Workshops, Art Group and Events.....

We have a series of Workshops coming up at the Gallery, including Printmaking with Shropshire Printmaker Jacqui Dodds, Creating Sketch Books and two different Mark Making Workshops, both with Maggie.

We're also running an Art Group, which we hope will encourage budding artists to come along and gain confidence...

Company and Conversation gives us an opportunity to invite you to purchase a ticket to spend a couple of hours at the Gallery in like minded company, enjoying lunch or afternoon tea and listen to an interesting twenty minute talk, which we hope will spark conversation whilst we eat. 

Enjoying the courtyard....

 

Lovely sunny days mean that we can spill outside into the lovely courtyard at The Coachman's House Gallery.  It's a nice place to take a break and meet with customers and suppliers.   The planters are looking really nice and the sweet Williams are just coming into flower.  What a great place to work, lucky me.

Lucky 13!

It's been a bit quiet on here, but believe me we have been very busy.   At the beginning of May we celebrated our birthday, it was thirteen years since I took over The Gallery and so much has happened since then.  We decided to celebrate by inviting customers old and new to visit the allergy and enjoy a drink and spend some time looking at my new paintings and catching up.  So, as thirteen is also a lucky number (I met my lovely husband, Tony on Friday 13th), we decided to call our celebrations, Lucky 13!

Summer at the Gallery

Great to enjoy the courtyard for having a chat with customers and eating lunch .....

Busy, busy, busy...

So many framing orders, it's amazing.  Busy working in the early morning and getting orders delivered....... I think we are going to have to have a major tidy up afterwards... 

Busy behind the scenes

Framing and getting the Gallery organised, we have been very busy and look forward to an action packed Summer at The Picture Shop and Gallery.

Re Opening

Sometimes you just have to take stock and gather yourself together, have a good sort out and then off you go again.   We have had a few things going on, nothing we can't handle, but Maggie just needed a bit of space to compose herself. 

So, we shall be back in business, so to speak, when we re-open .   We have a wonderful exhibition from local artist Dave Heath and this will continue for some weeks, so if you feared you had missed these great paintings, don't worry, you will have plenty of time to see them and, of course, to decide which one you want to buy for yourself.

Just a brief note, we have some exceptionally nice customers, many are friends too and you have been a terrific support, sticking by us and continuing to contact us about your framing needs and we would like to say a huge heartfelt 'thank you' to you for your overwhelming support and kindness.  These are tough times and knowing that our customers are backing us all the way is a dream come true.

Spring Exhibition

Early spring is always a great time to put on your walking boots and get out in the countryside.  Local Artist Dave Heath really enjoys being out in the hills miles from the traffic.  His long walks are where much of his inspiration comes from for his pictures, worked in pastel, crayon and pencil, layer upon layer giving texture and colour, creating the exciting atmosphere of this subject.  

Our Spring Exhibition will launch with a Private View, an invitation will follow very soon.

Vintage Finds

Modestly sized pieces of vintage furniture, tin trunks, benches, stools and suitcases continue to find their way into our lovely Gallery space in the 16^th Century Coachman’s House, along with delicate china cups, saucers, jugs and dainty pieces of cut glass.

Travelling around the country to locate suitable pieces has proved to be compulsive, the only problem is parting with them.

Night and Day - Winter Exhibition Joan Darlington

Joan has delighted us as usual with her fun outlook on life.  Colourful drawings of happy people dancing the night away and then the next morning various folks spotted walking the dogs and relaxing on the sofas captured in black pen drawings.  These cheerful pictures were 'pegged' up on string lines around the Gallery to the happy surprise of many of our visitors, causing appropriate seasonal cheer!!

English Gardens by Pat Clare our Summer Exhibition

More fabulous paintings from one of our favourite Artists here at the Gallery.  The fact that Pat is a very keen gardener comes as no surprise as you look at the detail in her paintings.  Pat uses a variety of media, including textiles, acrylic and oils, each technique creating a very different style.

Peace of Cake

We were thrilled with the success of our Peace of Cake Tea Party in an English Garden as an event to launch the start of our Summer Exhibition at the Gallery. Pat Clare's glorious paintings set the scene, with lots of vases of flowers in the Gallery, vintage china and silver teapots, scones with cream and jam, cakes and savouries it really was a very English Tea Party. 

