You may have seen Willow’s recent article in Homes & Gardens about curating an art collection from affordable art, a subject we are well versed in and passionate about.
She mentioned taking part in the Soden Gallery’s Secret Artist Sale, which took place last week. Now the cat is out of the bag, we can share pictures with you. Jonathan Soden masterminded the exhibition and passed on a note from someone who queued from 8am. He’s in his seventies and wrote: “Huge congratulations and thanks for an extraordinary and unique experience… it’s amazing, exhausting and life-affirming… the conviviality among total strangers in the line is remarkable… biscuits and coffee, I can’t think of anywhere else that could happen.” Jonathan says, “It’s wonderful to know the event touches people like this; it really spurs me on for the next one.”
Willow’s piece was a watercolour of the Kemp family’s ruby Cavalier King Charles spaniel puppy, Rupert, spotting a New Forest pony on the beach for the first time. The sky is as blue as blue can be and we can almost smell the ozone from the sea lapping the pebbles on the beach in the background as Rupert perches, his little furry ears pricked. The sure-footed and friendly pony with a white striped face must appear massive to Rupert.
We love taking part in creative events, big and small, bringing communities together for great causes and it really is true that art is for all.
