Featured Artists

An interview with Anna Wilson-Patterson

How long have you been participating in SEOS?
2010 will be my third year.

What is your training and background?
I completed a B.A. History of Design in 1990 and a Post Graduate Certificate in Art & Design Education in 1991. Later three Open College of the Arts Painting Courses. My first proper job was managing a Latin American Craft and Culture Centre followed by 15 years community work in Brighton & Hove. I led urban regeneration projects including public art and festivals. Since 2007 I have been resident artist/director of Arts Hut.

What are your expectations for participating in this year’s event? How do you set about achieving these for yourself?
I expect to receive visitors but don’t set targets for numbers or sales. I find two or three people prove to be absolutely fascinating and I benefit greatly from their knowledge or contacts. I have distributed SEOS publicity and sent email invites to my mailing list and a few gallery owners. Plus issued press releases and I will show highlights on my blog. I am hoping to meet other artists by going to private views and visiting their studios where possible. My studio is part of a small trail and Mr PWP has designed some swish posters for us to distribute.

You set up ‘Arts Hut’ in Herstmonceux, can you tell us a little about what it is and your reasons for becoming a gallery/shop owner?
Arts Hut is my ‘Open Studio’ that is open Weds – Sat all year round. It is our home, workplace and gallery. I met my very supportive husband (aka Mr PWP) in 2003. I wanted out of the rat race and my idea of a perfect life is to draw, paint and run a Gallery. Mr PWP has always run his own graphic design business and was happy to share working space and move from Brighton to the Sussex countryside. Arts Hut has evolved organically; I promote home-grown rural art in seasonal collections of work by 21 local artists and makers. In June I hang a solo show of my own work, as part of South East Open Studios.

What are the challenges and benefits of having an opinion of arts and craft from both the creative and a commercial perspective?
The challenges occur mostly at Christmas, when I feel under pressure from visitors to source unique hand-made pieces such as ceramics and textiles for under £20. The benefits are hearing visitors exclaim and enthuse about the work. We get incredible feedback that can make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up or bring a tear to my eye.

How does this inform your own work?
I always present my work to the highest standard I can afford, so its looks elegant, neat and clean. I take drawings and monoprints to our local framer to be mounted & wrapped in cellophane for the browsers or framed for the walls. If I have to leave canvases unframed, I neatly paint the edges in a neutral colour. I also have Greeting and Christmas cards professionally printed to meet the demand for lower cost pieces.

How do you maintain a critical opinion of your work? What or who are your quality and contextual framework?
I am very lucky to have two artist friends who visit my studio regularly and comment on my latest work. If I feel stuck they provide a verbal crowbar. I visit local artist studios, galleries and conduct internet research, plus subscribe to various artist magazines. For context I see my work and Arts Hut as following in the footsteps of the Bloomsbury Group or artists such as Eric Ravilious, responding creatively to the Sussex landscape and rural life at a specific moment in time.

How do you approach thinking about selecting for framing and presenting your work?
Instinctively I judge work as successful or not. I look for strong composition, colour and texture.  I try to discipline myself to work in consistent sizes, using the same style of mounts and frames.

What is your golden rule for selecting work for exhibition?
Some pieces just leap out as successful, work with elements that ‘nag’ stay hidden in the studio and get painted over.

What are your top tips for artists and makers in preparing for presenting their work for either Open Studio or to take to a gallery?
An artist turned up once at Arts Hut, unannounced, with loose paintings inside a crumpled black bin bag. He was insistent I should look at his work. He had no idea we promote local artists and rural art. People like him are the reason Arts Hut now has an Application Form for artists wanting to exhibit with us.
My top tips are get the basics right – don’t present dirty or scratched work in a bag normally used for rubbish! Don’t use cheap frames unsealed at the back or even worse, bodge your own together. For galleries, do your research, ask for their policy for artists to submit work, some will ask for jpgs, some will happily look at your website. If you are invited to an interview, arrive on time and show them the work you currently have for sale, carried/presented in some kind of clean folder/box.

How do you approach pricing your own work?
As an artist in the early stages of my career, I keep a close eye on other local artists prices, the larger the painting the higher the price. My life size cattle paintings take many weeks to complete and start at £400. I also work on quicker mono prints that I price at £100 and greeting cards from £2.

What advice do you offer artists pricing their work for ‘Arts Hut’? What are the factors you consider contribute to the appreciation of an artist or makers ticket price?
I encourage artists to think about costs including rent, salary, electricity, petrol, insurance and of course materials. Originality, technical skill, technique, imagination and professional finish contribute.

Is the commission taken by galleries and shops fair? How can artists and makers factor this into their pricing and sales outside of the gallery, like those through Open Studio events? (an unfair question perhaps).
I show my work at galleries that take 40% or less commission from the sale price, which I think is fair. For that commission I expect the gallery will work hard to sell my work, promote me in their publicity, give me feedback, pay me promptly and keep me informed of their events.
I would advise artists and makers to factor in 40% commission fees into their prices. For example if I priced an original print at £100 and sold it at my Open Studio I would receive the full £100. If I sold it through my online shop I would pay my website provider 8% commission, through an open house 15% commission, through another gallery 40% commission. My priority is that my customer would pay £100 for that piece of work irrespective of where/how they bought it.

What inspires you?
Walking our hounds through the countryside at dawn and dusk every day, my cottage garden and the local coastline. I have passing obsessions such as  cattle, poultry, vintage tractors and sighthounds. Now summer is here, I am feeling inspired by wildflowers.

How do you keep yourself fresh and your skills updated?
I write a modest development plan for both my own work and Arts Hut each year and respond positively to invites and opportunities. I join in community projects like the Sussex Farmlife Calendar and I organise an annual Christmas Arts Trail, where I encourage people living on our village high street to decorate their windows, houses and roofs to a theme.

Favourite historical artist?
With significant restraint I can manage a top three of Egon Schiele, Joan Eardley and Patrick Heron.

Favourite living artist?
My top three are Margaretann Bennett, Pieter Pander and Sandra Flood.

Least favourite?
Any artists who produce airbrushed fantasy art.

Do you work best on your own or in collaboration?
On my own for creating work, although I really enjoy exhibiting with others. I run for the hills when collaboration starts to resemble a committee meeting.

When and where can we see more of your work? (list any shows/events you are participating in, websites, blogs etc..)
My South East Open Studio runs from 4th – 20th June, Weds – Sat, 9am – 5pm. Other times by prior arrangement.
Hopefully the ‘refreshed’ Arts Hut website will glide into place on, if not before, June 4th www.artshut.com
This links both to my online shop www.annawilsonpatterson.com
And to my ‘behind the scenes’ blog www.annawilsonpatterson.blogspot.com


We aim to feature an interview on the website every month with highlights of the interviews included in the bi-monthly newsletters so take this opportunity to increase your exposure and tell us of your story.

If you would like to be interviewed for the newsletter please contact the chairman. Interviews are questionnaire based and are sent at your leisure to complete and return with a photo.