We may be ‘Enter’-ing a new era with a new name and fresh new look, but Enter Gallery is still the same friendly and knowledgeable team dedicated to helping you find the perfect piece of art and making your experience in the gallery as enjoyable as possible.
We miss seeing each other in the gallery so we had a little lockdown check in...
Amy
Favourite piece of artwork: The Great Unknown - Eelus
Because it's purple and I frickin' love purple! I also love the premise of this piece, it's the result of Eelus' pre 2019 angst, a sign of heading into the New Year donning our golden cloaks and climbing metaphorical (or actual) mountains with positivity.
Top 3 isolation inspirations:
Yoga with Adriene (always)
Stuart Wilde
Neale Donald Walsch.
Quarantini of choice? I've been somewhat unintentionally sober for the last four months now, so something crazy like an raspberry kombucha will do for me!!!
What day do I think it is? Everyday Is Like Sunday
If you could pull off a high-stakes art heist what would you go for? The Souls - Damien Hirst
Jess
Favourite piece of artwork? Jimmy by Unknown
Jimmy is just a mystery, a suggestion. I like that. Also, the stance, the bow in the legs, reminds me of sunny islands and old country lanes. It was a set of 3 and I feel slightly guilty for not getting the other two. Wish I could.
Top 3 isolation inspirations? Seafront run. My garden and Thursday NHS clapping.
Quarantini of choice? Classic gin and tonic with cucumber or a Kir Royale what ever is in the fridge
What day do you think it is? “Every day is like Monday” The Smiths
If you could pull off a high-stakes art heist what would you go for?
Early in the morning I would get a speed boat and moore it outside the Peggie Guggenheim museum in Venice and would pick up the bronze statue of ‘A Standing Woman” by sculptor Alberto Giacometti. After I had arranged for it to be cut off its plinth the night before. Just pick it up and with 2 strong blokes and walk it onto the boat. heist in day light best way. We would be heavily disguised with face masks of Salvador Dali and red jump suits
Tim
Favourite piece of artwork? Graham Carter "Nut House"
One of the first pieces of art that I bought from the gallery. Having grown up reading comics and watching cartoons, I immediately connected with Graham's style and love his intricate attention to detail. I also appreciate that none of his characters have noses because Graham doesn't have a sense of smell. I even had this custom framed to match the colourway of the print.
Top 3 isolation inspirations?
So far as a family, we've extended our fruit and veg patch in the garden, printed out and coloured in loads of designs made available by our favourite artists and I made the foolish decision to strip and repaint the front gate without any power tools. 10 days in and I've filed down about 40% of the old paintwork.
Quarantini of choice? Spiced rum and ginger ale.
What day do you think it is? Groundhog Day
If you could pull off a high-stakes art heist, what would you go for? A Faberge egg.
Eden
Favourite artwork? My Mickey piece by Aroe
Top 3 isolation inspirations?
Preppy Kitchen baking recipes
Vivian Maier docs on YouTube
Discovering new photographers on Instagram
Quarantini of choice? Cup of tea
What day do you think it is? Monday?
If you could pull off a high-stakes art heist, what would you go for?
David Hockney a bigger splash and a Yayoi Kasuma infinity room for my house
Matt
Favourite artwork? Kai and Sunny 'Falling Reeds' because I love the intricate detail
Top 3 isolation inspirations?
The NHS staff who keep putting their own health at risk to treat those that need it, but also all of the delivery drivers, people in the food supply chain and all the other professions that are still working so the rest of us can still live a relatively normal life.
Creative people – musicians, artists, writers, actors, and comedians - who are sharing their content to keep us entertained, amused and sane.
Taking pleasure in the small things that we might not usually pay much attention to. I made a really good omelette during the first week of lockdown and I still think of it from time to time.
Quarantini of choice? The only liquids I have a decent amount of are milk and whiskey, and I refuse to mix them. I would make an old fashioned if I had all the ingredients.
What day do you think it is? I think today is Friday. But I also think yesterday was Friday and so is tomorrow. Eventually I’ll get it right.
If you could pull of a high-stakes are heist, what would you go for?
On Christmas Day 2003 the Beagle 2 lander, containing a Damien Hirst spot painting as a calibration unit, was supposed to land on Mars, but it was presumed lost after communications failed; until 2015 when it was photographed on Mars by an orbiting spacecraft. So, to put it simply, I would carry out a heist on Mars.
Della
This my favourite and most important artwork in my house… Second real target by Peter Blake. It was my 25th wedding anniversary present! It shows me every day that nothing is perfect and sometimes is all the better for few knocks, cracks and holes… Maybe a metaphor for current times!
Top 3 isolation inspirations?
My dog, Oscar. His and my legs are getting shorter from all that walking.
Cleaning/ clearing particularly scrubbing cleans the mind too.
Reading - the goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Art related and very thick
Quarantini of choice?
Anything - preferably containing champagne and/or absinthe (as recommended by all good artists see Degas or Manet absinthe drinker)
What day do you think it is? Same as yesterday but does it matter?!
If you could pull of a high-stakes are heist, what would you go for?
It has to be the Mona Lisa. Aim high and it would fit under your arm
Poppy
Favourite artwork? Peter Blake - Bobbie Rainbow
Peter Blake is a huge inspiration to me as a collage artist myself. I am a huge fan of the 1960’s and 1970’s art and fashion and this piece was originally made by Peter for the BIBA store in 1968 which is one of my all time favourite fashion brands from that era. I love how it uses not only his recognisable pop art rainbow design but also his incredibly talented painting skills. I bought this piece when my grandad passed away as he used to paint a lot of women in this style and I wanted to invest my money in a piece of art by my favourite artist that I’ll always love and cherish.
