This was my work space for a day on November 12th as I sat in Debut Contemporary Gallery for my Saturday Debut. I had a series of my painting and collage works on display upstairs in the gallery as well as a show of sketchbooks, journals and portfolios to look through.In between escaping into an A3 sketchbook to make mountainous scenes, seascapes and open horizons I could peer up at the open window onto a busy street in Notting Hill. I think it made an impression on the work, perhaps things became more vivid and picturesque to combat the hustle and bustle of the city outside. Luckily the window provided such good people watching when I needed a break I just looked up and made strange eye contact with passerby's. It is difficult to get people into a gallery setting sometimes. People can be scared to come into an empty space, just to look at things on the wall. Kind of like a comedy sketch - watch this You Tube Clip of a Gallery Skit French and Saunders did, (at 1.58 into this clip we see what most new visitors to an art gallery do!) It is an intimidating place after all. The idea of creating a workspace in the gallery to is to get people through the doors initially, to come see how the work is made, to ponder, wander, mooch and look.
People who did come in did just that, a couple even took photographs, I mark this as a sign of a good impression if they want to take it away with them in someway. So all in all, it was nice to work outside of the studio and away from the setting I usually make work in. It felt quite like being a zoo animal with people gawking through the plane glass at me frowning, smiling or turning their noses up. Heres some work made whilst in the space:
People who did come in did just that, a couple even took photographs, I mark this as a sign of a good impression if they want to take it away with them in someway. So all in all, it was nice to work outside of the studio and away from the setting I usually make work in. It felt quite like being a zoo animal with people gawking through the plane glass at me frowning, smiling or turning their noses up. Heres some work made whilst in the space:
Some of the press and advertising for the event:
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| Sketchbook Archive |
Jenny Leonard will be at the gallery on November 12th exhibiting a wide selection of painting and collage works and making some pieces of work live at the gallery.
She will also be showing her archive of travel sketchbooks and journals that have informed her paintings over the years. Jenny has spent time living and working in Canada, America, Australia and New Zealand, and these precious books of sketches, notes and ideas will be on display for guests to peruse to see how this creative research informs the final outcome of paintings.
Jenny spent time over the last month creating handmade painted invites for this Saturday Debut and has invited local galleries, curators and art professionals to the event to see her work and realise her ideas through the feedback and opinions of the audience from seeing this body of work together as a whole for the first time.
Some upcoming contemporary art exhibitions at Debut Contemporary Gallery in Notting Hill. We hope you can make it! Link to some of my work at Debut Contemporary Gallery