ART SPACE IN THE WORK PLACE!

At a recent trip to a local restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised to see the walls displaying art work by local artists. The work was varied and interesting to look at as well as being for sale. The paintings were a conversation breaker and added to the general ambience within the restaurant.

t was refreshing to see and I commend the restaurant owners for being patrons of artists in this way. When I look at the canvases for sale in bargain stores with their horrendous starving artist quality of subjects, locations and people; my heart sinks.  Customers are offered such basic TAT; when they could be buying original art work instead. 

Some of these tacky prints can be up to £50, which is basically a print on a canvas board; a piece of paper which will be printed in their hundreds, whereas for maybe the same price people could buy an original piece of art that only they would own. It makes my heart weep when I see people leaving these stores with basically wallpaper art on large canvases useful only to cover gaps.

Local artists whether they are amateur or semi professional really deserve a better break and more recognition of their talent. More restaurants and cafes should be encouraged to follow this restaurant’s pioneering example. I recently visited a supermarket café, which had bland prints on the wall. They were dull in colour and added nothing to the décor or ambience of the café whereas my lovely husband’s landscapes would have brought a bright, energising atmosphere to the place; where people could enjoy looking at and appreciate someone’s talent at work.

 Local artists deserve a chance to have some recognition of their work and be given some display space. Surely other businesses or offices with wall space could be encouraged to follow this example. They have large areas of wall space that they could offer to artists; they could even charge 10% commission on any sales that are made from their hangings.

Now that I come to think about it, this idea could be extended to doctor’s and dentist surgeries, newspaper offices, solicitors and business offices. It would benefit twofold; brightening up drab soulless workspaces and allowing people to work in a more colourful and vibrant atmosphere; as well as spear-heading an artist’s recognition movement.

If anyone out there would like to try this idea in their office or place of work then why not have a look at my lovely husband’s website www.philipwestcott.co.uk. You never know you might find something there that will interest you.

I really do believe regardless of my connection to Philip’s work that art galleries should really be opening their doors and art space for new artists and I believe moving back to displaying more traditional, representational  art work, would be more accessible and appreciated by the viewing public. This art is just as valid in today’s society as the modern contemporary, conceptual work that is on show in many art galleries at the moment.
 
Thought for the day: Don’t wait for tomorrow; do it now!

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