doing Art Off! We even had a 'Sue' who shouted "half an hour to go", "15 minutes!" etc

As I grabbed by bubble wrap, bags and discarded cardi, I managed a few quick snaps of my stand . . . 

A huge thank you to Cliff, without whose help I would never have managed to hang my stuff (he didn't need a stepladder to reach the top) and another thank you to the person who suggested I'd need to take a stepladder - I nearly didn't and glad I did.

So, Phew! it's all on the wall and right now people will be walking through the doors.

And today . . . actually I'm going to have a little rest today and maybe do some drawing out in the fields; tomorrow I'm on duty on the front desk/sales area; I'll be popping in and out over the weekend and looking forward to attending some of the talks. On Monday at 2.30pm I'm demonstrating Hand-burnished Linocuts (so I really should get things together for that!).

Celia

xx

PS I haven't forgotten the Newfoundland crafts and wildlife posts, they'll follow soon.

Testing my new online shop

I've been busy framing and packing my two new woodcuts 'My heart leaps' and 'Love song' for sending out to galleries; and the new range of 'not just for Valentine's Day' cards is in my card shop. But I wanted an online shop for selling my original unframed prints directly from my web site . . . and I think I've found a way . . . there's nothing like jumping in the deep end, is there?!

I've found that the only way to really learn and test these things is to go live in a small way and see if it works. You can find my new online shop via my web site (when you get there, click on 'the new online shop' in the web site menu, I'm not giving you a direct link, because I want to test that it all works).

I'd really appreciate feed back, so please let me know about the things I've missed that you'd need to know about the prints that are for sale; or stuff that doesn't work; or anything bad (or good). It's the only way I'll learn and make the shop work.

And if anyone does really want to buy one of the new unframed woodcuts via the new online shop, hopefully it will work but in case it doesn't please give me a shout and I'll put on my 'customer services hat' to sort it all out for you.

**** The shipping prices to UK mainland addresses are now working ****

**** Found a solution for additional overseas shipping charges ****

Celia
xx