Lots of pics on the RCA secret facebook page

Plenty of pics of this years sale on the RCA secret facebook page. Worth a visit.

RCA Secret forum

Some enterprising person (not me) has started an RCA Secret forum! Click here to join.

RCA Secret and ebay

It's good to see that you don't get many cards hitting ebay after the sale. At the moment there is only one Jacqueline Perkin card from this year on the bay, finishing tonight and doing quite well.

Although there have been a few old cards on the bay in the last few weeks, and this Terry Setch card is doing quite well.

My RCA Secret 2009

This year the college announced some huge names had contributed to sale. I was very excited when I heard that names such as Gerhard Richter, John Baldessari and Bill Viola had donated. The sale has always been strong on contributors from these shores, but these international cards put the sale, in my opinion, on an even higher level.

So the weeks before the sale were spent researching last year's cards and this years contributors and posting updates on the blog of articles in the media about the sale, and other little titbits.

It ought to be noted that the art world lost some huge names this year, many of whom had regularly contributed to RCA Secret in the past including: Donald Hamilton-Fraser, Frederick Gore, Flavia Irwin and, most recently Christo's wife and partner Jeanne-Claude. May they all rest in peace.

Eventually Friday 13th November came round and the cards were released on the internet by the college promptly just before 11am. Due to being crazy busy at work I didn't get much chance to look at them properly until the weekend. I went down the exhibition on the Sunday and bought some raffle tickets and had my first look at the cards in person, whilst my two wonderful daughters made their own lists of the cards they wanted.

The weather for the week of the sale was horrendous. Some areas of the country were flooded and there was torrential rain in London on Wednesday and Thursday nights. I wasn't looking forward to a potential soaking on the Friday night.

As it was we were relatively lucky with the weather. I woke up on Friday and the skies were very grey and it was raining. I collected my stuff together and made my way to the college that morning. I arrived and shortly after installed my new pop-up tent, an early birthday present from my brother, and considerably easier to put up than my previous tent which was getting just a little frayed round the edges having endured a few years of battering on the streets of Kensington.

John had arrived about 40 minutes before me and was therefore directly ahead of me in the queue. A little while later Adam arrived and then after that the rest of our informal "crew" – Chris and Hugh. Mark, a friend and colleague from work, also joined our band of intrepid overnighters.

A happy morning was spent browsing the cards and refining choices. I never fail to be amazed that every time I look at the cards I spot a new one I feel I had never seen before. Lunch followed in Wagamamas followed by more browsing of the cards in the afternoon and chatting to people in queue. Plus a few work-related phone calls during the course of the day which were most off-putting.

Anyway the time came for us to be turfed out of the sale and we then spent the next hour clutching our phones hoping for that elusive phone call from the college. Gradually the phones started ringing. John got the call, as did his wife we later found out. Also news filtered down that various people higher up the queue had got the call. I don't wish to moan as I've always done well from the sale but I haven't ever got the call and would love to enjoy the raffle experience once!

We then had a couple of quick beers and a pizza. It was good to meet Cade at that stage after exchanging emails with him on quite a few occasions. Check out Cade's blog for some pictures of some of the amazing cards he has got over the years.

Anyway after a bit more chatting it was time to settle down for the night. I think because the weather was extremely mild I got more than usual amount of sleep, about 4 hours I think, although I apologise to my "next door neighbours" for snoring! There was some rain during the night but it was not nearly as bad as the previous two nights (or indeed the Saturday).

Anyway by around 4.45am I was awake and unable to go back to sleep for thinking about my list and making last minute adjustments and amendments. So I had a cup of hot chocolate, swiftly followed by a coffee to wake me up, listened to a bit of music on my daughter's iPod, borrowed for the night, and scratched away at my list.

The tent city started packing up early this year as it became apparent that by six in the morning the queue had completely double-backed on itself and was back in front of the college. You can imagine the chaos between those in the first part of the queue and those in the second part, so we packed up our stuff and moved up quickly to form the queue on the disabled ramp to the side of the college. This meant that the second part of the queue moved off quickly thus averting catastrophe.

Inevitably there were a couple of queue bargers who categorically refused to move until security came out and moved them on. Thanks to the security personnel at the college who handled these potentially difficult situations in a sensible and calm way. Thanks also to the college for keeping open, throughout the night, the toilets at the back entrance to the college. It made a huge difference to the people queuing and hopefully stopped some of the insanitary practices the college have rightfully complained about in the past.

