Secret Artist Exhibition in aid of Walled Garden, Museum in the Park

Social networking 

Spent four hours serving drinks, chatting to fellow artists and supports of Stroud's Museum in the Park for the third Secret Artist event. Artists - both professionals and students - take an A5 blank postcard, produce an original piece of work and hand it in to staff, with their name on the back so that when it is on the wall no one but the artist who did the work, knows who did it. The public can then buy a lottery ticket for £15 and after the event, pick up their artwork which corresponds to the number on their ticket. It is a lottery but in aid of a good cause - restoring the secret garden at the back of the Mansion House, which has remained in an overgrown state for 50 years.

My grandfather used to have an allotment in that garden, and my mum used to release Great Crested Newts, which she caught from the main pond in Stratford Park, into the dipping pond. Builders have recently been starting the clearing process and have found where that dipping pond used to be and it is hoped to restore it as part of the plans. My personal connection has inspired my interest and it a main reason why I wanted to give back to this special place by volunteering on the private view night and the following morning by selling the tickets and talking to the artists - many of whom I have interviewed over the years and worked alongside - and the public.

I was one of the 250 secret artists who donated a piece of work. Following on from Fumio's talk and reference to social networking, I felt it important to have regular contact with the local art industry. The exhibition was a representative of the creative industries we have in the Stroud valleys; and those who came to the event and bought the work, represented the support system artists need. I chatted to businessmen and women, local politicians, teachers, college lecturers, artists - all of which have their own spheres of influence. It was also good to talk to people on the Saturday morning in a somewhat quieter atmosphere and find out what kind of images they liked from the paintings, drawings, collage, ceramics, illustrations on show.
Illustrator Tony Meeuwissen's intricate painting from his book The Purple Emperor was my personal favourite - I recognised it as I have been fortunate to interview him over the years.

Example of work shown at the Secret Artist - mine is among them

A panoramic shot to show how the secret artist's A5 postcards looked as a collective