I Opened A Gallery ...

If you don’t like how it’s done… do it yourself.

So, I decided to open a gallery.

If you’ve been with me a while, you’ve probably seen my work in galleries in and around London. It’s been an exciting few years, with some big highs, but also a fair share of lows.

When I signed with my first gallery, I felt a huge sense of achievement, like I’d hit a milestone. Then came collaborations, more galleries, and suddenly, I had to seriously up my production in the studio. They wanted work (lots of it), and they wanted it framed. So I took out a loan and got busy.

Fast forward a few years and part of me still winces at the £7k I blasted on materials and framing. The other part knows it was a process I had to go through to learn and grow.

Last year I hit a bit of a wall with this whole “feed the gallery” process. Work sold, but other pieces just got bubble-wrapped and shoved in a stockroom. I also found communication and transparency tricky, I’m a very upfront person and love working in teams built on mutual respect, but not knowing where my art was or how it was being displayed left me frustrated. I started to feel like an engine being used to spit out work.

If something didn’t sell relatively quickly, I was asked for more. After a while, I knew it just wasn’t sustainable for me.

I was also bending commercially, creating work because it would sell, rather than work that came from the depths of me. That was hard. I’m never going to be the artist who paints landscapes or champagne bottles. Something inside me rages if I feel myself pulled down that path, my brain starts fighting my soul, and I become very imbalanced.

This year has been beautiful In so many ways. I started the Body Impression Workshops (some of you reading may have been to!) and launched 1:1 sessions, creating art with and for you. It felt real and more 'me'

I parted ways with a couple of galleries, which felt like both regression and relief — but it also created space. Space to run workshops. Space to create without pressure, and space to reconnect with what truly inspires me.

And into that space… something unexpected arrived. I never planned to open a gallery. It wasn’t on any list of goals or dreams. But the universe had other ideas.

A few months ago, my neighbour called me out of the blue:

“Beth! I’ve bought The Emporium on Hungerford High Street, and I want your art in there — do you fancy it?”

At the time, I was being mauled by two kids under five, so I said I’d call her back. Then I called my mate and fellow artist, Mark Sloper.

“My neighbour’s bought a shop and wants my art in there — how about I get your art in too?”

And just like that, here we are.

As of Friday 18th October, The Emporium reopened. Known for its antiques and fine jewellery, you can still find all of that… but now you’ll also find BREAD Contemporary Art glowing at the back of the shop, lit by Mark’s neons and reflected through my mixed media pieces. Mark and I are passionate about Championing artists and giving them a platform to shine, and show work thats from the heart of them.

A small modern art space without the pretence. Art for the heart, by artists passionate about what they do.

This small space is just the beginning. We’re building the online shop next and hope to share Bread far and wide — so everyone can get their hands on the art we love creating.

If you’re local to Hungerford, come and visit!The doors are open, the neons are glowing, and it would mean so much to see you there.

Come and see us at -

THE HUNGERFORD EMPOURIUM

112 High St, Hungerford RG17 0NB

Beth x