CHRISTMAS may be a time of joy and festivities, but for Terry Brett, curator and owner of Pyramid Gallery in, Stonegate, York, the season is a “strange time”.
“We prepare for it throughout the year from March,” he writes in his latest blog. “By the time we eventually get to the first week of December I am totally washed out by the whole thing.”
Terry goes on to outline the challenges of mounting Pyramid’s 30th anniversary Christmas exhibition, Deck The Halls, featuring minimalist lithographs by Alan Stones, from Cumbria; metal boxes by Marcus Steel, from the North York Moors; hares and foxes by Blandine Anderson, from Bude; ceramics by Craig Underhill, from St Ives, and paintings by Frans Wesselman, from Worcester.
On show too is glass sculpture by David Reekie, from Dickleburgh, Norfolk; ceramics by Ben Arnup, from York; prints by Mychael Barratt, from London, and portrait art by John Wheeler, from Middlesbrough.
Those challenges vary from a lorry hitting the National Trust-owned building on Monday, to the impact of the York Christmas Market, to the vagaries of the artists who exhibit at Pyramid.
The lorry first. “I came in at 9.30am to see a large gouge in the render under the overhanging bay and Sarah sweeping the pavement,” writes Terry. “The lorry had mounted the pavement in an attempt to get past a van that was parked opposite our building.
“For me, it was a complete waste of half a day, with more time wasted on Tuesday and probably for the next two months.
“The landlord is the National Trust and they are responsible for the structure, but I need to talk to them about it and provide photographs and videos etc, so that they can assess the damage and make a claim from the truck company’s insurance. They have sent two people to inspect. They are very good, but it all takes time!”
Next, York Christmas Market. “I would like to say that the Christmas Market benefits York, but I have nothing but negative thoughts about it,” writes Terry. “Saturdays are ruined. Except for Saturday 7 December, when York was blasted by Storm Darragh. Thank you Storm Darragh for closing down York Christmas Market.
“The closure for one day was announced on the media and in Pyramid Gallery we had our best trading day since the day we sold a large Paul Smith bronze fox in February 2024. For me this just proves my worst fears about having a Christmas Market in York.”
Terry continues: “It used to be a nice event – a single weekend when everyone dressed up for the Victorian Christmas Fair. Now it is just a calamity with people coming in droves and queuing for sausages or mulled wine, then realising that they need a toilet, so they now have to queue for a cafe (because there are not enough public toilets in York).
“My customers prefer not to come into the city centre on a Saturday afternoon. It’s a disaster. Except when there is a storm – Storm Darragh I Love You! P.S. Sundays are much more pleasant in the city centre and Pyramid will be open between 11am and 5pm this Sunday.”
Thirdly, the artists and makers. “We know certain things will sell well, but we always want to offer something fresh,” writes Terry. “It’s very difficult to know what will work, so we tend to ask too many makers for too many things – and if everything arrives, it is a logistical nightmare!
“The artists may or may not be able to get the work to us in time – for various reasons (e.g. equipment failures, health issues, family issues, production issues due to trying something new), so again we tend to ask for work from more makers than we really need.”
Certain things could be sold over and over again, if Terry were able to acquire them. “Here is an example: Gin Durham,” he writes. “She lives in High Wycombe and in a studio in her house she produces the most delightful ceramic hares and foxes with highlights to the ears in gold lustre.
“This year she had some health issues and needed to take things easy. She wanted to get work to us, but the task of packing it all up for posting was just too much. When she does send it, there is sometimes a casualty or two and this is a massive ‘downer’ for any artist.
“So, even though we have been talking to her since spring, the work was not going to be arriving. So I said, ‘what if I drive down to High Wycombe? Can I collect?’ And that is how I spent a day last week.”
Terry arose at 6am and arrived back home at 8.30pm, having driven 540 miles. “The hares and foxes have nearly all sold within a week,” he writes. “But this is needing a huge amount of my time…
“Even though I managed to also see the brilliant sculptor Jeremy James in Derbyshire (he let me take away 26 pieces which are now part of the Christmas show) and also Alison Vincent, who makes those astonishing waves and icebergs in glass, when she is not diving with sharks or swimming with Orcas! I absolutely love visiting artists and collecting work, but it takes it out of me and prevents me updating the website.”
Terry, nevertheless, ends on a high note: “The gallery is looking its very best. The work that artists have given us is astonishing and I thank everyone who has said this to me over the last four weeks. Thank you!.”
Pyramid Gallery, Stonegate, York, is open every weekday, 10am to 5pm; Saturday, 10am to 5pm; Sunday, 11am to 5pm; Christmas Eve, 10am to 3.30pm or 4pm; closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day; December 27, 11am to 4pm; closed New Year’s Day.
