Hello from beautiful Kensington Gardens! It’s time for my weekly live studio update & for a change, I’m out of my studio to see the Van Gogh Alive London show.
This is a very different way to view artwork and I fully appreciate a lot of amazing tech work has been put into bringing this together but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought. I guess I’m more traditional in how I like to view artwork!
Also, Van Gogh sold but a handful of work during his lifetime. Now his paintings have been over commercialised as you can get everything from a tea towel to a facemask with his sunflowers on it which is perhaps impudent considering that he had pretty no earnings from his work- I wonder how he would feel about it?!
And yes, I can see the irony that going to the show is supporting the continued globalising of his work. However, it wasn’t what I expected, watch the video to see why. Also, I think at £25 a ticket it’s overpriced when you can view original work, in the flesh of major artists for under £20 at the TATE or the Royal Academy for example.
These blockbuster shows of very famous, deceased artists may be going a bit too far with projected images- let me know what you think and here’s the link if you would like to visit the show yourself https://vangoghaliveuk.com Thanks for watching, Aisling x
Background to my Live Studio Updates:
When Covid-19 arrived in the UK all of my upcoming exhibitions, art fairs and arts facilitation roles were either cancelled or postponed. If Covid has taught me anything it’s the importance of proactivity and self-resilience. If I had no way to physically show my paintings then I had to work out an alternative. I had a small online presence through my website and Instagram account but wasn’t very sure how to use either.
However, I saw these platforms as a way to keep my work moving & to get my paintings seen. I did an overhaul of my website (ongoing!), began to be more active on my Instagram and started a YouTube channel. One of the hardest things I did was I began speaking live every Wednesday from my studio about what was happening, what work I was making, the ethos of my painting practice and all the realities of life as an artist. I felt vulnerable because I was putting myself ‘out there’ into the online space and wasn’t sure how I would be received. But this practice each Wednesday has proved to be one of the best decisions I’ve made over the last year.
Building Virtual Art Relationships
Through chatting and sharing directly from my art studio I’ve connected with first-time art buyers & seasoned art collectors around the world. I’ve had lots of positive feedback but the main thing I keep hearing is it’s great to see what goes into making a painting rather than just buying the finished artwork.
I share the materials I use, why I use them, painting techniques and how I build the composition of a painting. Also because abstraction can be viewed as an inaccessible area of art people tell me they’ve enjoyed learning about this genre as I also share artists who have influenced my work and any exhibitions I go to (when I can!). The online art market has grown because of Covid.
For me, I love that people can now buy my original abstract paintings online from me, connecting with me directly and build a virtual art relationship. As these videos have become an integral part of what I do, I’ve decided to start sharing them on my website in my creative journal posts as it opens up my work to you.
If you can’t come and visit me at an exhibition or in my painting studio at least now you can see & hear all about what I’m making and how I’m making it! If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch as it’s always a pleasure to hear from people interested in my paintings. Sign up to my newsletter (via website) for sporadic updates, preview access to new paintings, free shipping & a few nice surprises in between – let’s start a conversation! Many thanks, Aisling