Top 3 isolation inspirations?
Creating new artwork, based on the current situation this has opened more ideas to flow. Working on goals to get fit and healthy, including daily work outs every morning! Getting creative in the kitchen, smoothie making and baking banana bread especially!
Quarantini of choice? Fruit smoothies!
What day do you think it is? Hmm not sure. Let’s make it Friday, every day! All the days have rolled into one.
If you could pull off a high-stakes art heist, what would you go for?
Bridget Riley ‘Blaze 1’ 1962 or David Hockney - ‘A Bigger Splash’
Andrew
Your favourite piece of artwork?
There are so many pieces I love by Bonnie and Clyde, uplifting and I always take something new, each time I view. Currently ‘Now the Fun Begins’ is my favourite work.
Top 3 isolation inspirations?
I’m learning French with Duolingo and read alongs on Youtube. Cooking can be great therapy and with food shopping being a challenge, I’ve been using the Supercook app, that matches the ingredients you have, to recipes. It’s also a perfect time to dance like no one’s watching.
Quarantini of choice? Frangelico – because it’s all nuts!
What day do you think it is? Feels like a Sunday, every day.
If you could pull off a high-stakes art heist, what would you go for?
I’d plan a double break-in. I’d pick a billionaire who kept their art hidden away, steal it and hang it in the Tate for all to see
Jan
Favourite artwork? 'Moon Language' by Dan Hillier.
I love this piece because I have always loved the moon and the lunar theory that it affects human behaviour. It looks particularly beautiful in this print as it shimmers and just looks really special. There's so much to look at in the background as well with some interesting details from astronomy charts. You can see a lot of work went into it.
Quarantini of choice? G +T and CBD
What day do you think it is? Smonday. Everyday feels a bit like a Sunday but also doing work at home on a Sunday.
Top 3 isolation inspirations?
Artists who use their pain to creative really emotive art such as Frida Kahlo and Tracey Emin.
My Mum - Inspired by Carrie Reichardt's mosaic house she has been making mosaic pieces on lockdown.
Phoebe the Chihuahua – She is my muse.
If you could pull off a high-stakes art heist, what would you go for?
I would go for a massive Andy Warhol print from the Tate and I would have someone filming the heist so if I got caught in the act I could claim it was a piece of performance art!
Lindsay
Favourite artwork? 'Rathgar Girl' by Pauline Bewick.
I love this piece as I was given it by my grandparents when I was born. It is a girl seated by a window and in the background is Dublin, the city I was brought up in. Every time I look at it, it reminds me of home and it keeps me grounded.
Top 3 isolation inspirations? My 5 year old daughter. Interesting recipes online. Having a 4 o’clock disco in the house every day
Quarantini of choice? Red wine and pale ale
What day do you think it is? Tuesday three weeks ago?
If you could pull off a high-stakes art heist, what would you go for?
Any Basquiat I can get my hands on really. So I would probably try and find one in an unguarded gallery/museum and replace it with a replica that my daughter did.
Helen
Favourite artwork?
My current favourite piece in the gallery is Takashi Murakami's ‘Flowerball - Prayer at the Festival’. His artwork is a happy surreal invitation to his own universe.
I also love Ron by Peter Blake. He looks grumpy but his tattoos suggest he’s lived an amazing adventurous life
Quarantini of choice? Dandelion gin fizz
What day do you think it is? Dandelion gin fizz day
Top 3 isolation inspirations?
Depending on my mood I would have to go for a bit of bleak humour with something like Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World.
David Attenborough for a bigger picture
Lovely humans. Humans who are key workers, humans who are funny, humans who are helping others keep happy and well. Preferably with a cheeky quarantini or two.
If you could pull of a high-stakes art heist, what would you go for?
I’d steal the Louvre, put it upside down and say aliens did it.
Meet the newbies!
We have two new gallerinas we would love you to meet...
Yaara
Favourite artwork? 'Enlightenment' by Joe Webb
Quarantini of choice? Vodka neat.
What day do you think it is? Yesterday was laundry day so today isn’t laundry day.
Top 3 isolation inspirations?
Running, reading about interesting urban history and watching old films. Basically escaping to other worlds.
If you could pull off a high-stakes art heist, what would you go for?
I would raid a Richard Hambleton collection dressed in black vegan leather and escape into the night in a massive black American semi trailer monster truck.
Kiel
Favourite artwork? Reclining Artist by Grayson Perry
Quarantini of choice? Dark & Stormy (don’t forget the Angostura Bitters)
What day do you think it is? “Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, Today is a Gift that’s why we call it the Present”
Top 3 isolation inspirations?
If you could pull off a high-stakes art heist, what would you go for?
I’d go for something that I love, but that wouldn’t be missed much and would easily fit at home…
We hope you have enjoyed learning a bit more about us. We would love to stay connected with you so please #checkinwithus on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and let us know what you have been up to. What has been your isolation inspiration during lockdown life?
We love hearing about how you have been enjoying art during lockdown, whether that’s more time spent at home with a beloved artwork, more time to create art yourself, or extra time to finally decorate and hang your art! Tell us what you think of this blog or tag us in your art at home! Let’s stay connected whilst apart until you can Enter Gallery.