York - and prints.

First just to say that the current "Transitions' exhibition of Dave Pearson's work at the According to McGee gallery in York has been extended by a few days, and will now close only after Tuesday 15th April.

Margaret Mytton, one third of the Dave Pearson Trust, is now in Beijing delivering a presentation on Dave Pearson's prints at the China Academy of Fine Arts. Printmaking is something not normally associated with Dave's output, but in fact he was a brilliant printmaker. Especially from the late 1960s through to the early '80s he produced a wide range of etchings and drypoint as part of his Van Gogh and Calendar Customs series. Few were produced in editions - Dave was too impatient and frequently moved on after producing an artists' proof. But at their best these works show Dave's sensitivity and wonderful drawing skill. The example above, 'Vincent's Bible', is a one example. 

But, typically, Dave also experimented with the medium, and when Margaret met Ella recently to collect examples from the studio to take to China, Ella wrote  "Interestingly what came out of a closer examination of the plates was a deeper understanding of some of the techniques Dave employed. On some plates it is clear that he has etched and used drypoint together. He also employed the unusual technique of attaching metal cut outs to the plate. It seemed he tried to attach these 'add on's'  first by tying them on with wire and we can see the plate is actually punched with holes for this purpose in some places,and glued on in other places. Other prevalent techniques included aquatint. We also found plates that apparently have never seen a press, as well as one or two that haven't been cleaned since they were last inked up!" Below are a few of Margaret's photos of these plates:

A birthday

Being trustees of the Dave Pearson Trust has taken us on a number of interesting journeys over the past few years - getting involved in the making of the 'To Byzantium' film; various shennanigans involving tv and radio broadcasts; and the curating of a large exhibition of Dave's work in London - among other things. 

The curating part was trustee Margaret Mytton working in close partnership with the writer and critic Edward Lucie-Smith (above), and a few days ago we were invited to the Albermarle Gallery in London to be part of a gathering to celebrate Edward's 80th birthday. 

Edward, who got to hear about Dave Pearson's work through Derek Smith when he was directing the film, has since been a great champion of Dave's work and was instrumental in organising the London exhibition last year. 

It was clear from the people we met at the party that Edward is also a tireless supporter of young artists from all sorts of backgrounds - his interest and championing of art in developing countries, in his native Jamaica, in Iran, and young artists at the beginning of their careers in this country. This was reflected in the people we met at the Albermarle, and in a short speech Edward made, not only about the changing shape of the 'art world', but in the radical changes and opportunities opening up by the revolution in IT and the internet.

So a happy 80th birthday Edward, from all of us at the Dave Pearson Trust.

Preparations

Less than a week until the 'Works on Paper' exhibition opens at the See Gallery, and preparations are well underway. The framed pieces will arrive from the framers on Tuesday, and I'll be spending that evening with Julian finalising titling and suchlike, and making sure that each piece is properly entered into the Catalogue of Work. 

I'm really excited about this show - it will be fascinating to see a selection of Dave's drawings taken from different stages throughout his life, presented in one space. The gallery itself has also had an overhaul. Julian and Jackie used to live above the gallery but have moved during the summer period of its closure, so it also be interesting to see what they've made of the newly re-arranged exhibition spaces that make up the gallery. 

At the same time Margaret Mytton is recording works in oil paint that may form the basis for a second London show some time in the future, as well as continuing her preparation of a new website focusing on the 'Book of Revelation' series made by Dave in the mid-1970s.

Hanging commences

Margaret Mytton is now in London and, helped by Taidgh and Darren, is now starting the hang of the show. Edward Lucie Smith will be along today and final positioning of the work will be agreed before the paintings start being mounted on the walls. 

Margaret tells me that she already feels sure that additional lighting will be required so this now has to be negotiated with Mick Bateman  of Crisis. Fortunately we bought and took down several halogen lamps down with us (from Lidl!), and these apparently do the job perfectly. 

I'm working on final graphics for the exhibition, and will be sending these to London with Julian on Sunday so the local print-shop can prepare the boards for the opening next week. 

The House of the Nobleman

On Friday we had a Trust meeting. We covered an exceptionally wide agenda - including our continued worries about HMRC and the issue of Estate Duty; pleasure at the amount of sales at the Open Studio weekend; additional worries about protecting vulnerable works on paper at such events, when our storage system can break down as visitors look through the drawers and unwittingly cause damage; and the matter of defining our developing relationship with Julian Williams and Jackie Taylor of the See Gallery more precisely.

