At a staggering $1.8 million, the Barrett Bequest is the biggest financial gift we've received since the Gallery opened in 2003. And we had no idea it was coming...

In early 2010 Max Gimblett announced his intention to give the Gallery a substantial gift of works on paper. The only complication was that someone had to go and select them...

We've all heard the stories about confusions occurring on the edge where art meets life. The London cleaning lady, for instance, who threw out hundreds of cigarette butts that turned out to be a Damien Hirst. Naturally, no self-respecting gallery professional wants to see their favourite artworks confused with mere stuff.

Mark Strange, an old friend, rang me in May to discuss a gift that he and his partner Lucy Alcock wished to make to the Gallery. 

It is Christmas eve and all through the shop nothing is stirring...

In what I can only relay to you as an act of supreme irony, our demonstration model of our silent night music box has fallen...well, SILENT!

Continuing the silent theme, we would like to thank all our customers who have commented on the shop being an oasis and calm and quiet (no music, as we share a building with the library, sssshhh!).  I see a trend for us here to for-go the ubiquitous festive oral wallpaper, and it seems our little music box agrees.

A merry (and peaceful) Christmas to all our customers; from all of us at the gallery shop.