10%/15% offer

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2020 at 08:01
Subject: Re: Advertising leaflet
To: CLAIRE 

Just email everyone. The kitchen's not well-frequented ~ especially by those not doing a shift. We've been told to lessen our carbon footprint so the less printed off the better.

As an addendum, I think setting sales targets in the shop would also be a good incentive for people to sell more of everyone's wares in the Cygnet. See if anyone can top a certain figure like Hazel & I have at 500. It's fun. I even get dressed up to do it!

  

On Sat, 19 Sep 2020 at 22:29, CLAIRE WATERS <claire.waters@live.co.uk> wrote:

Hi All
Would you like me to put a list in the kitchen when I am in on Monday morning  for people to tick/ sign if they would like to take  part in offering 10%-15% off their work during Nov/Dec just to see who is interested in promoting this idea ? And yes maybe if they spend a certain amount, although if certain people don't opt in this could create  a problem if a customer buys multiple pieces of work and one of those artists doesn't wish  to take part in the discount offer.
Claire

Clenched fist time!

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2020 at 16:00
Subject: Re: Cygnet Finances survey - closing date 4.30pm on Monday 14th September 2020
To: Lindsay Keir 

Phew! 👍

 

  

Grenville 

Allen

    f i n e   a r t i s t 

 www.grenvilleallen.com 

Twitter  Facebook  Blog

On Mon, 14 Sep 2020 at 15:57, Lindsay Keir <lindsaykeir@hotmail.com> wrote:

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I feel preached at now. 

Let's leave it as it is. 

Lindsay

Sent from my iPhone

Lindsay finally, petulantly gives up!

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Lindsay Keir
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2020 at 15:57
Subject: Re: Cygnet Finances survey - closing date 4.30pm on Monday 14th September 2020
To: Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I feel preached at now. 

Let's leave it as it is. 

Lindsay

Sent from my iPhone  

My exasperated response to that!

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2020 at 15:48
Subject: Re: Cygnet Finances survey - closing date 4.30pm on Monday 14th September 2020
To: Lindsay Keir 

Don't be daft, Lindsay. There are all sorts of souls. We're the 'quirky' sort, which if you look it up in the dictionary is also a good apposite word.

Anyway, let's not worry about the little things, Lindsay. The amount of people we've approached who say that nothing ever gets done at the Cygnet ~ and have heard about all the politicking there. It really has got a bad reputation.

Let's try and do and do something about that!

 

  

Grenville 

Allen

    f i n e   a r t i s t 

 www.grenvilleallen.com 

Twitter  Facebook  Blog

Lindsay's still not happy ~ something's niggllng her...

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Lindsay Keir
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2020 at 14:40
Subject: Re: Cygnet Finances survey - closing date 4.30pm on Monday 14th September 2020
To: Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>

To me a 'soul' is someone to be pitied or to feel sorry for. 

Sent from my iPhone

My 1st reply to Lindsay

 ---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2020 at 12:22
Subject: Re: Cygnet Finances survey - closing date 4.30pm on Monday 14th September 2020
To: Lindsay Keir

You sound just like one of the clients I used to work with in London. They always came round to my approach in the end. My mate, who I worked alongside, is Trevor Beattie who came up with FCUK. Imagine the difficulties in getting that one through.😱

We are quirky souls. And all the better for it. And the professional sound comes from the fact we don't take ourselves too seriously. Hence the self-deprecatory humour.

A top award-winning London creative director called Paul Dominet has very much approved my line by immediately following the account.

As did top creatives Steve Lilley and Andrew Marshall of MarshallCartoons. And Bristol-based Lone Hoof. They all immediately followed. 

Just now Keri of This Is Alfred, who also followed, is just arranging to come round to interview me on the strength of this 'quirky souls' business.

We've got to stay positive, be interesting! With thirty followers already the proof's in the pudding!

All the best👍🎨

 

  

Grenville 

Allen

    f i n e   a r t i s t 

 www.grenvilleallen.com 

Twitter  Facebook  Blog

Lindsay's response to the new Twitter account I've set up for Cygnet

 ---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Lindsay Keir
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2020 at 11:49
Subject: Re: Cygnet Finances survey - closing date 4.30pm on Monday 14th September 2020
To: Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>

Hi Grenville 

I'm not sure I like being described as a 'quirky soul'. 

We should sound more professional than that in my opinion. 

Any other phrases we could use instead? 

It's great to publicise us and I support what you're doing, it's just those two words that don't sit right with me. 

All the best 

Lindsay

Sent from my iPhone

On 14 Sep 2020, at 11:32, Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com> wrote:



Here's the immediacy of Twitter, Claire. I'd just posted the fact that you're in this right now: just click on this!

