Category: Guest Art

This charming snow scene was painted by Vivian Vernon of Macclesfield, Cheshire. Whilst it had plenty of admirers when exhibited at the Society of Marple Artists’ exhibition, it failed to sell. Viv’s clever solution was simple, but it did the trick…she added a robin, perching on the gate and the painting sold at the next airing, at my gallery in High Lane.

Just a dash of red and a living focal point was the answer and may well help the rest of us. It certainly didn’t do J.M.W. Turner any harm, did it? He used tiny red marks to his advantage and frankly, if it was good enough for Turner, who are we to argue? Well done, Viv and thanks for sharing this good news and tip.

Please feel free to share your own hints and tips with us.

Whatever you read into this cat’s expression, this feline has a secret, which was entirely unintentional when its perpetrator, Lynn Daley drew him in charcoal, following a talk and practical workshop by multi media practitioner Bill Hague, who has had a fascination for charcoal spanning several decades.

Cats have a reputation for being cool and calculating, but Lynn had a surprise when someone stood the other side of her work table and saw the artwork in a whole new context. Artists the world over talk of their experiences of ‘happy accidents’ and this ‘two in one’ painting was a pure fluke. To find out what happens, simply turn your computer upside down or stand on your head. Amazing, huh? Tell us about your own happy accidents. I don’t mean the time you absentmindedly dipped your paintbrush into your cup of tea (or glass of wine). We’ve all done that one!

This is the first of my guest artist Hugh Winterbottom’s works. Hugh loves to get out and about in Manchester, recording his favourite building in his distinctive style. This painting and the following two of Hugh’s have caught the eye of Simon Wadsworth of Wraptious.com , who is now offering all three Manchester scenes as greetings cards and giclee prints. Want one? (or three?) Please order direct from Wraptious, or call me on 01663 763355 office hours.

Ken Anderson takes old computers apart and removes the printed circuit boards to re-use them as you see here, creating amazing sculptures. The process is quite labour intensive, the pcb’s needing to be acid cleaned before being cut to shape. Ken has recently taken a studio at the Vernon Mill artists’ spaces in Stockport and will be working towards an eventual exhibition of these intricate works. See also Ken’s owl photo, the magnificent original of which has a wingspan of about four feet and won the Mayor’s Choice award at the 2013 Stockport Contemporary Open.