New Artists, New Friends And A New Beginning At Arteccentrix Gallery
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The gallery in Governor’s Square has now been open for a week and it has definitely been an exciting six days.
We have met with several of our new artists and for the most part we have some fine examples of their work on display. So, here is a quick summary of some of our week’s news and highlights.
Just prior to opening we had a visit from Bendel Hydes which was my husband’s first chance to meet with one of Cayman’s most famous artisans. Bendel had come to visit the gallery and gave us his candid assessment of how things were looking. Unfortunately we do not have any of Bendel’s work to share with you, but please visit his website if you are unfamiliar with his work. We entrusted into his care my Painting, “Father’s Eyes”, which is due to be auctioned for charity at the Art For The Heart gala event this month.
We mentioned one of our new partners in a previous post – Greg Lipton. We are currently offering four monochrome works by Greg and they are all quite stunning and interest in his paintings has been high. Judging by some of the complimentary feedback it will not be long before he makes his first sale with us. You can view some of Greg’s paintings at his own website through the above link but if you would like to admire them first hand, please call in to see us soon.
We also had the pleasure of meeting with Leigh Pawling a wonderful artist from Kingston PA in the United States and are currently preparing a beautiful nine feet by seven feet abstract work for showing. Leigh is a well established artist in her own right and works in a wide variety of styles. Her work also includes many murals in her homeland and she has recently been selected as one of several artists who will be working on the city of Philadelphia’s murals project which is going to be a huge and exciting venture. Leigh has an excellent website where you can view a good selection of her work and follow her on her blog. Be sure to look out for the impressive piece she has consigned to the gallery in the weeks ahead.
Cayman artist Joseph Betty has also signed with Arteccentrix and at present we have two of his pieces on display, adding a burst of his signature bold and bright colours to the current exhibition. When we make the next website updates we will have several examples of Joe’s work on display on these pages, but again, in the meantime, we invite you to drop by the gallery and enjoy his paintings first hand.
Cayman artist Luelan Bodden has not only consigned several pieces to us, he also did some amazing restoration work on an antique half table for us as an opening gift – thank you Luelan, it looks amazing!
Luelan’s abstract piece entitled “The Sting” is already attracting a lot of attention and is in stark contrast to his very original depiction of an old Caymanian Home entitled “Wattle and Daub” which we guarantee is an original piece the like of which you will never have seen before, painted directly onto a “canvas” which is a work of art in its own right, fabricated from course natural coconut palm. We also have two signature free standing lamps, that Lue has created lovingly from recycled natural materials, recovered from Cayman’s shoreline. The lamp stands are beautifully finished sturdy bamboo with a tactile high gloss finish and the shades have been painstakingly forged from coral and sponges. Again, the description does not do the intricate craftsmanship justice.
Cayman artist Chris Christian was a surprise visitor early in the week and we are pleased to say we now have a single piece of his work – it is one of his own personal favorites and we know that parting with it was not an easy decision for him but his offering adds yet another dimension to the quality and diversity on display. It is a rare chance for collectors to acquire a beautiful piece of work from another of Cayman’s Native Sons artists and, although we say so ourselves, at a very keen market price. We don’t think it will be gracing our walls for too long. A semi abstract piece that depicts a typical fishing scene from Cayman and evokes a feeling of peace, maybe a little nostalgia, it is a warm and relaxing offering in one of Chris’s signature styles of golden hues and warm earth tones. We are delighted to have been given the chance to share his work.
The close of our first day of business was marked by a surprise visit from artist Christel Ibsen and her husband Bob who very kindly brought in a bottle of champagne to celebrate – a lovely surprise and a great way to end our first day in business. Thanks Bob and Christel!
The gallery was featured in the Cayman Compass at the end of the week and brought visitors from as far afield as the UK – we actually met some people staying on the island who were from the small fishing village in Cornwall where my mother and father-in-law lived for almost 25 years and knew of us through a mutual friend! It turned out that their daughter has lived and worked in Cayman for as a teacher for the past five years. A small world indeed and it was a great chance for my husband to reminisce and talk about home for a while.
We also had the pleasure of meeting Carol Hay the owner of Pepper Patch in Grand Cayman. For those who don’t know Carol or are unfamiliar with her Pepper Patch brand of pepper jellies you can get the lowdown in the article from the Cayman Compass in the above link. We were delighted that Carol was interested enough in the gallery to offer some sponsorship in the form of providing for our guests at future shows and events – a great combination of Cayman art and delicious Cayman produced pepper jellies promises to be a “tasty” prospect .
Don’t worry though, if your taste buds can’t wait for a gallery show you can find Pepper Patch at a wide range of outlets across the island and it is well worth seeking out. Carol has already converted two more people to her delicious product! A smart marketer and entrepreneur as well as a manufacturer of a fabulous traditional local product and a wonderful lady. So, big thanks to Carol, we can’t wait to spread the Pepper Patch experience to many more people in the months ahead. If you want to know more you can contact Carol on 526-6932 0r email her at chay(at)BrittHay(dot)com
As you can tell, we have met some amazing new people in the past six days and look forward to meeting many more. The response to the gallery space and the work on display has been very positive and encouraging and we thank everyone who came by to see us in our first week. We welcome anyone who wants to just come and browse – as a commercial gallery we are in business to connect artists with buyers but the art is there to be enjoyed by everyone who visits.
Some people may feel that a fine art gallery can be as intimidating as, let’s say, a gymnasium in some ways but rest assured you will receive a warm welcome and we love to see visitors studying and enjoying the paintings and sculptures. Rather than pressure, we hope and aim to offer a relaxing environment that anyone can enjoy and if looking is all you have in mind, do not let that stop you from coming into the gallery to see us. Art for sale is art to be appreciated too.
We should add that we may be able to provide a quality fine art print of the work you most admire, a much more affordable option if you’re budget for art is of a more modest nature. If you see something you like, please ask us if you are interested in a reproduction and, depending on the work in question, we may be able to offer you a more affordable way to own the painting you fall in love with. Our giclee prints are virtually indistinguishable from the original and can be produced in a range of sizes, both smaller and larger than the original work. If you would like to see an example, we will be happy to show you the results that can be achieved, to help you decide if a giclee is the right choice for you.
No doubt we have forgotten to mention several people and stories from our first week but as you can tell it has been a whirlwind of activity from start to finish and left us all exhausted and exhilarated. It is wonderful to know that we have brought a commercial fine art gallery back to Grand Cayman, for its artists, people, and art lovers from all walks of life.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Nickola & Maurice
Arteccentrix Gallery Opening Day
We are pleased to say that Arteccentrix has opened as planned today, February 8, 2010.
You can now find us in Governor’s Square, underneath the center’s clock. The following photographs will give you an idea of how things are looking. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the artists who have agreed to work with us, the owner’s of Governor’s Square who have given us the opportunity to finally open our doors to the general public and all the people who have contributed their time and offered their support. It has all been invaluable and we are grateful to you all for your messages of encouragement.
Cayman finally has a dedicated fine art gallery, a place where everyone can view and enjoy some of the most beautiful artwork that some of Cayman’s best artists have to offer.
We look forward to seeing you soon at The Arteccentrix Gallery.