Margaret Mytton reported back on the upcoming exhibition at the House of the Nobleman at Cornwall Terrace, Regents Park, in London. This, entitled 'The Return', and on the theme of works with a theological dimension, will include 8 newly framed works on paper by Dave Pearson, alongside a powerpoint presentation of her own collection of works from the Book of Revelation, that Dave donated to her before his death. Margaret has experienced communication problems with the curators but all now seems to be resolved, and Julian will deliver the pieces to London at the end of the month.

Roads opening up...

Edward Lucie-Smith talking to Chris Pearson, Dave's son

The film-maker, Derek Smith

Derek Smith, Margaret Mytton, and Edward Lucie-Smith

Since the launch of To Byzantium (Derek Smith's film about Dave Pearson) on Sunday things have moved on quickly. The day gave us the opportunity, with Edward Lucie-Smith present at the launch, to discuss his plans for the London show of Dave's work in more detail. 

But since then all sorts of new initiatives have started to emerge. Yesterday Margaret Mytton seemed to be sending me an hourly email update as Edward's plans began to take wing. First an opportunity to show Dave Pearson's series of drawings and other works on paper based on The Book of Revelation at The House of the Nobleman in Richmond, in a show associated with the Frieze Art Fair in conjunction with Victoria Golembiovskava, Curator of the House of the Nobleman.  These were given by Dave to Margaret and she has hoped for some time to be able to show the previously unseen work comprising well over 200 drawings, gouaches and watercolours. This exhibition will be a wonderful curtain-raiser for the Bermondsey show too.

Then Vic Allen, the Art Curator at the Dean Clough Galleries got in touch with Margaret as a result of Edward's contacts. There is now a real likelihood of an opportunity to show a version of the London show at these wonderful galleries in Halifax. Finally, Edward has both found a sponsor for a poetry award associated with a poetry competition and is discussing the idea of commissioning a piece of music, both around the theme of Byzantium (remembering of course the common source in Yeat's poem) and tying these events in with the opening of the London show - all in a year's time.

I had a discussion about these events with Margaret last night. We're both very, very excited about what has happened so rapidly after the launch of the film. Much of the credit must go to Edward Lucie-Smith championing Dave's work, of course, as well as Derek Smith's excellent and moving film. We had wondered 'what next?' after the film, but we've hardly had time to draw breath when all sorts of roads are now opening up under our feet.

Preparations

Screen grab from 'To Byzantium' - moving work from Globe Arts Studios

1,000 clear wrapped copies of the DVD 'To Byzantium' have arrived from the duplication plant. They are piled up in the See Gallery, waiting for distribution - which will start immediately after the launch at the Cornerhouse in two weeks time. They look great.

Invites have been sent out and people are beginning to call in to reserve their seats. Margaret Mytton is helping Julian in chasing people up for their RSVPs. Further, Derek Smith, the director of the film, has shown it to Alex Kann, at the Community Channel, and he has said that they are keen to show it as part of an upcoming arts season.

Mental Note: The Trust urgently needs to prepare itself for these events. We need to decide how we'll respond to all sorts of possible enquiries once the film has been released, and as it begins to be seen more widely. 

Almost there...

Two more photographs of the Byzantium exhibition at MMU's Holden Gallery, delivered courtesy of Margaret Mytton. 

Meanwhile Derek Smith is at the penultimate stage of work on the film. He has found the right person for the voiceover, and is recording this, and also is editing in Edward Lucie-Smith's contributions. Margaret is working closely with him on details, and there's a dialogue going on with Loz Kaye about music, as the final film is driven very much by the wealth of interviews and narrative recorded by Derek and it may simply be that we don't need specially written music. So Derek expects to be able to show us a rough version of the all-but-complete film in a week or so. 

I'm arranging for an invited launch of the film at the Cornerhouse in September, almost certainly at some time over the first weekend. 

Images for the film

Margaret Mytton is working hard to provide high-quality images for Derek Smith's film about Dave, and sending him photoshopped images such as these, from the installation of the awe-inspiring Byzantium exhibition at the Holden Gallery at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Focusing on the film

On second viewing I'm still deeply impressed by Derek Smith's film - even in its current very rough cut. Margaret Mytton has been photographing and photoshopping photographs of Dave's work to improve the rostra shots that make up part of the movie; and she's also been looking for additional visual material from our archive of Dave's work. 

Above, Interior with Chair, is one of the paintings that has been revealed this way, as is Artists Studio, below.

So far Margaret has spent four days photoshopping images for the film, and I imagine that there's still plenty more for her to do. She tells me that as Admissions Tutor for the Foundation Department at MMU she's having to do this at the same time as dealing with the wave of applications from students. The film clearly still requires a lot of work, and I'm aware that Loz Kaye's specially composed music has still to be added. But it's already obvious that it's going to be a very special piece of work, and a fitting tribute to Dave Pearson.