Helfa Gelf Open Studios 2012
Informal comments from colleagues suggest that the event has been rather quiet this year, with fewer visitors. I suspect - although I have no evidence - that this might be a "dilutional" effect of the increased size of the event. After all, there must be a finite number of people who are interested enough, live close enough and are able to travel around North Wales looking at art. I had about the same number of visitors to my studios as last year, but only because I had a small bus load of children from the Oriel Mostyn Criw Celf (who were delightful).
Sales of artwork were definitely not as good as last year, but personally I don't feel that this is the main reason for opening my studio to the public. When I visit other studios I am interested in hearing the artists talk about their art, and I want to discuss "process" with them, and see the paint (or clay, or cameras or whatever they're using). I don't want a conducted tour round an art gallery in an uncongenial space and I definitely don't want to be subjected to the hard sell. My preference is for contemporary art rather than watercolours of tigers copied from photographs....
So, here's to next year (assuming I get selected).
