A Passion for Colour: Monoprints by Manfred Welling

Manfred Welling's first solo exhibition with Curwen Gallery; "A Passion for Colour", is currently showing in our upstairs gallery. It is a unique exhibition of his newest monoprints, made by transfering an image from a matrix to paper using an etching press.

One of the stars of the show, Blue Cliff, sold moments after the exhibition opened.

One of the original works, Earthflow,
sold quickly on the opening night.

These matrices can consist of natural and man-made materials such as various kinds of paper and fabric, leaves, grasses and other plant materials, plastic film as well as etching and collagraph plates. Each is a one off artwork which cannot be replicated.

The exhibition really surprised us when we first encountered it as we had long been acquainted with Manfred Welling as a regular visitor to the gallery but only fairly recently saw his work and decided to give him his first solo exhibition with us.

 The exhibition was originally scheduled for last year, but was postponed because of the essential building work in the gallery during the original timing. Since last year however huge developments have been made in Welling's style with the newer works feeling more resolved than the works chosen for the exhibition last year.

New work Gyras is still available for purchase.

Although the process used to produce the newer work remains largely the same, his new pieces have a completely different substance to them, being more reminiscent of microscopic images of cells rather than the original works which spoke more of landscape contours and natural phenomena.

 Blue Dawn,one of the newest works on show,
Sold in the first few days of the exhibition.

Much of the exhibition has already sold, however there are still some great works available to buy. One of the gallery's favourite works, Illusion, is still available for £225 framed. Call the gallery on 0207 323 4700, to arrange a purchase. There are a number of people interested in this piece however, so check the gallery website for current availability.

Manfred Welling, Illusion, £225

To see a selection of Manfred Welling's work, click here (opens in a new window) see the exhibition on the gallery website.

Curwen Gallery Auctions 2013: A Taste of Things to Come...

Many of you will remember the excitement of the Curwen Gallery Auctions, held last Summer on 26th and 27th June. The Live Auction was one of the most hotly anticipated nights of Summer 2012 for many of our friends, clients and fellow dealers. Most of our bidders will confirm that few experiences in life match the elation of placing a winning bid on a much loved favourite picture, especially when purchased for a fraction of it's normal retail price.

Artist Bill Pryde inspects a bumper crop of bargains,
200+ pictures hanging salon style for the two weeks prior to the auction itself

Last year all the work was on display in the gallery for two weeks prior to the auctions themselves, with around 200 pictures hanging salon style, from floor to ceiling. This year a similar amount will be on show, with a selection of treasures standing out from the crowd as potential bargains and sound investments.

HOT TIP FOR LIVE AUCTION 2013
Lucy Willis, Looking Towards the Church, Xaghra,
watercolour, 38 x 57cm
Estimate £1000-1500, previously sold for £2150

Last year saw some of the much discussed treasures of the Curwen Gallery collection being sold for very reasonable sums. Many of these works were from  past masters such as John Piper, Henry Moore and Graham Sutherland, all excellent investment pieces, bought for very reasonable prices by astute clients.

HOT TIP FOR LIVE AUCTION 2013
Sir Terry Frost, Suspended Forms
Estimate £1000- £1500

 As with all auctions the excitement came from the distinct possibility that much of the work on show could be purchased for less than it's normal price. This year will be no different: No lots will have reserves on, in many cases the bidding will start at as low as £10 and there will be no hidden premiums; the hammer price will be the price paid.

HOT TIP FOR ONLINE AUCTION 2013
Patrick Hughes, Poets Typewriter
Estimate: £500- £700

HOT TIP FOR ONLINE AUCTION 2013
Chloe Cheese Portfolio (6 Prints)
Estimate £1000-1500

In the auction catalogue there will be work from the majority of our gallery artists as well as some very special pieces from Royal Academicians and other past masters.The Live Auction will be held in the gallery on the evening of Tuesday 23rd July, the Online Auction will end at 9pm on  Monday 22nd July.  Make sure you keep the dates free to avoid disapointment.

Visit http://www.curwengallery.co.uk/auction/index.htm for more information on the Auctions

LOOKING BACK TO LAST YEAR

In the Live Auction, lots were called in the gallery by our good friend,actor and original print dealer Dominic Kemp. Many new faces as well as old friends, clients and competitors all turned out on one of the hottest evenings of the year. There was even an appearance from a stray swarm of bees, which managed to find there way into the gallery mid-auction.All was managed with the utmost of calm though, with auctioneer Dominic Kemp keeping a cool head in the midst of often frenzied bidding.

Dominic Kemp, Auctioneer. Minus monocle and mustache on the night.

Every lot in the Online Auction and the majority of works in the Live Auction were sold and it would be fair to say that nearly everyone present on the night got involved with the bidding.
The two events were such a great experience for us all we have decided to do it again this year! Here are a few of the bargains picked up by lucky bidders last year. Keep your eyes peeled for updates to the listings for this year's auctions, they will be released in the next month or so.

Two very wise investment pieces, purchased for a reasonable price last year.

BARGAIN FROM 2012 AUCTIONS
Graham Sutherland, Submerged Form
lithograph, estimate £700-900
Hammer Price: £980

BARGAIN FROM 2012 AUCTIONS
Henry Moore, Two Heads
lithograph, estimate £1000-1500
Hammer Price: £1240

THE BARGAIN OF THE AUCTION: Gallery favourite; Paul Hogarth, Gsteig purchased for 10% of it's normal retail price.

BARGAIN FROM 2012 AUCTIONS
Paul Hogarth, Gsteig
lithograph, 75 x 62cm
Hammer Price: £35

An original Peter Blake collage, the design from the catalogue of our Northern Graduates catalogue, a quirky piece bought by a particularly astute collector.

BARGAIN FROM 2012 AUCTIONS
Peter Blake, Cover for Northern Graduates Catalogue
Collage, 56 x 79cm
 Hammer Price: £900

Bold of Colour and Smooth of Surface: Paintings by Julia Brooker with Furniture by Bim Burton

Smooth surfaces and bright colours are two of many similarities shared by Bim Burton and Julia Brooker. At a glance though, neither artist would be an obvious choice for a joint exhibition, both having a particularly unique style which could easily dominate a space,forcing other works into their shade. However in this exhibition their paring feels natural, with neither hogging the lime-light and the works of both artists forming a harmonious balance within the space.
 
 Bim Burton's furniture takes a playful approach to functionality, with bright colours and angular lines making bold statements while maintaining usability. In the past his furniture has formed quirky centrepieces in corporate spaces as well as gracing the private residences of pop stars such as Tina Turner and George Micheal and furnishing galleries such as Saatchi, Victoria Miro and Curwen.

 

Bim Burton, Petal Tables,
birch plywood with laminated surface, height 45cm,
£90 each, £500 for full set of 6 (during exhibition only)

Julia Brooker's abstract paintings on aluminium are particular favourites with interior designers and architects and are a regular choice of Curwen Gallery's when furnishing corporate spaces. The secret of their success is in the simplicity of the composition of each work.Unhindered by tangible forms, each painting becomes a bright and colourful space on a wall. Because they don't make any complex demands of the viewer, these paintings can be inserted into numerous environments without disrupting the ambience, while still making a strong statement.

Julia Brooker, Barbara Anne,
acrylic on aluminium, 125 x 125 cm,
£1650

Both artists are will be showing at Curwen Gallery until 1st June.For more information, as well as images of works in the exhibition, see the gallery website for each artist:
Julia Brooker here
Bim Burton here