 The purpose of the 'Peace' was to focus on the work of the Peace Keepng Charity CORD, with sponsorship from Yorkshire Tea and Susan Barlow of Cord, we were able to raise nearly £50 at our Tea Party. 

As a Voluntary Leader of  Newport WiRE Network, I have been pleased to help set up a similar event at our September Meeting, so near to the International Day of Peace (20th September)

www.wireuk.org
www.cord.org.uk
www.yorkshiretea.co.uk

Take off the handbrake…..

Ever started driving and felt something was wrong, then realised, you left the handbrake on? Well, that’s how it’s felt just lately. Sad things going on in my life over Christmas time, through January and February. Business took a back seat, but one can’t do that forever, so with lots of support from family and friends, things are getting back to some sort of normal and I’m beginning to feel inspired again. Thanks everyone, for understanding me, for all the lovely things you said, or emailed or tweeted or sent by text, just for being there - you are all wonderful x

Spring is in the air...

It’s that time again, time to clear the decks have a good tidy up. The decorations long since put away, precious things wrapped in tissue and not to be seen again for twelve months, now it’s time to start thinking of Spring.

I must admit that as much as I enjoy decorating the house for the festive season, it is refreshing to take everything down. Moving furniture and having a really good cleaning session, great exercise too and rewarding when the job is done, everything shines and there is a wonderful smell of beeswax polish, lovely.

This is when it’s fun to change things around too, put away some pictures and ornaments and exchange them for lighter fresher pieces. A terracotta pot or two planted with bulbs just showing through and a layer of moss on top, always look lovely standing in bowls and on saucers dotted about the house. A few bits from the garden, Witch Hazel, Willow or Dog Wood look good, a sign that spring is not too far away.

All of this activity takes me back years, it’s what my mother used to do and I would help her, I really enjoyed all the activity. It is a great opportunity to actually take stock of the things you chose to decorate your home with throughout the year. A time to actually handle these possessions and reconnect with the sentimental memories they hold. Many of these pieces tell a story, perhaps a picture bought to remember a special holiday, a hand thrown pottery jug that was a gift from a friend. I am lucky as some of my favourite things have been handed down through the generations, but with the ongoing fascination with ‘vintage’ it is easy to find interesting pieces to inject a little nostalgia into your home too.

My own creativity and enjoyment of quality hand produced work, past and present, led me to the Picture Shop and Gallery where we have a Bespoke Picture Framing Workshop, together with a Gallery showcasing some very high quality Contemporary Applied Arts, some of which are local, but all are from British Designer Makers. At the end of last year we began to introduce a few carefully chosen ‘Vintage Finds’ and these were extremely popular. If you haven’t found us yet, then come along and see what we have to offer. We are open Thursday 10 – 12, Friday and Saturday 10 – 4, if those times don’t suit you, then give us a call or email and we will try to arrange a more convenient time.

Images of Japan

Another favourite for the Gallery. Mike returns with his distinctive watercolours exquisitely executed with confidence. Many ‘would be painters’ enjoy Mike’s work appreciating that often less is more, his wonderfully light approach gives a depth of feeling to this Exhibition. It is clear to see that this extended holiday in Japan has left memories that will appear in many more paintings from Mike's studio. The exhibition runs to Saturday 6th November 2010.

Beside the Seaside
(Cornwall to Crosby)
Pat Clare

The Exhibition officially begins on Saturday 14th August with an 'Open House' and runs until the 25th September, there is no entry fee.

More lovely oil paintings from one of our favourites. Pat seems to capture the essence of the scene before her, the natural movement of the water and the reflections upon the surface, interesting composition and lots of her beloved BLUE....

The Gallery is located on the first floor of this charming 16th century Coachman's House and hosts a regular display of high quality Contemporary Applied Arts from British Designer/Makers, including studio pottery, glass, ceramics, textiles, baskets and a variety of different styles of jewellery, which Maggie sources from all over Great Britain. The Picture Shop, which provides a Bespoke Framing Service is on the ground floor. There is a pleasant courtyard too, so, weather permitting, there is room to relax.

The Picture Shop and Gallery is located near the entrance to New Street Car Park, which is just off the High Street opposite the Church in the Centre of town.

