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ALL THOSE PICTURES UNDER THE BED

The Farm by Jane Hordem

What do you do with your pictures when you have finished painting them? If you are anything like me, they have a horrible tendency to pile up in the spare room. I seem to hope that one day, by some miracle, they will find a home somewhere, or that I will return to work on them again and improve them beyond all recognition.

The sad truth is, deep down I know I am only kidding myself and they will continue to accumulate there unless I do something to change the situation. So what to do? One option is to put them all on the bonfire but, because of the time and effort they represent, that’s a bit drastic!

Another obvious solution is to have an exhibition, but that is no mean undertaking. Even if you are lucky enough to find an affordable venue and know a practical person to help with the hanging, there is the expense of mounting and framing the artwork to make sure it looks its best. And, after all that, how many will sell and how many will come back to join their friends under the bed? Rather too many, I fear.

Of course all this is a feeble excuse for a ‘Catch 22’ situation. If people don’t see your work there is no hope of it finding a home. I have recently been to the Little Buckland Gallery to see the selected entries for the Open Arts Competition at Broadway and this year there were more submissions than ever each contributing to an exciting exhibition. But, more than that, each one represents someone who has the confidence, and has taken the time and trouble, to let the world see what they have done. That is surely better than hiding them away to gather dust under the bed!


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