Saturday 2 February 2013

Stock-taking!


It's exactly four years since the Dave Pearson Trust was formed in February 2009, six months after Dave Pearson's death. In that time a lot has happened. For anyone new to this blog, it has meant:
  • Moving all of his 15,000+ artworks out of the dilapidated studio
  • Rebuilding and major renovation of the inside of Dave's old studio and returning the artworks
  • Starting the job of cataloguing and organising of the paintings, drawings, prints and other artwork
  • Commissioning a comprehensive documentary film about Dave's work
  • Organising the showing of the film, now being shown regularly on the Community Channel
  • Overseeing the first major exhibition of Dave's work in London, co-curated by Edward Lucie-Smith
  • Publishing a booklet/catalogue with essays about Dave
  • Planning future exhibitions and on-going publicising of Dave's work
  • Developing links with local and other buyers, notably with the help of the See Gallery
  • Selling Dave's artwork, using the proceeds to support our work
The blog was something I started to chart the progress of the Trust as, in 2009, there were no guidelines as to how to go about what seemed a daunting task. All we had was our confidence that Dave Pearson's work was important and needed to be rescued from possible destruction, and then to be made known to the wide  world. 

So we've a lot to be happy about. The next four years? Well, we now have a part-time researcher and assistant, Ella Cole (pictured above), working so that cataloguing Dave's work is continuing on a more regular basis; Margaret Mytton is developing a new website to focus on Dave's small drawings and gouaches on the 'Book of Revelation'; I'm planning a major overhaul of our website; exhibitions are being planned in 2013; and I'm also going to concentrate on looking at major galleries as a home for one or two examples of Dave's major series of paintings. 

So plenty to get on with!

2 comments:

  1. I've added your blog into my website - which was created precisely last year because there are so few guidelines about what to do about the estates of artists and art collectors

    See Art after death - Resources for Artists & Art Collectors
    http://www.squidoo.com/artist-death

    I'll also be featuring your blog on my blog Making A Mark next week - as a reminder to artists of what comes next......

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  2. Katherine - thank you for your comments and the link. Although being left to manage an artists' estate must be a rare occurrence, for anyone finding themselves in that position it's, of course, a very real one, and there is almost nowhere to turn. Very few solicitors or art valuers have real knowledge of this area. Your website will be very helpful for anyone finding themselves in that position. I'll feature it, in turn, on my next blog. Thanks again. Bob.

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