The emphasis that is politically being placed on ‘The Arts’ as a medium to encourage rejuvenation of former or failing rural communities is in many respects a misplaced and naïve concept. Without infrastructure, support and philanthropy individuals will undoubtedly fall at the first fence and these creative people will be discouraged and suffer from the consequences of perceived failure. This situation is being exasperated by the expanding non indigenous population, people who come down to the South West in search of ‘the good life’. The housing stock of North Devon is being increased with new large developments planned – What are these people going to do for an income? The resources of North Devon will be put under stress and could either spiral the economy into a local recession or (hopefully) attract investment. Neither of these scenarios are however helpful for the majority of creative people who live here – there is no strategic vision for the Arts in North Devon. At the moment there is only a recipe for unemployment. Which is why the prices in this exhibition are a tenth of the price I normally charge!

A Question of Value?

How do you put a price on a piece of your own work? Do you work it out on an hourly basis or charge per square centimetre? Do you over value yourself? Is your work worth anything? Are you better than everybody else? Are you deluded? Do you have aspirations of grandeur? Or is the value of your work in its personal preciousness? –