The case of the missing artwork, bailiffs and an auction house down the road

So.

I have been having one hell of a week.  And I don't use that word lightly.  It has been so bad on so many levels, but hey, why start from the end when the story from the beginning is much better.

Two weeks ago, I received an email from The Art Works Galleries www.theartworksgalleries.com stating that they had closed.  Please come on either Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday to collect your items.

Unfortunately, the only day I had assistance was on Saturday.  So, my husband and I arrive on Saturday and are greeted with the sight of a very confused looking man trying to unlock a lock.  The poor sod just couldn't.  Because the lock had been changed.  He then called the gallery manager and then relayed the message to us awaiting artists to email Matt Forster, the gallery owner.  We had obviously just been blown off.

So.  After sending an aggrieved email, we packed up Josey into the car to go to the beach.  On our way, we stopped by the gallery again...where we saw quite a large gathering of perplexed artists.  There was no one there to give any information regarding the locked door.  So, I delivered the bad news.  The police had been contacted, blah blah blah blah....

So began my week of emailing a list of 9 then 11 artists information, receiving information, then dishing out new news to try to figure out where the heck our artwork was lurking.  Low and behold, due to a missed energy bill payment, EDF energy and sent the bailiffs to seize the contents of the property and change the locks.  Our things were then whisked away to an auctioneers just down the road from where I live.

Our things were delivered to the auctioneers on Sunday.  The auction to sell our items to pay for Matt Forster's debt is next Friday. As a group, the Disgruntled Artists Collective found out this information days ago, yet the gallery only informed us just yesterday.

Today I am off to the auctioneers to try to collect my 8 artworks and 30 Gee How Quaint products, as well as products for a girl in Cornwall, a man in Oxford and someone living in Chester-le-Street.

Incidentally, Matt Forster is showing his artworks at The Art Fair at the Sage this weekend.  I think I'll stop by.  Hm.  What could I possibly have to say to the man?

As for the backdrop to this entire ridiculous story:  This week I received the bad news that my second attempt at IVF failed.  That's it.  The end of the road.  Coming to terms with never having children is enough to try to deal with in a week.  This artwork fiasco is the icing on a cake made out of grief and disappointment.

Comments

[Kali]

Honey, I am so sorry to hear about the fiasco of your artwork - is there anything you can do to rescue it. Surely they they can't sell items that don't belong to the debtor (or maybe they can, the laws in this country are totally fucked against the individual!). Keep me posted - will be thinking of you today. I also want to say that it broke my heart to learn about the IVF failure - having struggled for years (and three miscarriages) to have my son I know how heartbreaking the hoping and wanting can be. My thoughts are with you honey. Try and have a good day. Kali x

[Anna]

Hi Cass,
That's disgusting. Can they even do that? Sell someone elses property like that? I am so glad you have you website and other examples of your work so that you can prove it really is yours.
What a week.
xxx

[brendadada]

More info on The Art Works fiasco and potential thievery here:
http://www.thephotographypages.co.uk/2009/10/the-art-works/

Will link to you Cassandra. Thanks for going all the way to help people. As usual, you are a rock.

(and apols for commenting on wrong post ;)

[Cassandra]

Thanks everyone. You're very kind.

[Catherine]

What a terrible week for you Cassandra!
I have posted on my blog about this with a link to this post, I hope you don't mind.
Catherine in Cornwall

[Catherine]

Here's the blog link:
http://scatterboxtwo.blogspot.com/