The BLOG
The BLOG
What's happening in the world of The Wytchwood Gallery
Welcome to 2020!
Welcome to 2020!
6 January
Looking at the diary this year, 2020 looks as if it is going to be a busy one. As well as opening the gallery on Sundays, this year sees me taking up brand new exhibition opportunities - at the Contemporary Textiles Fair in Teddington and with York Textile Artists at City Screen York and the Kirkleatham Museum.
For the first time ever, I've made a plan for the year too, which will hopefully stop me procrastinating - there are always so many ideas buzzing about and so many candidates for the next line on the to-do list that very often nothing of any importance gets done - so I'm buckling down and and getting organised.
This hopefully means introducing new felting kits and workshops, as well as tracking my progress on stock for exhibitions, the gallery and events. It was very daunting to look at the gallery walls, small though it is, and realise that I, me and myself was responsible for filling all that space! Luckily the members of York Textile Artists are a truly wonderful and supportive bunch, and so the gallery has a fine assortment of truly beautiful textile art until the end of January. Pop round before the end of the month if you want to get your hands on beautiful bags by Galina Titova, hand embroidery by Sarah Jackson, wet felted work by Angela Anning, stunning machine embroidery by Fran Brammer, Linda Harvey, Julie McCready and Carol Coleman, intricate weavings by Cathy Needham or felted landscapes by Bridget Bernadette Karn, as well as felted animal art by yours truly!
If you would like to book a workshop, the current way to do so is to go to the webstore on www.thecraftywytch.co.uk and select and pay for the appropriate one. The workshops are now held on Saturdays here at the gallery and I only take two people at a time due to lack of space, so please give me as many date options as possible in the drop down box. If you have been bought a course for a gift and would like to arrange a date, just call me on 07341813654 and we can take it from there.
The coming month will be busy creating especially for the City Screen exhibition and the Royal Academy Summer Show, so lots to do - and as usual - not much time to do it in! I look forward to seeing one and all at the gallery at some point
Enjoy January!
Alison
How to...commission a picture
How to...commission a picture
7 February 2020
I get a lot of requests for custom portraits and it's something I enjoy doing.
If you would like to commission a pet portrait or picture of a particular animal, there are a few things I need to know....
...Timing. When do you need this for? Is this for a particular date? I really must know if you have a delivery date in mind, as it's only fair to both of us so I can give you a definitive yes I can make your deadline, or no I can't.
...Reference images. I need at least four good images of the animal/pet in question. This gives me chance to see what markings they have and if a particular angle is going to work best. If you have a particular photo you want me to use as a reference, please make that clear. Oh and I really mean GOOD quality photos, with reasonable lighting. If your pet is in shadow and only showing an ear and one leg, this is going to fail. Seriously.
...Subject. All animal or head and shoulders? And what size? Generally the larger the picture the more expensive the portrait is going to be, but below a certain size I won't be able to create what you want to the quality I'm happy with. I will always be honest about how much the end result is going to cost you - once we have agreed on a price, a pose, and a delivery date, that's it.
You pay me 50% of the complete fee up front and this is non-refundable. The work and time I put into this can't be given back. I will then supply you with photos of the finished article, where you have the opportunity to make minor changes. On completion, the remaining 50% of the fee is payable, plus postage and delivery. When cleared funds are with me, I will ship within one week.
If all this sounds a little dictatorial, I'm sorry, but I find the clearer our relationship is, the better. You are paying your hard earned money for something, you deserve to know you will get what you have asked for. I'm putting my time and creative energy into something, I deserve to know I'll be able to pay the bills!
The NEW (or not so new now) Gallery!
9 February 2023
Aaaaah...and breathe. Where did all that time go? Seriously, it's now over two months since I opened the door of the new Gallery in Malton to visitors and I don't think my feet have touched the ground since.
I'm happy, blessed and over the moon thrilled at how wonderful you have all been, with lovely compliments and purchases both large and small. From the lady who bought my favourite "Jersey Girl" because she made her smile, to the very savvy shopper who seems to have become addicted to my greetings cards, it all means so very much.
Starting afresh somewhere new felt like a massive gamble, but it really was something I needed to do. The footfall at the old place had dropped to almost zero and although it was in a small village, before Covid that hadn't seemed to matter. Post Covid - well, I might as well have been on the moon. But here I am now, in Malton and here you all are too...looking through my window, coming in to say hello and watch me work....and buy - oh how generous you have all been. I now need to get some new art created, pronto. Otherwise, you might be disappointed next time you called - and I'd HATE that.
