Doing BBC2’s latest series of Show Me the Monet has probably been one of the highlights of my year so you will have to forgive me if I continue to milk it a little longer.  It really was both exciting and nerve racking at the same time but all in all it was a good experience and I cannot exhort emerging artists enough – get your stuff out there and do whatever you can to promote yourself. If you feel it’s up to someone else to promote you read this great book and get a bit of a reality check –  ‘I’d rather be in the Studio’ – by Alyson Stanfield and then go to Katherine Tyrell’s website ‘Making a Mark‘ for a list of carefully compiled exhibitions and competitions.

Anyway this isn’t a soap box exhortation, just a little testimonial from my own experience. If you saw the show, you will know my piece did not sell at the grand exhibition which was only slightly disappointing for me because that was just going to be the cherry on top of the oodles and oodles of soft creamy buttery icing on the cake.

Well a couple of weeks ago I got this email out of the blue from this woman who has been trying to track me down since she saw the show. She wanted to buy the painting!! Was I excited? Of course I was, I get excited about every single painting I sell so with an eagerly wagging tail, I emailed her back almost immediately. I don’t do modesty when it comes to people appreciating my art.

Well if I was keen, she was even more so seeing she had emailed me on a Saturday and was there any chance she could come and see it on Sunday? Normally this would have been ok but I had promised by mate Seiwa I would attend her church’s 3rd anniversary celebrations and wasn’t about to let her down. In any case the painting had been returned to my sister’s house where it had been hanging before I took it to the show so she would have to go there which of course suited her fine. Harpenden is closer to Berkhamsted where this lady lives as opposed to the trip to Northampton which I think would’nt have made any difference to her anyway.

So phones calls were made and things were arranged and my very nice lady turned up at my sister’s house, inspected the painting  and paid the agreed price! I received an email testimonial from her soon after that which is displayed proudly on my website but here it is again anyway…

We tracked down this picture after seeing it on the Show Us The Monet programme and are delighted to be its new owners. It was just as it was shown on Anne’s website and her willlingness to help us view it was excellent. We are looking forward to her forthcoming exhibition.

JG & JG

and there’s more…

We’re delighted with our picture, Harbour Market at Elmina II and are doubly thrilled that we saw in on the Show Us The Monet programme and are now the proud owners of it. Anne was incredibly helpful with the viewing and collecting of the picture. The whole transaction was trouble-free and pleasurable.

 So I finally landed my cherry!!

And that’s not all of it. Again I need you to recall my recent sponsorship drive through Sponsume’s website. Remember?… Well I have recently been in contact with another lady who pledged an amount towards the exhibition project. Following our email exchange I asked her how she came to sponsor me and did I perhaps know her? He reply made me smile…

 ‘…you don’t know me at all so don’t worry if you are racking your brain wondering who I am…’  Well thank God for that I thought. I looked you up after seeing Show Me The Monet or perhaps through the Making a Mark blog…’

 

I still consider myself as an emerging artist and I am thankful for so much not least the ability to do something I really love and to be able to apply my product marketing skills to my new chosen career.
Here’s is an edited piece of scripture from Sylvia an old friend and schoolmate 

“He who began a good work in you,( and gave you such a great gift) will complete it. (Philippians 1:6)
Let us continue to trust in God.

Te Deum Laudamus