Post Christmas Ponderings

The days between Christmas and New Year are always strange with the normal pattern of weekdays and weekends abandoned. This year seems odder than most but maybe that's just me. One thing that doesn't change is the usual surge of visitors to this part of Norfolk post-Christmas. As someone remarked this morning it does often seem that this part of the world is just right for the New Year. The beaches, the wind-blown walks all seem just right.

Listening to a conversation here yesterday - even for those who are not dedicated birdwatchers - the birds do provide common interest for so many. Norfolk's own Sacred Ibis is apparently still hanging around in Cley, oblivious to the speculation as to its status as a legitimate visitor or merely an escapee. And then there's the seals. Blakeney's colony is having a bumper year and unsurprisingly they are being seen along the coast, in the channel at Wells and on the beach at Brancaster.

And of course between the walks there is the all important visit or visits to your favourite hostelry.  If you only acted on what you read on-line about some of our local pubs and restaurants you probably wouldn't dare set foot in them.  Yes, they change with ownership and chefs and in some cases they do seem to be being a bit greedy with their prices, but they must be doing something right or they wouldn't still attract the numbers they do. An extended family lunch in one of my favourites more than came up to expectations and you can only marvel at how they do it. It's not just one good meal, it's all of them, all day, everyday. Long may they thrive and prosper!

3 days to go

North Norfolk isn't looking particularly Christmassy today.  The world hasn't ended but it is rather dark and decidedly damp. A couple of visitors yesterday who are staying at the Mill asked whether the Burn floods.  I said it was doubtful as there are sluices which can be opened and they seemed re-assured. Think I'm right.

Interesting discussion yesterday regarding artist's proofs.  I have always believed that there is more than one, and that in the case of a large edition there can in fact be quite a number. Subsequent discussion with those much more expert than I have indeed confirmed that.  As far as whether, as is suggested on various internet sites, AP's are worth more I somehow doubt this.  As with all art you should buy because you like it, not because one just might be worth than another. Here end's the lesson.

Prints always do well around Christmas, and this year is no exception with Glynn Thomas leading the field by some way. Despite being a Suffolk boy, his Norfolk subjects must be right as well.  Happily, Glynn works close to my alternative route from London to Norwich so we have been able to meet some very late requests. I think his framer may now have had enough! so no more until the New Year I think.

Strange things on social media

"9 people have booked pre Christmas oven cleaning today so far - don't leave it too late"  I'm not sure I'll sleep now for worrying.

"Christmas Club Turkey and Cranberry sandwiches now available £8. Lunchtime only. #tistheseasontobejoyful.  Yes I suppose so if you're selling them. Mind the rush. 
and finally,

"the 17.02 London Liverpool Street to Norwich will start at Colchester tonight due to a train fault". Not a complete surprise but it's not really from London then, is it?

Comparisons

Some years ago - certainly before we opened in Burnham - I remember having a phone call from another gallery along the coast just checking that no calamity had overtaken the wider world, they having not seen any visitors over the previous few days.  All was well, but it served to highlight the unpredictability of these things, particularly at this time of year.

November this year has for us been much busier than last. Some of this can be attributed to Norfolk having thus far escaped some of the more extreme weather of the last couple of weeks (I'm sure our turn will come) but it has been Gerard Stamp's exhibition which has attracted so many. Despite the often off-putting conditions for those travelling far, we have seen visitors from across the country and the comments in the visitor's book suggest they have been more than pleased with what they have seen.

Autumn is fairly clearly now giving way to winter here.  The brief burst of autumn colour was somewhat brusquely blown away early on Sunday morning and is now just a memory.

Just to confirm things, Burnham's Christmas lights were switched on last weekend although, as ever, the as yet unlit tree at this end of the village appeared after the event. At this point, I should confess I have yet to put our own lights up yet. Advent seems early enough - although not very commercially aware.  At least one other local business had lights and a tree up before half-term. It would be interesting to know if it really makes any difference; I remain to be convinced.

Back to Burnham

Thoroughly enjoyed being buzzy on the South Bank - but it's quite good to be back on home turf! The reaction to the exhibition was great and particularly pleasing because we were talking to new customers who - without exception - were stunned by Gerard Stamp's extraordinary paintings.

Naturally we were delighted to hear that the exhibition had received such complimentary coverage in the EDP and it has come as no surprise to have so many visitors here this week.  The exhibition looks very different here compared to the big spaces of the London show, and even if you saw it there I definitely think its worth coming to see it in Burnham.  Both here and in London a number of works have attracted particular comment, the current favourite seems to be the view of Ely across the fields. Purely personally I think it looks even better here than in London.

There has been much discussion as to what is being planted. The early favourite, potatoes, were first overtaken by carrots but these have now been supplanted by celery! Much smaller and slightly closer in geographical terms, a view from Wiveton Church looking across to Cley, and not shown in London, is attracting a lot of attention.

The view from the South Bank

It is a little while since we last transplanted the Grapevine to London, but the last week has found us once again plying our trade at the Menier Gallery in Southwark, just behind Tate Modern.  Not actually sure how many years ago it was, but what a transformation.  The whole area has a real buzz - not just around Borough Market.  And now there's The Shard... which we thought we hated - but now we don't.  Far less dominant than some of the comment and images suggest, it's actually rather appealing.

Unsurprisingly, the exhibition - Gerard Stamp's latest collection of watercolours - looks (immodestly) excellent and has attracted a lot of attention and just like the area, the opening earlier in the week had a real buzz about it. Only in London for the week it seems strange that apparently so soon after opening we move it back to Norfolk at the weekend.  This poses a number of challenges in itself. Packing and loading in London is rather more challenging than Norfolk and then there's the question of hanging in a smaller gallery, albeit on our own patch.  As ever, I guess we'll get there.

If you don't manage to come and see it here in London, we should be ready for you in Burnham on Tuesday.  As always with Gerard's work, this latest collection seems to be his best. Which of course is how it should be!

A Different Perspective

Having long admired the distinctive etchings of one of East Anglia's most popular printmakers, Glynn Thomas, it's a real pleasure to have them on exhibition in the gallery.  Prompted by the publication of the book of his work - we hosted an evening event in the Norwich Grapevine, where Glynn not only signed a few books, but demonstrated just how much work goes into even the smallest prints. Watching this, I'm sure I wasn't alone in realising at just how subtle and sensitive the process is. As Glynn pointed out, these are hand-made prints and a world away from the mass produced digital work that increasingly comes on the market.