The lucky raffle winners were in and out before us so I saw John coming out as he told me that he had scored 2 Grayson Perry cards and 2 cards by Mary Fedden. So well done him.

Finally it came to the time for us to go down to the room with the screens. I always find this a nerve racking experience to put it mildly. The room has two screens mounted which cycle through the cards that have been sold but frankly it is very difficult to cross off that many cards before you hit the front. You have to try and look round people's heads and the numbers cycle through very quickly.

I still don't understand why the college deal with all the raffle winners first before we are allowed down. Surely it would be better just to let the rest of the queue go down and go to the rear of the raffle winners? This would give us more time to cross off cards from our list and mean that the queues speed up. For the same reason can I suggest that the college consider mounting the same screen either just outside the college (if possible) or alternatively just as you get inside the doors?

In any event by the time I got to the front of the queue I had only had time to cross about 10 cards off my list. I started off reading out numbers to the very friendly lady behind the till – After a constant stream of "no, not available" I started getting a few numbers that were available. I actually changed my mind about one number that was available, deciding in the end to go for something else.

A tip at this stage. When you have your four numbers. Breathe. Relax. Go through them again and make sure there are no mistakes and that they are the numbers you want. After that there is no going back.

Anyway payment was made and off I went back upstairs and presented my invoice to a runner to get my cards. She called me over to the packing area, asked me to confirm my cards were the ones I wanted and then packed them away in envelopes. As she did so she asked me how long I had been queuing for. When I told her she said something along the lines of "I'm sure you will think it was worth it". That was my first hint that a might have got something a bit special.

I opened my envelopes and the first one I opened was a pretty drawing of a shoe. Not only has this been one of my daughters' favourite cards but I also had a sneaky feeling it might be by Grayson Perry, as there were plenty of frills on it and the bow was very expansive. So I was absolutely delighted when I turned it over to see that it was indeed by Grayson Perry. I let out a shriek of delight and punched the air.



The next card I opened was an abstract in oils. As soon as I had heard that Gerhard Richter was a contributor I spent a long time researching his work and trying to work out what he had done in the sale. I exchanged views with a few friends and then had my eureka moment one morning when I had woken up early with the kids and had gone through the cards on the internet systematically just trying to identify the Richters. But his work is diverse that I was by no means certain. I needed to buy a card that I liked and would be a proud addition to my collection even if it wasn't by Richter.

As you can imagine I was therefore delighted when I turned over my card and revealed that my research (and guesswork) had indeed paid off. I was now the proud owner of a Gerhard Richter abstract. I couldn't believe it. I sank to my knees, shouted out "yes" and punched the air. I couldn't stop shaking for at least 10 minutes afterwards.



I was also very pleased with my other two cards - abstracts by Carol Robertson, an artists I have long-admired, and another abstract by Pierce Casey. They will all be framed shortly.

Robertson



Casey



The next few minutes passed in a haze of an interview and photographs with the independent, and chats with others about what they had got, the ones that got away etc.

All in all a fantastic and very special experience for me and one I will never forget. I know I am a bit obsessional about RCA secret but it gives me and others like me a chance to buy the art we love at a price we can afford. I love the whole event and am most grateful to the college and all the contributing artists for making it so special.

Jules' story

Here is Jules' story of her RCA secret night, as first published in her blog Girl on the Side.

Yesterday was the date I’d been excited about for the past 12 months & had spent the past week doing lists on Microsoft Excel for: The RCA Secret.

Recalling how busy it was last year (and the fact that I’m still not ready for camping), I’d decided that arriving earlier this time would be for the best… and indeed it was. I convinced The Boy (who was an RCA virgin) that leaving the house just after 3.am was not insane & would be worth it :) The journey wasn’t bad at all: managed not to stuff up leaving early like I did last year, and night-bused it all the way.

Arriving at the RCA, the 1st thing you noticed was the length of the queue: It had only just hit 4.am, and it had already gone beyond that nook in Jay Mews I joined last year when I arrived at 6am… and was steadily approaching the Gore. Walking along, and noticing a lot more tent action this year, we joined the end of the line – which at this point was just on the corner of the Mews. The same steps were taken again: warm clothing, a flask of hot coffee & something to eat. I was worried that being there earlier & queuing for longer would mean being frozen by 8am – luckily the weather was a lot milder this time… although still nippy! A nice element about this though are the people you instantly get chatting to, as everyone is in the same frame of mind about the queue & the weather. This year a new “queuing buddy” was made in Stewart – a very nice bloke who was in front of us & even offered me his chair to sit on during our hours outside :)

At 06:56 there was a sudden surge in the line and we all began moving forwards. I was surprised by this, as the doors weren’t open yet – can only assume that it was the tents all waking up and packing away (?)… either way, we were moving along pretty quick, which was a good feeling.

