22/09: UKCPS EXHIBITION BITS & BOBS

To see the award winning pictures from the UKCPS exhibition follow this link where you can see the scanned artwork:
Award Winners 10th Annual Int'l Exhibition, Westminster


I have got lots of photos taken of the artwork framed and 'hung' but the Gallery is very large and there are more than 300 exhibits so too many to show here. If you want to see anything specific (maybe your own art) let me know and I'll see if I can help.


I thought I would show some photos taken during the 'set-up' on Saturday/Sunday to illustrate just how much work went into the final stages (and this is the culmination of months of behind the scenes work). Our Exhibition Director had painstakingly produced a scaled down Gallery layout on graph paper and miniaturised every picture once she knew the final sizes/colours of mounts/frames. She had plotted the hanging heights of every picture and calculated where mirror plates had to be attached. Without her forward planning I doubt we could have set up so successfully in the relatively short time available.

Saturday was spent logging in the pictures as they arrived, attaching labels to the pictures showing the 'drilling team' where to place the mirror plates and on which walls/screen in the gallery they would be hung. On Sunday pictures were hung, the shop set up with prints/cards and unframed originals for sale. The Have-a-Go and Children's area were decorated and the silent auction prints displayed. The Faber-Castell display was pretty amazing in the adjoining Gallery. Lots of tempting goodies there!

Bernard Poulin, renown artist and author travelled from Canada to judge the works and allocate awards for the various categories in both the pure coloured pencil and the mixed media sections. He was assisted in presenting the awards by actor Philip Glenister (who proved a greater attraction than the artwork for some of the ladies there I think)!!

One small wall successfully 'hung'.  The attached temporary labels showed precise positioning of each picture.   These were replaced with individual labels showing name of picture/artist and a brief description of the piece and materials used.    Then all pictures had to be dusted/polished to remove stray pieces of packing and fingerprints etc.

One of the screens used to divide up the very large gallery space and provide more hanging space for the exhibits - the area in front is to be the 'shop' area

Lots of head scratching going on today!

Sorting out the prints and cards

Limited edition birthday box of pencils and pastels to mark Faber-Castell's 250th anniversary.   Only 1761 have been produced - 1761 was the year the company was formed.   This fabulous set is definitely not  for purchase by 'starving artists' though!   RRP £1375 - although I have found this discounted to a mere £950 on some art materials websites!

Our Birthday cake!!   Hand made by a neighbour of our Exibition Director - even the pencils were made of icing and edible. 

Once the speeches/awards were over the crowds thinned a little.  This is just one small section of the Gallery so you can see what an amazing exhibition it is.

Bernard Poulin our Show Judge and Guest Artist from Canada.

Assisted by TV actor Philip Glenister for presentation of awards

Philip was much in demand for photo-shoots (actually I'm embarrassed to say I don't know who the lady is here.  If anybody knows her, perhaps you could give me her contact details as she might like to have a copy of this )

and Philip again with Barbara - Chairman of the UKCPS

Right, that's quite enough for now.   Need to crack on with some proper work!

I'm going back to help at the exhibition on Saturday.  Might see you there?