From Little Things Big Things Grow

Yesterday was one of those red letter days.  Michael was finally rewarded for the hard slog to bring the East End Gallery to life. Yesterday, we sold our first art piece.

I drove "The Pod" carefully to Northam to its new home. I was particularly nervous about getting it there in one piece as it is made of fibreglass. In the Gallery, it had been hanging in our front window, where it couldn't be damaged. I can even attest to the hard pointiness of its prongs. After its installation, I must have hit my head on it at least three times whilst arranging art pieces in front of it.

Driving "The Pod" seventy kilometres was another matter. I laid it like a precious infant on the back seat of Goldilocks, our bright yellow buzz box. I made sure it was cushioned. I considered putting a seatbelt around it. That may have been a bit over the top, so after much angst, I decided I would just wing it with an untethered sculpture in the back seat.

Of course, "The Pod" and I made it in one piece. I handed it over to its new owner, a delightful chap and artist named Tom, who had come to the opening of the East End Gallery. He was painstakingly restoring a house that had been gutted by fire. And I thought we had issues with a building.

This sale is a milestone. Another step toward our dream. The work on the building is far from over. Michael, trade assistant Gary and a young fit lad named Patrick are lifting the floorboards in the biggest shop to expose the awful truth underneath. Rotten wood, ancient electrics, the crumbling brick pillars of the old cellar, a great pile of dirty sand and not a lot of support for the floor we have been standing on for quite some time.

We had hoped to recycle the floorboards. Unfortunately, their redemption is not going to be possible. They are in poor condition and will cost us far too much time and money to save a fraction of them. A new floor is the logical answer. At least we'll feel confident when we stand on it.

Michael has had another hiccup in his health. Diverticulitis - a gut problem. Only a "mild" attack, but enough to make him  miserable. He is under strict instructions to take things easier until he feels better. And he's always wanted to be a supervisor!

The building and our Gallery have been a long time coming. Lots of blood, sweat and tears. With more to come. They are as much a work of art as the pieces we display. When the main gallery is finished, we will have finished creating something beautiful out of a tired, unloved, neglected building.

From little things, big things grow...

East End Gallery - opening night. "The Pod" in the front window

"The Pod" - our first sold artwork!