Worthing’s Museum and Art Gallery is located in the centre of the town, next to the Town Hall on Chapel Road and just a short walk from the Montague and Warwick Street shopping areas. It is operated by the Leisure and Cultural services department of Worthing Borough Council, entry is free and it is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-5pm. Having first opened in 1908, Worthing Museum and Art Gallery has just recently celebrated its centenary. The elegant Edwardian building houses the largest museum in West Sussex. With thousands of artefacts and objects in its collection, it is able to make a large number display of local and national interest. The museum has over a thousand dolls that range in date from the late eighteenth century to the 1980s. As well as dolls from famous makers, there are unusual examples such as the peddler doll that has a head made from a pickled apple and a fertility doll that is reputed to have helped an Eliza Westwood to have thirteen children in the nineteenth century. The growing collection of toys includes bears of all shapes and sizes and all sorts of Victorian toys as well as jigsaw puzzles, board and card games. A recent bequest of the Colin Mears Collection of children’s books and associated material documents the history of 20th Century Childhood. There is an excellent display of Worthing’s geological past and how the local chalk downs, Wealden clays and sandstones were formed. The fossil collection includes those that are typical of the chalk hills of the South Downs as well as the tusk and tooth of a woolly mammoth and remains of an Iguanadon. The displays take us through the archaeology of the area with finds from the oldest flint mines in the country (New Stone Age), Bronze Age, Roman and Saxon times. Amongst them are the remains of an Anglo-Saxon long boat that once ferried up to four passengers at a time across the river Arun, an ancient Egyptian glass vase with a Greek inscription, found at the Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Highdown and as well as many Roman coins, the Patching hoard of gold coins. The more recent past of life on the South Downs and the development of Worthing as a popular seaside resort over the last two hundred years or so is represented in a number of displays. There are typical scenes of a Downland kitchen, a Victorian nursery and bathing in the sea as well as a large collection of objects and photographs. The costume and textile collections date from the 17th century until present day. The diverse costume collection comes from all over Britain and covers a whole range of types of clothing for different occasions. The textiles cover all aspects of needlework, domestic furnishings and pictures in wools and silks. Upstairs, the collection of fine art not only covers local artists and those linked to Sussex, but also works representing a wide range of styles which includes Bianca (1869), a painting by William Holman Hunt who was one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Exhibitions and themed displays of the museum’s own collections are frequently held in the Norwood Gallery. The current display celebrates the Museums centenary. Here and downstairs there are many examples of decorative art such as glass and ceramics which include local pottery and souvenir pieces. To finish the tour of the museum, there is a Sculpture Garden at the back of the building where interesting sculpture exhibitions are held three times a year.
Posts Tagged ‘gallery’
Worthing Museum and Art Gallery
December 15th, 2009City of Plymouth Museum & Art Gallery
December 14th, 2009Located in the Drake Circus region of Plymouth, City of Plymouth Museum and Art Gallery in England is the biggest and finest museum and art gallery in the city. Built according to typical Edwardian Style, this exceptional English museum and art gallery was built in 1907. This stunning museum was built by the famous Thornely and Rooke. Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery boasts an extensive collection of fine and decorative arts, natural history together with human history. The natural history section alone features more than 150,000 specimens. There is also a significant natural history library and archive. Highlights of the natural history collection are relics from Dartmoor, Bronze and Iron Age objects from Mount Batten and post-medieval and medieval discoveries from Plymouth. There are also important artefacts from ancient Egypt, Europe and Middle East. The arts collection is also equally extensive. It consists of 750 easel paintings, more than 3,000 watercolours and drawings, 5,000 prints and a considerable number of sculptures. A significant amount of art was contributed to the Plymouth Museum by renowned artist William Cotton in 1852. Today it has become popular as the Cottonian Collection. The art gallery also includes a large number of fine works done by local artists such as Robert Lenkiewicz, artists of the Newlyn School and St. Ives group of painters. The newly opened galleries at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery are, bringing the World to Plymouth, Ancient Egypt, Uncovered and Plymouth Port and Place. The museum’s collection is on the rise each year due to the donations of generous Plymouthians. This impressive museum and art gallery also purchases important artefacts relating to Plymouth Heritage. Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery continues to preserve and exhibit its vast collection offering enjoyment and awareness to locals as well as international visitors. Visitors can easily board in at a Plymouth Hotel such as Copthorne Hotel Plymouth and further explore this unique museum and art gallery.
