My dearest loyal fig rolls,

I hope you have enjoyed a splendid time since we last met, all bonfires and vampires, empty trees and woolly pullies.

It’s that special time of year already, when we scoff the Quality Street far too early, then have to go back and buy another tin before Christmas. I, for one, have already murdered a chocolate orange.

First things first,  I need to say a massive thank you to everyone who re-homed a stray polo bear or a feral gingerbread man this season, I’m obviously delighted at the take up – so,

thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!!!

Now, you know how sometimes, I like to venture out into the world and occasionally review an exhibition of interest? Well, I have been to see one of the art calendars most important exhibitions, the ‘Turner Prize’.

Staged outside of the Tate for the first time, I crossed the swaying millennium bridge, from Newcastle towards Gateshead and the host gallery, Baltic.  I was freezing and wind blasted but hopeful.

The first piece I saw was an installation called, ‘Do words have voices?‘ by Scottish artist, Martin Boyce (pictured below).

This harsh geometric object looked rather to me, like a large scale child’s activity centre. Also in the gallery, there were imitation ‘fallen’ leaves scattered around the floor, there was also a steel mesh bin containing a garment as a bin liner.   Now, please bear with me…. We are told that:

‘Martin Boyce engages with the historical legacy of Modernist forms and ideals to create deeply atmospheric installations drawing upon text and elements of design. Steeped in an understanding of the concepts of Modernist design, his work draws upon its visual language with a complex repertoire of forms. Noted for his engagement with how these objects are produced, Boyce is interested in how their original political or aesthetic ethos changes over time. His meticulous sculptures bear out his imaginings for the alternative lives these objects might lead if created at a different moment’

If you haven’t yet switched your pc off and gone to make a cup of tea…..this is very typical of the type of blurb you see on the gallery wall alongside conceptual art and oh so pompously attempts to explain and justify itself.

Moving into the next gallery, much has been said of George Shaw’s townscape paintings. His technique is good but the subject matter not anything groundbreaking,  so what is the big sell here?? I’ll tell you, Shaw paints in ‘Humbrol’ enamels  (the type you find in a model Airfix kit).  I failed to see anything significant in that; surely he’s just made his own life much harder. The paintings brought my mood low, when I had privately hoped to champion the painter of the group.

Karla Black and Hillary Lloyd, similarly failed to inspire with their respective pieces, a large, undulating paper/paint and plastic installation and Lloyd’s dull Audio Visual set up.

Without the twin engines of a world class stage (the Baltic is a particularly impressive space) and the gigantically pretentious arts media, driving this exhibition into the limelight, would anyone really pay it the amount of attention it has received?

I am, as you know an artist myself, I collect art, and I also have a strong interest in art history and theory – I sometimes visit awesome collections in world galleries,  I live and breathe the stuff….but at this show, something inside me gave up.  I failed to care.  It then also made me wonder, if I feel this way, where might it leave a curious Geordie local, hoping to take in a little culture?

This year’s Turner prize kept me in a depression for hours after.  Not even the Baltic shop with its pretty things could cheer me. Having said that, I did have a cinnamon pretzel in the café and that rallied me enough to not throw myself off the Tyne Bridge.

So with all of that out of the way, I’ll just get on with my own art and hopefully visit a more uplifting exhibition soon. I may also write to the Baltic and see if they’d like me to fill it up with gingerbread and sugar mice?

I’ve gone and prattled on again, haven’t I? In a shockingly ‘Bah humbug’ sort of way too!  But one thing that does brighten me up, is the thought of all of you, having a tremendous seasonal blast with your loved ones – so, here’s wishing you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas.

I’ll see you in the New Year.

Love,

SJ

It’s blowing a gale here in Northern England and the weather is generally behaving like the proverbial early March lion.  I can’t wait for the lamb to lead us out into sunny meadows.

I hope you are all keeping well and, to everyone who displayed interest or gave a loving home to my latest 3-d biscuit releases;  thank you! thank you! thank you! They may be the last for a little while as I pursue a few other projects.

Among such projects, I will be delivering a talk for the Alzheimer’s Society on the 18th of March in Newcastle.  We are also holding an auction,  lots of lovely artists have done little drawings or paintings onto postcards and there will also be some other larger pieces.  I, too, will be donating something.  If you are interested to see more details of what we are up to or interested in bidding on a postcard, please click here:

http://alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/news_article.php?newsID=912

I will be back shortly with a full update (I know you like to hear about the seagulls poo-ing on my car) so until then,  start counting down to the light nights and eating your easter eggs several weeks too early.

love,  SJ

We know that times are hard and art is sometimes viewed as a luxury, but if 2011 presents financial difficulties, or indeed any other type of difficulty -  remember – this is when the arts are at their most important.   Go to a gallery, listen to some music….dance!  Feed your soul and you will weather any storm.

(And if you do feel like spoiling yourself with a new piece, we have not altered our pricing and shall absorb the nasty VAT increase).

We look forward to presenting some fresh art fun this year and in the meantime, we hope that your 2011 is filled with pure loveliness!

Thank you to everyone who made the effort to visit Sarah-jane at the galleries  and to everyone who gave a home to ‘Helter Szkelter’.  It went like Hot cakes!

Artique galleries,  may have a few copies left but we have now sold the 10 prints we kept back for our own collectors.

Thank you again.

There will be no new publications until next year.

click here to read:   http://www.fallyrag.com/genres/art/pages/Delectable-Collectibles.php

In the meantime, if you haven’t received our mailing shot, you can get a preview of the remaining new print images by clicking on the ‘naughty but nice’ link on the home page.

We will add the new prints to our shopping site when they are in stock and ready to purchase, however we would advise you to reserve a print by contacting us now!

It was a very busy time for Szikora fine art.  We are celebrating our first birthday by moving premises and while also planning the forthcoming print release, SJ still found  time to attend an event in the Whitewall Galleries, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Just in time to make her Christmas extra special, lucky prize draw winner, Olga Fiodorow,  won a lovely Gingerbread Castle commissioned by Sarah-Jane especially for the exhibition.  The fabulous Castle was lovingly hand made by local master bakers Ian and Jan Thomson and decorated in all Sarah-Jane’s trademark confectionery.

The four day promotion of SJ’s artwork on her home turf  went very well indeed.  There were plenty of gingerbread men in Y-fronts and gorgeous handmade chocolates were supplied by another  local business ‘Savarin’s’ – Information about both of these wonderful Newcastle companies can be found by clicking the following links:

http://www.savarins.co.uk/

http://www.geordiebakers.co.uk/

New Prints for Spring 2010

Following the overwhelming success of Sarah-Jane’s  ‘ biscuit is back’ launch in February ‘09, we are pleased to announce that a new collection of Sarah-Jane’s  recent images will be released as limited edition prints in February 2010.

Our mailing list will be contacted and offered the chance to reserve these prints first.   We will email details on or around February 8th 2010.

For trade customers only, we will be exhibiting these prints on February 7 – 11th February at Spring Fair (Hall 3,  Stand number  B26).

Please note that our new trading address is:

‘Bon-Bon’

6 Alma Place,

North Shields,

NE29 0LZ

Contact us on: 0191 289 4613 – mobile 07925 144 431

We hope you will forgive us, and we PROMISE it will never happen again! -  if it’s any consolation ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ – a patriotic gathering of jelly babies – is still available.  Please click here for details

We will also be releasing a new piece soon.  Keep a look out for our email over the coming weeks.