Monday 21 September 2020

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


Tuesday 15 September 2020

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 


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 

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 

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 

Saturday 12 September 2020

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


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


👍🎨
 

  
Grenville 
Allen
    f i n e   a r t i s t 

Thursday 3 September 2020

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