Getting ready for Marschapel

The exhibition runs between 23-27th May

I’m going to be exhibiting some of my recent work at a small arts festival in Lincolnshire. Its a chance to show off some of my new work and possibly sell a few paintings.

Before an exhibition there is a fair amount of preparation needed so I wanted to share some of those steps to give an idea of whats involved.

Previous exhibition

I previously exhibited back in 2022, with a collection of animal paintings, and I decided to exhibit again this year with a collection of works that I’ve created over the past few years.

Each artist is allocated an 8ft x 4ft panel in the church to exhibit their work. Its a limited space so I like to plan out my paintings and layout ahead of time to give the hangers an easier job of arranging the paintings how I want. As you can see, I like to fill up all of the space I’m given.

This year

I’ve been hard at work making frames for my artwork and getting everything ready. I like to make my own frames and its a good excuse to crack out the power tools.

I usually purchase the frame molding online as bare wood, chop it to size and then glue and clamp it all together. Deciding on the finish of each frame can be tricky but this year I’ve gone with a mix of dark french oak, black and clear varnish; with each finish chosen to match a specific piece.

Located in the Lincolnshire village of Marshchapel, the group raises funds, through it’s annual exhibition and various musical events, to help maintain St. Mary’s Church building . All funds raised, after costs, are donated to the Church for its upkeep. It is run solely for this purpose by a team of unpaid volunteers.