Sunshine House Xmas Fair

It is always quite a lot of work to get ready for an event like this but I do enjoy doing them and have a great affection for this particular centre and the volunteers who work there.I run 4 week blocks and all day workshops there and am always made to feel so welcome, wanted and appreciated... no wonder I like going!!

Anyway I prepared  lots of paintings, framing one or two more and mounting quite a few....I also prepared a portfolio of older work which I put in at rock bottom prices, then I had a mid priced portfolio and finally my cradle which I had the most up to date work and some of my favourites all mounted ready for framing. I have just done a small exhibition of 6 paintings in the Horwich Art Society annual event so had already got some newer pieces framed, so I set off with a car full on Friday afternoon ready to make my mark!!

Barbara Nettleton who runs the centre works tirelessly and had mine and all the other stall holders tables set up and after a little, shall we say "friendly negotiation" we both agreed my stall needed moving to the corner with an extra backboard to complete the set up. As those who are regular readers of my blog will know, decisions are not my strong point so to get this set up in just under 3 hours was a feat of considerable determination on my part leaving the dithering at the door and marching on with uncharacteristic fortitude!!

I was really pleased with how it looked and managed to get most things on display and at least a good selection of my work and cards. The footflow was rather slow, but the other stall holders very friendly so we had no problem passing the time of day and I had quite a bit of interest not only in my paintings but also in commissions, workshops and tuition. Sometimes it isn't the sales which are of paramount importance at these events but the seeds which are sown for the future and there was a lot of interest in me running another 4 week block at Sunshine House which I shall book for March/April time.

There was a very interesting sale of a painting I did with a view to a Christmas card but  I wasn't too keen on it and never had it printed, but brought it along to sell. It was really popular and attracted a lot of interest.....a snow leopard which you can see right in the middle of the stand, I haven't even got a separate photo of it, just goes to show... what do I know!!!

I also sold a small floral I did in the Fabio Cembranelli workshop.....

It was my favourite painting of the 2 days and I was really very pleased with it so delighted it has gone to Elise a fellow local artist and tutor (check out her page....very talented lady!!)

The final sale on the first day was to Barbara at the centre who already has about 4 of my paintings and is very supportive of my work

So 3 paintings sold on the first day and a few cards so not bad at all and left me quite optimistic for the following day.

I arrived bright and early (the bacon barms were calling!!) and had new stall holders next to me who really brightened my time there and made it a very enjoyable day. The biggest shock of my day was the centre wanting to buy 2 paintings, how cool was that?  They have funds available to support local artists, and want to leave a legacy of art work for future generations, marvellous idea!! Then a lady who has been to my workshops had seen some of the work in my cradle after I had left the day before and came over to ask about prices. These two paintings had never been mounted and as I was looking through the options and trying mounts on different pieces, I realised these two looked fabulous as a pair one landscape and one portrait, so I signed them in the appropriate spot and crossed my fingers!!

They were double mounted in off white with black inset and I was so pleased with how they looked and even more delighted they sold as a pair.

So a very successful event for me, even though the centre wasn't as busy as in previous years, the hard work before hand doesn't always pay dividends but happy to say in this case it did!!