City of Plymouth Museum & Art Gallery
December 14th, 2009Located in the Drake Circus region of Plymouth, City of Plymouth Museum and Art Gallery in England is the biggest and finest museum and art gallery in the city. Built according to typical Edwardian Style, this exceptional English museum and art gallery was built in 1907. This stunning museum was built by the famous Thornely and Rooke. Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery boasts an extensive collection of fine and decorative arts, natural history together with human history. The natural history section alone features more than 150,000 specimens. There is also a significant natural history library and archive. Highlights of the natural history collection are relics from Dartmoor, Bronze and Iron Age objects from Mount Batten and post-medieval and medieval discoveries from Plymouth. There are also important artefacts from ancient Egypt, Europe and Middle East. The arts collection is also equally extensive. It consists of 750 easel paintings, more than 3,000 watercolours and drawings, 5,000 prints and a considerable number of sculptures. A significant amount of art was contributed to the Plymouth Museum by renowned artist William Cotton in 1852. Today it has become popular as the Cottonian Collection. The art gallery also includes a large number of fine works done by local artists such as Robert Lenkiewicz, artists of the Newlyn School and St. Ives group of painters. The newly opened galleries at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery are, bringing the World to Plymouth, Ancient Egypt, Uncovered and Plymouth Port and Place. The museum’s collection is on the rise each year due to the donations of generous Plymouthians. This impressive museum and art gallery also purchases important artefacts relating to Plymouth Heritage. Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery continues to preserve and exhibit its vast collection offering enjoyment and awareness to locals as well as international visitors. Visitors can easily board in at a Plymouth Hotel such as Copthorne Hotel Plymouth and further explore this unique museum and art gallery.
The Art Gallery and Gift Shop Business
December 12th, 2009A business that includes a picture framing business, an art gallery and a gift shop is a business that has an excellent chance of succeeding. If the location is high traffic this will get potential customers to stop and go through the gallery. If your shop is located in a tourist area you may get an entirely different group to visit your store depending on the time of year.
The gift and framing business should give the store a constant cash flow and the gallery will help the bottom line each quarter. Pictures and art works are an individual like or dislike. What one person would find a must have item another could pass on without a second thought. This means in the gallery you will need to have some variety of art and pictures.
Two attributes are needed to be a successful gallery owner. You must be passionate about art and you must be a good businessman with really good people skills. Negotiating the sale of an expensive piece of art is not a take it or leave it type of sale. It takes some skill and a willingness to deal to make the sale happen.
Start a store, Buy a store, Buy into a Franchise
These are three of the ways to get started in this business. Starting from scratch is the least expensive in start up cost, but also the most difficult to make successful. Buying an existing store is wise for some people as there is already some cash flow and a customer base. Buying into a franchise may offer some advantages, but the buyer should really study the franchise offer and make sure they can live with any restrictions that are part of buying into the franchise.
All of these options have merits and a plus and minus check off system will let you understand better the difference between the ideas. The amount of money you have available for the startup or purchase will also be a determining factor on which way you go. Buying a successful shop that has a clientele is not a bad way to go and may offer the greatest chance of success. Also the current owner may be willing to finance part of the sale price.
A business broker could be of help in finding businesses that are for sale. They would probably be of help in locating potential properties that are up for purchase. They also may be able to give you some solid advice on how much to pay.
Where to find items to sell
Estate sales, eBay and the Internet offer items that could be purchased by a knowledgeable buyer. If you know what the market is looking for or are good at seeing a fad develop, you could find some bargains in these venues. There are many Internet companies that will offer you smaller items for the gift shop and for impulse type purchases. Unusual and visual are two of the prerequisites for items for your shop. People are attracted to the unusual and the more visual the item is the more likely the sale.
Another way to find items for sale is to build up a list of artists that are willing to let you represent their work. Meeting local art teachers and art groups may also let you find an artist before they become famous. Art and craft fairs and shows are another way to find items that could be sold in your shop.
Join any mailing list you can find for people in this business. The more information you have, the better you are able to stay up with what is happening.
Location is important
Location is always important in any retail business. If you wish to sell at the higher end of the art world you better plan on having a prestigious address. Tourist type shops can be on a retail street or in a shopping strip. Good traffic is the key to being successful. You need the walk-by traffic to get people in your shop. The casual shoppers can turn into a customer that spends some real money if your items catch their fancy. You never know who will pull out a credit card and buy the most expensive item in the shop.
Advertising the business
This unusual business lends itself to mail campaigns and e-mail notices. Local radio and TV may work, but you will need to try it on a small level first to see what kind of a response you get from your ads.
A current Internet site is a great way to push the new items in your store. You must have the capability to change your web pages yourself, as you need to make the changes. A stale website is never a good idea. It must be kept fresh. You may want to see what other shops do to gain business if you have some contacts in the business.
Conclusions
This business is different and can be a very interesting way to make money. Inventory turnover will keep people coming back to see what you are currently displaying. One-man shows and special types of art can also bring in the old and new customers. Finding a constant source of new items is the art of running a successful business. New ideas, art pieces and gift items are necessary to stay current in the business. This is the only way to get old customers to stop in and see you again. If your items are stale, the old customers will grow bored with seeing the same thing each time they stop.
New artist and new art pieces will always be a new experience for customers. If you are lucky enough to find an up and coming artist, your shop could become very busy if you are representing the artist. Unknowns can be valuable too, as customers always want to be the first to recognize a new talent.
