The Morning After the Night Before

 

What better way to clear the head after the shambolic ramblings of the buffoon and the announcement of lockdown part 2 than a walk along the stormy shore.

I'm really pleased to say that I've already heard back from most of my guest artists and they are happy to join me in going ahead with what we can. It would be fantastic if everyone could spread the word, not just for my open house, but for all independent artists and makers who are struggling to make sense of the year. Just imagine what we're going to create next year with all this turbulence and uncertainty to get out of our systems.

The first of my artists begin delivering their work tomorrow so I'm going to start off with some of my own works. These are photographs taken early in the first lockdown and are available as a 15" by 10" image mounted and framed in black for £65 or as an unframed a4 image in an a3 mount for £20. Please email me at Bluebellwouldopenhouse@gmail.com to buy or for further information. 

Towards the Light by Bluebell Roebuck 

Flying by Bluebell Roebuck

Still here

 

So... after a long hiatus, here I am again. Open houses have been continuing in my absence from the blog which I abandoned in favour of a new toy (Instagram). But I'm back in anticipation of perhaps the strangest open house season of all.

Lockdown and the Coronavirus pandemic have been a nightmare for artists who have received very little of the help given to other industries. But art in its myriad forms is what gets us through the difficult times - whether it's books, music, television, or beautiful objects.

We are immensely grateful to the goodwill and appreciation that we have received from our customers but we are here on the verge of another rumoured lockdown which could affect the rescheduled Brighton artists open houses. 

I have already opened up the house to many more guest artists than usual to help them get exposure to more people and to give them selling opportunities in a year when so many events have been cancelled.

If we are unable to open for the whole planned event (21st November until 13th December), I am planning on posting images of everyone's work plus prices on here, and also on my Instagram stories/highlights with details of how you can buy them. It would be wonderful to have as many people as possible shopping from independent sellers this year. We know that we can't compete with the High Street in terms of price but we do create unique products.

Many of my artists do have online shops which I will be giving details of but if you are local to Brighton please consider buying via my open house as I charge a teeny weeny commission of 10% which means that the artists will get more of the purchase price than via other platforms. Please do have a look at their online shops too as there will be many more items than I can fit in my house!

Artists will begin dropping off their work over the next few weeks so please do keep checking back and spread the word as well. 

I've been really lucky in the amount of support my open house has had over the last ten years and would be particularly grateful if that could continue this Christmas.

Thanks for reading. 

Bluebell x 

Five Days to Go

Almost at the May Open Houses again. The house is starting to come together. I've managed to hang most of my photos and Ruth Mullan dropped off some of her stained glass today. It's going to be a busy week and the house will be changing by the day, if not by the hour.

Come and see us again, Saturdays and Sundays throughout May 11am-5pm.

Here's a preview of what you can expect.

Blue Rockpool by Margaret McGregor Betts

Murmuration by Bluebell Roebuck

Owl by Ruth Mullan

I think that we are gonna be friends by Vicky Scott

Artists Open Houses May 2017

Doesn't time fly? Seems like just a couple of weeks ago I was putting the house back together after the Christmas Open Houses and here we are again less than three weeks away from May. No new artists this year but lots of new work to look at and hopefully enjoy. Come along and see us - every Saturday and Sunday in May 11am-5pm.

Second Weekend Approaching

Didn't get to post these last week due to frantic tidying and setting up right up until half an hour before the Private View (as always). We had a great first weekend with plenty of visitors and sales so we have some new pictures on the walls to fill gaps. We're open again this weekend and next weekend 11am-5pm Saturday and Sunday so please come along and see us. Here's a taster of what awaits:

Beautifully soft and colourful hand knits from Bluebell Roebuck

Handpainted scarves from Daubs and Dashes - each one unique

A selection of wreaths by Alexis Rayner

Collages by Vicky Scott (prints and originals)

Jewellery by Helen Chong

A selection of Ruth Mullan's Christmas decorations

Cards for Christmas and other occasions by Vicky Ramsey

Del Thorpe's original drawing from books he has illustrated

Copperfoil doves by Ruth Mullan

Watercolours by Margaret McGregor Betts

Leonor Berdichevsky's pictures

Photography by Bluebell Roebuck

Almost Ready

Today the rest of the artists set up but, as I was delivering a child to a tech rehearsal for the English Youth Ballet's performance of Swan Lake, I was unable to take photos during daylight. Hopefully tomorrow I will be together enough to tidy the house, tidy myself and take photos to share on the blog before the private view starts. Meanwhile, here are some of my new photos, one of which inspired the creation of a new word by eldest child (who wouldn't believe it wasn't already in existence....)

View From a Bridge - Bluebell Roebuck

Whistical - Bluebell Roebuck

The Last Unicorn - Bluebell Roebuck

Grey Is So Not My Colour

Still raining and all the colour from the trees is quickly floating downwards but I really don't do grey so here's a splash of colour to cheer us all up.


A summer's day in Stanmer Park = "have you ever seen the grass so green - or a bluer sky?"

Actually went out to photograph the supermoon but civilisation got in the way. Uninterrupted views of a stunning sunset though.

Sadly, nothing so glamorous stripping the leaves from the tree outside our house:

Vicky Scott - Autumn

The tree will soon be looking like this although without the benefit of a turquoise pool.

Margaret McGregor Betts - Winter Reflections