<image001-711095-791858-756319-733170-703183.jpg>

  

Grenville 

Allen

    f i n e   a r t i s t 

 www.grenvilleallen.com 

Twitter  Facebook  Blog

Fwd: Your presence on the new Twitter account I've set up

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2020 at 11:21
Subject: Re: Your presence on the new Twitter account I've set up
To: Yve Sturgeon 

To see it in context just click here!

 

Yve Sturgeon's presence on Twitter and her backing of me!

 ---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Yvonne Sturgeon 
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2020 at 11:47
Subject: Re: Your presence on the new Twitter account I've set up
To: Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>

Gosh Grenville,

Thank you so much, what an ab fab thing to do for me.

Seriously, Thank you.

Unfortunately l do not twitter, l have tried to get the app which shows l already have an account, and wont let me in or give me a new pass word.  Am stumped as to what to do next.

I am so very sorry about the abuse you received from Colin, to be honest it took me a full day and a half to work out who he was...never seen him, never sold one of the half dozen unchanging  copper pieces either.  You gave him the great honour of comparing him to Heath Robinson, clearly he does not know the artist, and took the use of comparison to trumpery work.

That's his insecurity in his work at play me thinks..

Such a shame. I was looking forward to your leadership.

Say Hi to Hazel for me, l LOVED the way she reacted and look forward to meeting you both at some point😊

XX Yve

Get Outlook for Android

---

From: Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2020 11:18:31 AM
To: Yve Sturgeon <yve.sturgeon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Your presence on the new Twitter account I've set up

 

'Morning Yve

Just click here.

👍🎨

 

  

Grenville 

Allen

    f i n e   a r t i s t 

 www.grenvilleallen.com 

Twitter  Facebook  Blog

HazeltheMallMoll is not best pleased!

THIS EMAIL IS FROM HAZEL.

Just read Colin's email and l am incandescent with rage.

Grenville had a sleepless night worrying about the Cygnet and how he could help to calm things down. Hence you may have noted he wrote it at the crack of dawn.

HE IS NOT RUDE AND BELITTLING. He is one of the kindest, easy going people l have ever known.

He loves the Gallery and all its constituent parts. 

I WILL NOT ALLOW HIM TO STAND AS CHAIR. I TOLD HIM HE WOULD JUST GET ABUSE AND NEGATIVITY AS DID LIZ.

HAZEL

Hi all at Cygnet 

Having kept out of the conversations until now, I feel that this last email was rude and belittling and has overstepped the mark  - this is not the way to bring us together. 

I too am quite new to the group (although I have lived in the area all my life) and feel that we need people who appreciate the history and ethos of cygnet.

The unkindness and rudeness of the last email shows how little is thought of the wonderful work in the gallery and a lack of the qualities we would want in those looking after our best interests 

Sorry to be so negative  Colin 

Fwd: Cygnet Committee...?

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Grenville Allen 

'Morning everyone

Having witnessed the heroic efforts of Liz re the chairing role, I'd now like to take the ball and run with it. From chairing a fishing club as a schoolboy to chairing my own creative consultancy near Old Street in London I feel I have a vision for the Cygnet Gallery. Its sheer quirkiness appeals and really needs bringing out even more.

There's Diana's wacky papier maché sculptures, Yve's and Shireen's work, Rachel's and Fiona's jewellery, Anna's Dorset Buttons, Colin's Heath Robinson-like objéts and Alan's, Des's stripy ceramics, Richard's Green Men and I think Mary-Ann's super moths could rotate with Barry's paintings on that prominent wall in the High St-end entrance. Roz and Jess give felt a whole new meaning! Maxine's work delights ~ as does Claire's and Jason's.  Of course there's the two-dimensional extravaganza of Lisa's calligraphy, Cali's, Lindsey's, Peter's, Andy's and Liz's work (although Liz exhibits three-dimensional work too of course). Not forgetting my own pics and Paul's photography. I feel that with courtesy we can all rub along nicely together following all our different pursuits.

Anyway, thanks again to Liz we can conduct all our meetings via Zoom ~ a real godsend.

Christmas is coming and that'll mean pulling out the stops marketing-wise. I think a joint promotion with all the respective businesses in Swans Yard should be the way forward. 

Right then. I hereby put my name forward to be voted in as Chair.

All the best

  

Grenville 

Allen

    f i n e   a r t i s t 

 www.grenvilleallen.com 

Twitter  Facebook  Blog

Re Cooperative Management

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Lisa 
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2020 at 11:06
Subject: Re: Cooperative Management
To: Grenville Allen <grenvilleallen@gmail.com>

Dear Everyone,

This is good news that so many people are prepared to take on these Areas of Responsibility.

