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Monday, April 29, 2019

Commission an artist: 'Home is where the Art Is' (Episodes 11-15)

This post is about 
  • my overall conclusions about Home Is Where The Art Is 
  • information and links about the artists participating in Episodes 11-15.
If you want to find out the details of artists who participated in the first two weeks see below for the links to previous posts.

In general, the series has been a real education in terms of the client's perspective. 
  • Overall some of the artwork during the course of the series has been simply stunning and very professional. By way of contrast, some of it has been distinctly amateurish.  
  • I've been amazed to find that both domestic and corporate clients can really like artwork which fails (from my perspective) to demonstrate any real skill or talent.  My view - and I'm entitled to it - is that what is considered to be quality art varies depending on your experience of looking at art and your perspective (likes and dislikes)
  • I'm wondering how many other people are like me and ended up, over the series as a whole, quite bemused by some of the choices of both artists and artwork. 
  • Notwithstanding commissions are always about personal choice and there is no right or wrong if it makes the client happy.
The process of looking for the links has also clearly demonstrated how vital marketing and social media is for selling art and commissions
  • the extent to which some artists fail to design websites with commission clients in mind
  • why some people can make an income from commissions. This seems to correlate strongly with being organised and/or better at marketing and/or social media and/or getting the artwork out and shown wherever - including on BBC1!
I also discovered a few things in the final week of Home Is Where The Art Is
  • One enterprising artist who participated in the programme has set up a Home Is Where The Art Is Facebook Page to promote the work of those participating. However that's going to be a lot of help to those artists who participated without a website or Facebook Page. One wonders who people are intended to contact them....
  • Next - some of the artists produced work for the commissions based on other work they had done previously. Now this is quite a common approach used by some artists - and one which is often used for clients who have a tight budget. However I'd hesitate before calling it "bespoke" unless it was unique in every respect and only available to that client. Of course it's quite different if the client requests "one like that but tailored to our preferences for colours / things which are important to us".

Finally - some other individuals have also documented the details. But my posts remain the most comprehensive! :) 
  • below are website and social media links for the artists who participated in Episodes 11-15 in week 3
  • contact details are embedded in the artist's name
  • commissions details are provided if self evident

Commission an Artist (Episodes 11-15)


This is about the artists with a name in the end credits of Home Is Where the Art Is (Episodes 11-15). 

It follows on from my previous three posts

Episode 11



Location: South Lake District
Commission: up to £500
Budget: a piece of art to celebrate their recent move, and in particular to thank their children
Media represented: metal sculpture; glass or watercolour painting
Outcome: BOTH pieces were bought

Both artists sold their commissioned artworks.
The Artists in Episode 11 were:



Episode 12


Location: Cheshire
Commission: to mark a new start - having become recently single and moving home
Media represented: textile artist with a love of bold colours; painter with an eye for symbolism or magazine collage creator
Outcome: The watercolour painting was bought - because the symbolism of a new start which was so important to the client was embedded in the painting

Watercolour painter Jane Austin being congratulated by Giles Davies (collage artist)
The Artists in Episode 12 were:
I thought Giles collage landscapes were incredibly impactful and intriguing at the same time.




Episode 13



Location: Central Manchester
Commission: a new piece of art for a new home in an apartment in a cotton mill
Budget: up to £700
Media represented: screenprinter, illustrator, upcycling artist
Outcome: The clients bought the screenprint by Robin Ross (left in the photo below)

I rather suspect the fact that the little works by Meha might have been in with a shout of also being purchased if they had also been framed. I couldn' quite tell whether the support they were fixed to was temporary or permanent. The joy of small square artworks is that you can arrange them anyway you like, intersperse them with other pieces and generally make them work hard as a very flexible artwork - but this was not self-evident from what was produced.

When you hear you've won you close your eyes to process the statement! :)
The Artists in Episode 13 were:
  • Robin Ross (Winner) - a screenprinter based in the Rock Factory Print Studio located in an Old Rock Factory in the centre of Blackpool. Became a print maker after more than 35 years as a broadcaster. He Limited Edition hand pulled screen prints and has worked with the BBC, DIY SOS, and Children in Need.
  • Meha Hindocha - Originally from Kenya, now a professional artist living in Manchester. Meha creates all art either by herself or in collaboration with other local artists. She produces richly illustrative cityscapes, animal portraits and abstract paintings.

  • Amanda Godden - based in Gleaston.
    • website - no website
    • commissions - no details re commissions
    • Facebook | Twitter


Episode 14



Location: Cheshire (recently moved from Essex)
Commission: a bespoke piece of art - in the home or garden - to mark their ruby wedding anniversary
Budget: £400
Media represented: visual artist,  sculptor, painter
Outcome: Both works were purchased

Paul Dunkerley and Lucie Ann Trickett - who both sold their work
The Artists in Episode 14 were:
  • Paul Dunkerley (Winner) - contemporary British Sculptor aka Loosebox Sculpture. Based in Nantwich, Cheshire, UK. Studied Art and Visual Studies at Manchester Polytechnic in the 1980s. Has been creating and selling work since 2010 and has exhibited in Regional galleries in Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire since 2011 
    • website https://pauldunx.com/
    • commissions - Arrange for meeting to discuss requirements of location, materials, style, budget, payment schedules and production time scales.
    • Facebook | Instagram | Etsy



Episode 15



Location: Bury, Lancashire
Commission: a piece of art to mark a new time in their life, having changed career at 50, lost their mum and ended their marriage
Budget: c.£600
Media represented:  glass maker, clay sculptor or ceramic artist
Outcome: The clay ceramic head was purchased - and the emotional reaction did the trick

The head on the right won the commission for Jane Richmond
The Artists in Episode 15 were:
Hello everyone! I would just to let everyone know that my website is fully sorted again but might bit a little slow! It was experiencing issues due to high volume visits 😯 It's been one crazy day.


  • Jane Richmond (Winner) - artist and ceramic sculptor who live and works in Burnley Lancashire who likes to portray sensuality and emotion in both the subject and the style.  B.Ed (Art and Education). Qualified teacher with 33 years’ experience. Also provides workshops in ceramics.


and finally......


I think I'm actually going to miss it!

Amazingly a number of the artists are based near where my mother lives so I may be visiting at some point in the future....
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