My duty days at Somerset Crafts

Due to various health problems this last year I have been unable to fulfill some of my duty days stewarding at the gallery

Usually every other Thursday I attend the Somerset Crafts Gallery at Westhay from 10am - 4pm (Gallery Open 10-5pm) and am happy to meet my customers old and new,if you are in the area do pop in.
However as my calendar is now sometimes interupted by Dr appointments etc it is best to check first if you particularly wish to see me. at coopersstudio@btinternet.com

Somerset Crafts Gallery
The Avalon Marshes Centre. 

Westhay   BA6 9TT       Tel : 01458 860426

Greeting Cards are back!

Years ago many many cards of my designs were published, originally by a  company in Poole and then by ourselves when my son Ben used to sell them to outlets all over the place,Then Salmons  published a few to accompany the callendars they did of my painting and now I have decided to do some again myself.

The first few designs have been set up and others will be added as soon as I can and these will be available through and organisation called Love From The Artist. It is  a non profit concern that assists artists in printing  and distributing their cards. The following link wil take you to their site and you can purchase direct from them and even have personalised messages print in the card if you wish.

 https://www.lovefromtheartist.com/Artists/ashcott/michael-cooper

Sorry but I have had to make some changes

Framed Pictures

Over the years I have sent hundreds of framed prints all over the place and we used to have very few breakages, unfortunatly the situation has changed.I think it may well be down to the vastly increased number of packages that are now in transit due to the growth of Amazon and other E Business this I believe has resulted in a  greater presure on the carriers and sadly a lowering of their standards.

However well we pack pictures (and we have a very good record of good packing) I have lost confidence in them getting to their destination undamaged.
As we cannot insure glass in transit I have to bear the burden of the cost and the extra work involved and the feeling that I may have let someone down,at my age this is all too much to worry about  so I have decided to restrict our choice of framing  that can be delivered,* to the Distressed Pine without a mount, which in fact is our most popular frame anyway.

Breakages in future - please do not worry the Pine frame we complete here ourselves and we will of course continue to replace any damaged items.

* Delivered- Should you desparatly want one of the moulding that I used to have before I can possibly still supply them if they can be collected by the puchaser or if the buyer lives within say 30 miles of my home at Ashcott near Street in Somerset-

Prices on application

Unframed prints - May I suggest that you can always purchase the loose unframed print which comes in a stout cadboard tube, this can then be taken to your local picture framer who will be able to offer you a larger selection of mouldings than we can.But do tell them that my style does look best with some white space around the image.

NEW payment method

Since my recent indisposition I have returned to find that PayPal have altered their payment proceedure a little . If you want to pay by card but are not a member of PayPal it is alright.
Go to check out and confirm that you wish to pay via their system then on the next page go to CHECK OUT as GUEST then you may carry on and use your card with the benefit of their security with out joining Paypal.

Any problems email me or phone direct  01458 210796

                   New Giclée Prints

Dipping into the archives to create new range of images

As I am unable to create new images, now that my eyesight is just not up to that fine detailed work any more, customers have been on at me to make more of my archives of old work.

Initially with the exception of a few, that had been open editions before , I will be publishing giclée prints of work that was originally used for greeting cards, some of which were sold framed but they would only have been images 6” x 8” or smaller whereas these new prints will be A4 size and/ or larger.

Any prints in this new selection, that have not been previously published as loose prints, will each be individually signed and numbered with a limit of 150 copies.

The prints that had been previously published such as The Little Grey Fergie (below) which was an open edition (not limited) will be signed but not numbered.

The first two such prints are- details in the Giclée Section

To The Tor . Ltd Ed.(above) Glastonbury Tor seen from Cinnamon Lane
and
The Little Grey Fergie  (Below)
 

A number of these new prints have been added to the giclée selection

Should you wish to view or purchase any Prints, Giclées or Original Paintings via this web site please proceed via the, Print Gallery, Giclée Prints  or Originals

Places where selections of framed prints may be seen and purchased

                      The Somerset Crafts Gallery 
               in the Avalon Marshes Centre.  Westhay BA6 9TT
                   Open Seven days a week 10am - 5pm Tel 01458 860426   

                                                       See our new

Somerset Crafts Virtual Gallery Tour Video      

           The Pipers Inn at Ashcott also displays
             a large selection of my framed prints

           Ashcott.   TA7 9QL    by the A39/A361 Junction
                  During their open hours only Tel 01458 210030

       NEW- The Artist's own blog site is now up and running follow
                  The Ramblings of an old Artist

The stories behind the paintings and the life of an old artist trying to make a living for thirty odd years painting old barns,tractors,cows and various rural ruins.
Plus notes about my bonsais and my efforts to succeed with these amazing little trees
 

You can also scroll down this page for various bits and bobs of information about my work and then if you like, visit Studio Gossip  a page of odd bits and bobs about muy work and pictures.

THE ARTIST
And if you want to know the story of how I managed to survive all these years as an artist despite the slings and arrows of our modern world try my mini CV history. covering from the 1940s till the present day.

Don't forget though you can also visit  my blog which is gradually coming together now with a collection of an old artist's ramblings on life,his work his bonsais and the world in general.

 

Gift Vouchers 
In response to requests from customers from the past who purchased gift vouchers when I had my gallery I have decided to reintroduce them.  

