![13966527164_67807f2b7c_b[1]](https://bridgetmacklin.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/13966527164_67807f2b7c_b1.jpg)
Delivering my work was exciting. I have not had to queue to hand over my art before but here I joined a long trail which snaked along a landing and down the rather impressive staircase of the Arts Centre to await my turn for the big handover. By the time I reached the front of the line I was feeling rather pompous; how important must I be to be joining such illustrious company! ‘So,’ I asked in my chattiest, “Oh this is all perfectly natural to me” voice, ‘What are the arrangements for the Private View?’ I confess that I was a bit taken aback by the response. It turned out that this exhibition was not for the glory of the artists at all. No free prosecco and canapé for me! Oh no, this, it turned out, was for the benefit of those who have committed to living or working on the new development. What a remarkable idea – an exhibition of art where the focus was on people who might like to buy art! The private view was for them to have the opportunity to look around and buy a reminder of the history of the site. So that put me well and truly in my place!
It felt strange to hand over my work for someone else to curate it. I said a tender farewell to my treasures, still cosseted in their bubble wrap (what did we do before that stuff was invented), with no idea how they might be presented. As I entered the exhibition on the Saturday morning I was a bit put out to discover that one of my pieces was apparently just ‘dumped’ with quite a lot of clutter around it on the table at the top of the stairs. However, before I could grumble to my husband, he pointed to the little red dot on the card inside it. Sold! Whilst I wasn’t even there!!
At the end of the weekend I returned to fetch the second of my pieces, which had not sold. With amazement I discovered that the first piece had been bought by the organisers of the development who want it for their archive. So I am over the moon to be able to report that I now have my first ceramic piece in a London collection. Where and when it will be on show I have no idea but I am terrifically excited to know that my vessel was considered to be a useful reference for the power station, after all, that is what my pieces are meant to do; tell a story. So I think I can safely say that this time I got something right.
Next weekend is the
Bridget Macklin 
Well done, and what a fab venue. Went there on Friday, saw your pots. My companion’s sister knows one of the 2D artists exhibiting there, and what a fascinating show – variety. Mind you, I don’t want to see another depiction of that power station for at least a year – the show was overpowering.
…. Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair at the Old Granada Studios in Manchester. Do come along! I shall be setting up on Wed evening. Thursday evening is Private View with the show open to the general public Fri 9 Oct to Sun 11 Oct.