Our local magazine, Nova News, has just been delivered through the door today, here is the piece I wrote for this issue. You might like to visit ww.novanews.co.uk to find out more about Newport and it's independant businesses, then you might like to visit Newport for yourself.

"Reasons to be Cheerful, one, two three….

Buying British – In these tough times we are all doing our bit, both locally and nationally and what better way to support the economy than to buy British made goods. In the Gallery we stock work from Designer Makers across the British Isles, ranging from assorted textiles pieces, jewellery, glass and studio pottery to unusual lighting and ceramics. One of our most enjoyable tasks is to keep finding new Makers whose work we enjoy and wish to share with you. If you are one of our regular visitors, you will have seen our selection of high quality work grow over the years and we know, because you tell us, that one of the best things is that it is all unusual and you will always find something that is different.

Supporting the Local Rural Economy – We must thank you for doing this already, by returning time after time to shop with us at The Picture Shop and Gallery and also sending your friends and family to us . We in turn do our best to promote not only our unique business, but many of the superb independent businesses in Newport that make this town such a gem and a place where we want to attract visitors. I am a member of WIRE (Women in Rural Enterprise), which coincidentally is based at Harper Adams (HAUC), although it is a national organisation, and as a WIRE member, together with two other local business women, launched a Newport WIRE Network which will meet on the last Wednesday afternoon of each month. The purpose of the meetings is to provide a platform for business women to network, share and support each other under the umbrella of the WIRE organisation. Visit www.wireuk.org or magholl@Aol.com to find out more.

Sustainability – As the fashion for ‘vintage’ continues to gather pace, we are adding a range of items, to The Picture Shop and Gallery which we have sourced, that we feel compliment the more contemporary pieces. These may include a small piece of furniture, a chair, some lovely old glass or really pretty china. I have written in Nova News before that true antiques will make a comeback in the not too distant future, but whether it is a real antique or just a well loved piece, old and new will always provide interest when teamed together.

So, here’s to another exciting and prosperous year in 2010 for us all. We may not always get it right, but Together Everyone Achieves More – and on that note I have to say a special thank you to Chairman Mark Freeman and the Newport Chamber of Commerce for their continued support of all businesses, including the independent sector, of Newport – a Very Happy New Year to You All" - Maggie Hollinshead Jan 2010

Art for Art’s Sake
We are showcasing an exhibition of Abstract Art from local Artist Carl Maydew. Carl says, “I have been painting now for around ten years and have become a firm advocate of ‘Art for Art’s Sake’. I am pleased to admit to having many influences, too numerous in fact to mention, and am happy for my work to be seen primarily as decorative. You will notice, I hope, a sense of fun running through much of my work.”

The Exhibition runs to the end of February.

PEEPING THROUGH THE GALLERY WINDOW IN AUGUST

OH, I DO LIKE TO BE BESIDE THE SEASIDE......

Fun original watercolour studies by our great friend Joan Darlington. Joan's observations of people are fabulous, she captures the humour of everyday situations. These seaside paintings are reminiscent of those very British Summer Holidays. We also have etchings from Victoria Dean, whose clever thoughts add amusement to her miniature work. Richard Goodwin-Jones' boats and lighthouse have an obvious place in our summer window as do the brooches from the ever popular Abbott and Ellwood, these feature boats bobbing about in the sea. Niki Guy's glass jewellery is very apt too, as she collects a lot of the glass she recycles from the sea shore. Something for everyone, come along and see for yourself......

EXHIBITIONS

BEVERLEY FRY (Sept/Oct 2009)

Beverley working in her Studio
An exhibition of wonderful work from this acclaimed Shropshire Artist - Including a viewing of her double portrait of the two Anna’s,
Shropshire High Sheriff for 2008 Anne Gee and

Shropshire High Sheriff for 2009 Anna Turner
Our very successful Exhibition Launch was held on the 2nd September
We were grateful to have The High Sheriff -
with Beverley to launch the Exhibition

CHARLOTTE ORMSON (Nov/Dec 2009)

An Exhibition of work from Charlotte, including several of her nostalgic paintings on canvas, which have proved so popular. A Musician, Charlotte clearly enjoys her art as another side of her obvious creative talents. It is a real pleasure for us to have her work at the Gallery