The range of possibilities in this business is only contained by your imagination. This is the great part of this kind of a business. It is always changing and keeping your interest in what is going on in the creative world.
Auckland Art Gallery
December 11th, 2009The principal art gallery in Auckland, New Zealand, this venue features the most extensive collection of national and international art in New Zealand. The gallery was established in 1888 and was the first permanent art gallery in New Zealand. It still remains the largest art institution in the country to date, and features a collection that numbers over 12,500 pieces of artwork. The gallery consists of two different buildings, the original building is known as the Main Gallery while the new gallery is located opposite. The Main Gallery opened as the city’s free Public Library and Municipal Offices. It was only later on in that same year that a section that was dedicated to art was opened. Over time the prominence of the art gallery and its popularity lead it to take over the entire building which had been enlarged while the city library and municipal offices had moved to a nearby building. Because of its historic origins the building proudly demonstrates itself as an impressively powerful structure featuring grand old style architecture. One of the strongest components of this regal quality is the impressive and enormous clock tower that is the highest point of the building. The New Gallery that is located directly opposite was opened in 1995 and was originally designed to function as a telephone exchange. However after some intensive remodeling was undertaken the building was fit for usage as a contemporary art gallery. The art gallery like many other institutions of its kind regularly hosts different exhibitions that relate to different themes created by various artists. In addition there are also special programs that only require the payment of the standard exhibition fee but involve special meetings with artists, discussions with industry experts and more. Staying in one of the Auckland hotels that is located nearby this destination such as Langham Hotel Auckland allows guests to easily access this destination and several others that are located in the area.
What is an Art Gallery
December 8th, 2009Art galleries are venues to showcase the works of art of each participating artist. Collections in art galleries are rapidly changing and there is a rapid turnover with the items being sold in the Art galleries as people rush around to buy what has been featured in the last several weeks. Special exhibits are often done and it may include an individual artist or several artists or art guilds to be involved. These individual artists work with their most priced masterpiece in the exhibit.
Paintings, sculptures and even photography can be held on exhibit. In this way, art galleries promote the appreciation of the arts. Emerging artists benefit much from the advent of art galleries. They have that zeal and enthusiasm that is strongly needed to add a little spice on their painting careers. A platform is usually provided to hive much emphasis for the items. Art galleries allow the collection of a commission on the sales done for the art gallery items. In some cases, when going out an art exhibit there is an admission fee being collected. Artists sometimes pay exhibit fees to allow each and every single artist who is interested in joining with the exhibit.
Visual art is the usual work being exhibited in art galleries. Paintings are the most featured form of visual art which are being placed in an exhibit. Other galleries feature a wide array of art forms. Sculpture and photography can also be included for an exhibit. Certain types of art galleries do have this sort of specialization in order to accommodate a certain type of art work with much attention and order. For this reason the photo galleries and sculpture gardens exist in order to provide art enthusiasts for photography and sculpture can have a fulfilling time spent in the art gallery because of the wide array of exhibits to check out and appreciate. There has been a lot of art galleries existing in the world and these art galleries has been a seat for knowledge and exploration of artistic and creative prowess.
The captivating beauty of nature from all around the world has been the general highlight for art galleries. Every single day, a lot of artists produce and create an entirely unique masterpiece with their own personal touch and creativity and all of these artworks are being placed on art galleries for the public to view or to give the public the chance to purchase any art form that they find suitable for them.
As mentioned earlier, art galleries have various purposes to serve why they held such art exhibit. Art galleries aim to promote the art enthusiasts to appreciate a mounted platform by a particular artist. The galleries have gained much popularity because of the growth in awareness that art such as painting, sculptor and alike can calm this jittery world we live in. When you try to check the internet, you will see that the demand for art and artists are getting stronger. In this regard, online galleries are available to help out those art enthusiasts to enjoy their most loved form of art right in the comforts of their own homes.
Val Cannon joins the Inspired Art Gallery
December 7th, 2009Inspired Art are delighted to inform you that Val Cannon has joined our team! We have seen a lot of Val’s work and we are very excited to have her join the team of artists at Inspired Art. Val has worked for the last 5 years as an artist and is creating some fantastic work for us all to enjoy. “My art is from my heart. I am inspired by the people who I meet in life and places I have been. I very much enjoy the process of creation and as a result my paintings and drawings are expressive and unique. “We are always on the lookout for new artists who will inspire you to buy online art and in Val we are certain you will love the quality of her work. It is our goal to give our customers the opportunity to buy unique original art online, and from a trusted gallery, that is why we work very hard to ensure you have the best artists available to select from. Val’s work has always been in high demand and this is something which we feel makes her stand out from the crowd in terms of her art. If you want to view her work in more detail then you can do so here Val Cannon Art. Everyone at Inspired Art would like to make Val feel very welcome in our team and we hope our Inspired Art Club members are as happy with the introduction of Val Cannon’s work as we are. Join the Inspired Art Club? Join The Club Members of the club receive regular updates on Inspired Art and the new artists we have onboard. Written by – Lewis Rae