The vouchers can be used for puchases on this website or at The Somerset Crafts Gallery (Only for Michael Coopers items there)

Details can be found at Gift Vouchers

USING YOUR VOUCHER on this site- take the details of the item that you require and then contact me directly by email with your order. info@michaelcooper.co.uk or telephone 01458 210796

Original Watercolours and Drawings

I  have at last sorted out quite a  selection of framed watercolours, A number of which were displayed in my recent exhibition at the Somerset Crafts Gallery. 

The paintings have been added to the Originals section.Please bear in mind that I have taken the photographs myself,hence some reflections and some optical  distortions of the frames as taking photos of framed pictures with the glass in seems to me almost as hard as painting them, if not harder.

Prints - Open and Limited Editions

All displayed in both the Giclée Prints and Print Gallery sections, where it also  states whether the original paintingfrom which the print is taken is available or not. 

For any futher information on any originals please contact the artist.

Above Left                                                        
The Geese are Out! 

Right.
The Cockerel

Follow the mutterings of an old Somerset artist on Facebook

Further details about the artist's background story, how it all started - from past to present

How I started out drawing- doing pictures of WW2 air battle scenes, done at the time, I might add.

I actually had netting over my bed as a child in the war in order to catch the ceiling should it come down .Whilst mother and I faced the war, not far from London, father was in RAF in India, where according to his diaries it seems that he spent most of the time in the cinema.

Just one of my memories in the story of The Artist 

The Cider Orchard Collection

Read the story behind my pictures recording a way of life of a well know Glastonbury character, Marcus Govier,in his Somerset Cider Orchard at Lower Edgarley at the foot of Glastonbury Tor - From an article in Farmers Weekly

Above

'A Hard Days Work' Marcus rolling  tobacco in his orchard at Glastonbury

Right

'Yarlington Mill' a famous Somerset cider apple

Remarqued* Artist Proof Copies

Having at last sorted out my studio and prints storage space I have discovered that I have a few artist proof copies of two prints still tucked away in the shelves. So they are now listed in the Print Gallery.
Marcus' Barn picture of an old Nuffield in the barn at Marcus Govier's place

* Remarqued,with a small drawing by the artist in the corner of the print, also signed and numbered (Roman Numerals on the proof copies)

The Old Field-Marshall

One of the most famous post war tractors.Less than 12 artist proof copies available

 The Ploughing Match - Giclée Print

Following interest in A Straight Furrow I have got in a bit of a furrow myself and followed it up with this latest picture, now listed in the Giclée Prints section. 

I saw this scene of a Fordson Major in a ploughing match near Bransgore in the New Forest one day, when I was driving down to pick up my wife Susan who had been staying with a friend there.

The Original of this painting is now for sale £1550.00

 My thanks to Derek Olden from  The New Forest Vintage Tractor and Engine Club who has now confirmed that the tractor belonged to one of their members and it was at an event organised by them at Bransgore.

The Giclée Prints of The Ploughing Match (above) together with 'Clearing The Haybob' (left) and 'A Straight Furrow' now make quite a selection for the tractor entusiast to chose from and I have also added a smaller size versions of each of these three giclée ones to the catalogue, offering a choice of price and size. 

'Clearing the Haybob' depicts Austin Appleby at work on Common Moor, Glastonbury .For some years we lived in the house that Austin's father Jack built at the edge of the town.
There are by the way , even more tractor prints in the main print gallery.

A Standard Fordson seen at Mendip Ploughing Match

PayPal Welcome
As you may see by the logos on the above left, we can now accept PayPal and the associated credit and debit cards, including American Express, that they can take, even though you may not have a PayPal account of your own.

Birdwatching Information see Studio Gossip Page

 RETIREMENT ? Well not quite

It is now three years since I retired from the day to day commitment of running the studio gallery that I had done for over twenty seven years however  I shall continue to sell on the internet, which in fact is busier than ever, thank you folks. As to painting my eyesight is no longer up to the fine detailed work which I specialized in, so it is unlikely that there will be any new works now.

 NEW  - Showing on The Somerset Levels 
I have though joined the co-operative of artists and crafts people who make up the SOMERSET CRAFTS CENTRE display at the Avalon Marshes Centre at Westhay.
That is just along the road from the Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve and less than ten minutes from our new home.
So why not have a look at the visiting waders on the lakes and lagoons and then visit the centre for a cup of tea and a cake and then browse among all the lovely things there- kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.

Limited Edition Giclée Prints

Top quality prints on Hahnemühle Fine Art Paper usually in editions of no more than 250 copies

These and all the Limited Editions are individually signed and numbered by the artist

See the Giclée Print Selection

Little Grey Fergies,Vintage Tractors, Farming  Pictures, Cows, lots of different images to choose from for the Yesterday Farming enthusiast or country lover any of which could make ideal presents for anyone.

Limited Editions

In the Print Gallery
Editions of 550 copies or more printed by Fine Art Trade Guild member printers

Framing

All prints are listed in one or more carefully chosen frames

(Right)  Ltd Edition 'Work Mates' 

Open Editions

In the Print Gallery
These more modestly priced prints are Not limited in the edition size but are of the same quality.Each print purchased is also individually signed by the artist
Open Edition 'The Field-Marshall (Retired)'