Many thanks to you all, especially Grenville and Hazel who have explained their experience and expertise.

I personally would like to see written personal credentials from everyone offering to take up Posts of Responsibility, which are relevant to the position applied for, and that relate to recent and current times.

Most importantly, there needs to be a Deputy Chairman as well as a Chairman.

It would be helpful, also, to know how these applications are to be voted on by all the Cygnet members, and for how long people are committed to them: a year? Two years? Five?

Very best wishes, to you all,

Lisa

  

As an award winning London ad agency copywriter in the eighties

Fwd: Cooperative Management

 

'Morning everyone

Playing to our strengths. Above top you see me with glove puppet Sooty on my shoulder and Hazel far right. I worked on the Yamaha Clavinova advertising account. One of the headlines I wrote ran: Sooty will now play Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. My copy then went on to demonstrate the simplicity of playing one. One of my lines ran: good news for glove puppets everywhere. I also worked on the Air France, NSPCC, Grunhalle Lager, Ferrero Rocher accounts, amongst many others, winning advertising awards, getting v drunk v often, etc.

Below top is one of my old business cards (rather worn now ~ like its owner).

I'm only mentioning all the above because you've got me down as 'Rotas: Grenville Allen'. Now, like Damian Hirst I've an army of helpers and aids behind me ~ namely Hazel (as seen shoeless on the right of above pic).

Hazel recently did twelve years at the forefront of setting up Chapeldown Wines in Kent, building the brand, organising the staff rotas, serving in the shop selling English wine. She also had a flair for displaying the product at exhibitions etc ~ likewise my pictures at shows, in the Cygnet, etc.

Before all this she was a top personal assistant to the finance director at Saatchis, London, and to the chairman of the International Racing Bureau also in London. She's been an advertising account executive, can touch type some ridiculous amount of words a minute, cooks, cleans, gardens. Hence my aforementioned Damian Hirst analogy.

Just thought I'd elucidate our respective roles in life.

Now back to my other thing: painting....

Cheers👍🎨

  

Grenville 

Allen

    f i n e   a r t i s t 

 www.grenvilleallen.com 

Twitter  Facebook  Blog

As an award winning London ad agency copywriter in the eighties

On Sun, 30 Aug 2020 at 20:38, Liz wrote:

Dear all Cygnets,

Whilst the Cygnet should remain as a cooperative with all members being equal and having a right to have their say and vote on decisions as to how it is run, some form of overall management is required.

According to the results of the survey posted by Anna a couple of months ago the following results were obtained.

94% of those that responded felt the Cygnet needed a management structure.

A committee consisting of Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Arts Director was almost unanimously agreed. Other positions to oversee eg: rotas, social media, licences/units may also be needed.

There is a core group of artists that are happy to act as a committee, to meet separately from the main meeting and discuss issues that have arisen as a result of the meeting, come up with possible solutions to said issues, report back and put them out to the vote. This would result in a much more streamlined system, cut down on meeting time and avoid the problem of issues being discussed over and over again with no solution being reached.

The following are happy to take on committee roles (and they have been tweaked a bit). Anyone who would like to express their interest in being actively involved is invited to put their names forward to be included along with the role they would be interested in. 

Where there are any roles that have more than one applicant then it will need to be put to a vote (unless it is agreed between said parties that these roles would be better served as a shared role). As it stands at the minute this will not include the social media/website roles, these are always best shared.

Rotas: Grenville Allen

Marketing & Publicity:

Visiting events: 

We envisage a short time scale for this so request that any further interested parties names are forwarded to us by Thursday 3rd September. We will then proceed with either voting or taking on our said roles.

Best wishes to all,

 

Liz, Roz and Cali

Please know, I am a solopreneur so am really busy. I always endeavour to return your call or answer your email within 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays).

I do not work in the evening after 6pm or on a Sunday.  

Disclaimer: email contents are not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Risk Assessment

Date: Sun, 26 Jul 2020 at 08:30

Subject: Risk Assessment
To: James Cox 

'Morning James

Must apologise for this: our risk assessment states we're not insured if the wind gets any faster than 25 mph. And the Met Office are forecasting 27/30 mph gusts.

So I'm afraid on this occasion ~ with the risk of glass flying about ~ we're going to have to pull out.

Sorry about this but I'm sure you'll have a good day ~ and look forward to seeing you on another more propitious occasion.

Grenville 

Allen

    f i n e   a r t i s t 

 www.grenvilleallen.com 

Twitter  Facebook  Blog

On another more propitious occasion.... (Look at all that glass!)