I have opened my house for
the past five years. My home and studio are in the Seven
Dials area.
I first decided to open my house to let people see my
art work and hear what they had to say - I value their
responses to it. The feedback is very direct and most
useful. There is also a feeling of pride and of having
given something to the community and to Brighton. In a
gallery situation there is sometimes the risk that the
artists’ contact with his audience will be rather
rushed and superficial.
The only disadvantages to staging an open house are simply
practical - staffing the exhibition for a month of weekends
can be psychologically exhausting.
An open house needs good advertising and good art works
to exhibit, attractively presented. It is also important
to have an open door, with friendly staff in the house
to make people welcome. Reasonable space, both for the
work and visitors is important, as is adequate lighting.
The exhibitions and surrounding preparations are invaluable.
