The first couple of weeks of Cleopatra’s life were spent in relative tranquility, gazing out of the window of the Art House gallery in Orchard Street before she was abducted and taken to a warehouse where she was stabled with the rest of the herd. Whilst incarcerated, the donkeys were subjected to close interrogation and identity parades; and various news reports on T.V. and in the local press followed. During her internment, intense negotiations were undertaken to secure Cleopatra’s parole and the location for her public service. Following the assurance that she would be covered by ‘public indemnity insurance’ she was placed on the plinth in the forecourt of the Constitutional Club in Weston’s Boulevard; where the ‘officers and stewards’ would be able to keep her under surveillance. She remained for barely three days, when to the dismay of the club, she was re-arrested and taken back to the warehouse stables.

A display of public outrage at the vandals and an overwhelming plea for the return of the donkeys ensued. Following an appeal in the press, many local traders offered secure homes for the donkeys in their premises, where they would be safe from abuse. In Cleopatra’s case, more negotiations were undertaken, this time by her sponsors, and a place in Sainsbury’s at Queens Way, Worle was secured. Hopefully she is now safe and secure and can be appreciated by the many happy shoppers at this large supermarket.

Sometime in the autumn, the donkeys will be rounded up again and herded onto Weston’s newly re-built Grand Pier, where they will be auctioned to raise money for Children in Need and the RNLI. Who knows where Cleopatra will eventually end up – further reports may follow!

You can learn more about Cleopatra’s progress at the Art House on facebook.

With the end of the Africa World Cup, the time had come to replace the ‘African’ theme in the gallery window with something more current. A Summer Sale seemed to be an appropriate option to sell some older work. As Weston is a sea-side town, a sea-side theme was decided. Artworks of coastal scenes and sea-scapes in various styles were selected for display. Additional items such as sea-shells, fish nets and a bucket and spade were used; even an old life-belt was incorporated to add to the installation. If no sales are secured, at least the window display should entertain the passers-by?!

]]> http://the-art-house.com/?feed=rss2&p=243 http://the-art-house.com/?p=241 http://the-art-house.com/?p=241#comments Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:23:11 +0000 John Fiddes http://the-art-house.com/?p=241 A new restaurant was opening in Weston and I was approached by the owners to supply the artwork for their walls. Normally this would be a commission to create work to a specific design brief, but in this instance there was no time to start a new project as they were opening within a few days. I suggested that they might like to consider hiring some of my art pieces to tide them over their opening period. They had looked into hiring art from professional companies but the costs were prohibitive and involved long term contracts, whereas dealing with a local artist on a more personal level seemed more acceptable for a new business venture.

A deal was agreed and they selected some suitable art pieces and a short hire contract was drawn up. One of the advantages of this type of contract is its flexibility. The length of contract can be mutually established and on completion of the set period the artwork can be returned or exchanged for a different set of work and a new contract can be drawn up. Further advantages are that the artwork can be sold ‘off the wall’ and fresh artwork in the restaurant creates a new look for the customers on a regular basis.

I am in the process of creating some new art in the hope that the Indian Summer restaurant will be a great success and that they will continue to display my art for the foreseeable future. We are also planning some special offers for customers of the restaurant and for ‘art lovers’. Meanwhile, check out their website and if you are in the area check out their cuisine at 57 Whitecross Road, Weston-super-Mare.

Two men who pleaded guilty to selling fake prints by the graffiti artist  Banksy were condemned as “old-fashioned conmen” by a judge today, although they escaped jail with suspended sentences. Grant Champkins-Howard, 44, and Lee Parker, 45, fooled customers on the internet auction site eBay into believing they were buying originals by the secretive artist. They claimed the copies were produced by Pictures on Walls, a company which has exclusive rights to produce authentic Banksy prints. The pair made tens of thousands of pounds from the scam and shattered confidence in the market for Banksy’s work, the court heard.

Passing suspended sentences of 12 months for both men, Judge Suzan Matthews said: “Neither of you should be under any illusion that I regard both of you as nothing more than a pair of old-fashioned conmen. You saw a way, and exploited a way, of making a quick and easy profit.” They were both ordered to perform 240 hours community service.

The court heard that Pictures on Walls produces tag-stamped and limited edition screen prints of Bansky’s signature stencilled images. Champkins-Howard and Parker persuaded both collectors and novice buyers to part with up to £2,000 each for fake prints. They claimed to have already built their own collection of Banksy posters, only deciding to cash in when the value of originals soared.

Police seized 120 prints, including some that were genuine, during a raid on Champkins-Howard’s home after a two-month investigation last year. Richard Mandel, prosecuting, said Champkins-Howard persuaded one buyer to pay £1,300 for a fake print called Turf War which depicts Winston Churchill with a mohican. When another potential customer became suspicious after being offered £2,000 for a specific print, Champkins-Howard managed to find him the real thing. “The defendants did have clever management in place,” Mendel said.The pair admitted the five-month scam, between January 1 and June 19 last year. The judge said: “Regardless of their state of knowledge, they [purchasers] were talked into parting with substantial sums of money, believing they were acquiring something of value - they were buying fakes.” An eBay spokesman said the firm was delighted with the verdict after working with Metropolitan police on the investigation. “Our long-standing commitment to this case highlights our intolerance for those fraudsters who attempt to sell fake items on our site,” he said.

Hopefully ‘Cleopatra’ will entertain the ‘kids’ and amuse the ‘adults’. The Donkey Parade will run throughout the summer in Weston-super-Mare and will culminate when the donkeys are herded onto the new Grand Pier for a charity auction.

View the donkeys progress on the Art House facebook page

After removing the acres of bubble wrap I realised just how big this thing is – it’s virtually life-size! With only a couple of weeks to complete the project I would have to keep the design simple, there was no time for an elaborate masterpiece. Although I have worked on large canvases and painted small models before I have never tried painting on the curvaceous surface of a huge animal before. So - quite a daunting task, but no going back now.

‘Out of Africa’ the African Series is now available to view at the Art House Gallery and is also for sale in our online shop.

Local artist Nick Sparks, who has designed one of the donkeys says, “The idea is based on the ‘Pigs in Bath’ project of 2008, to help celebrate 200 years of tourism in Weston. I put my name down to paint one of the full size donkeys which will be initially placed around the town before being herded onto the pier to be auctioned for charity later in the year. Each of the beasts is sponsored by a local business. Mine is sponsored by Wookey Hole Caves so I have tried to give it an air of the mystical to go along with their witch theme. The surrealist in me is attracted by the idea of brightly painted donkeys spread around the town- perhaps being attracted here in search of the legendary giant carrot????”

There will be more to come on this project - Visit the Donkey Parade website here.