By 8a.m: we’d already moved up to the side of the RCA entrance, which was super-early compared to last year. This is where I spotted a familiar face: Wayne Chisnall was back! As he said on his blog, he was planning something for the morning & for the 2nd time in a row, I managed to catch it. He was giving out 400 numbered & signed screen printed postcards he’d made, as a “thank you” to those queuing up for the sale in the Cold. As with last year, I’d not even made it into the RCA, and had a lovely piece of art to add to my collection… so “thank you” Wayne :)

08:30 a.m & we were in already… confirming that being an earlier bird than last year does make a difference. It was a return to that excited & nervous feeling again: shuffling through the white building, eager to get down the steps… almost desperate to see the TV screens telling us what was available & what had gone. The panic of papers being flicked through and the sound of pens scribbling out choices lost, were all you could hear once you got to the basement. People were crowding around the 2 TV screens (while still trying to move along the queue) in order to check their choices. The only gripe that I had with the screens this year is that one of them wasn’t working , or the screen wasn’t big enough: only the top half of the bottom row of cards was showing, so you’d constantly miss the cards / numbers :(

Anyway… I got to the cashier, gave her 3 card numbers from my list that were still available on the screen… & they were still there – result! The Boy and I were both done by 10a.m, and walked away with cards from both our lists that we wanted… at some point, The Boy may blog about his – but as an RCA Virgin, he managed to walk away with an interesting name in his envelope…

So, the end results for me?





Full set of pictures are avaliable to view on my Flickr set, here.

I’ll certainly be back again next year… see you then

Framing offer

So you have your precious cards now and you want to get them framed. As I've got more and more into art I have realised the crucial importance that a good framing job can do for your piece of art.

Also you need to ensure that your art is conserved properly, without the risk of it being damaged by the framing process or by harmful UV rays etc.

Any good art framer should be able to give you chapter and verse about the frames they use, the mounts, the type of glass, the methods of fixing the artwork to the mounts etc etc. Make sure you ask lots of questions to ensure that the framer knows what he is doing and knows that your artwork is important to you, and possibly quite valuable.

If you are keen to ensure that your artwork is framed well and that it is done to conservation standards then I have negotiated a deal with a well known framers for readers of the blog.

Gary at photography framing has been framing a large amount of my stuff for a few years now (see pics of last years cards). The service is excellent. He has regular collection and deliveries in the south-east (and sometimes further afield) so you just book a slot with him. He will arrange to collect the artwork from you then will either phone you or email you to discuss framing options. You can have anything from the standard white or black box frame through to some really wacky mouldings indeed if you are feeling brave.

Once the work is framed gary will arrange to deliver it back to you. Perfect.

The special price offered to readers of the blog is:

Full conservation standard framing
Perspex and mount on the back of the frame so you can see the signature
A range of frame choices
UV Glass - £75 including VAT.

If you would like Museum glass (which is non-reflective and really worth the extra cost) then the cost is £120 including VAT.

Just email gary@photographyframing.co.uk with your requirements, mentioning the RCA secret blog.

UcanBeverywhere's story

Here's an account of from the ucanbeverywhere blog. Click here for the blog and more pics :)



To obtain a Postcard-sized work of art from RCA Secret I queued for more than five hours!
It was a thrilling adventure indeed.... and I am extremely happy since I managed to get two postcard-sized works of art from Hugh Fleetwood and Andrew Fionda! The competition was great! It was actually more than great and people were camping for days before even the event was launched in order to safeguard a good place in the queue.
I tried my best to safeguard a good place in the queue... and wasn't that bad in the end!
The event only started at 8 o'clock this morning and I got there at 6 in the morning! I only managed to get inside at noon and even if most of the famous artists cards were already gone, I got two just by having a final quick glimpse since those that I had in my list were sold!
I enjoyed this fabulous art experience and I have some pictures for you to enjoy!
Well done to all of those 'Gladiators' that got their favorite ones .... RCA Rocks!

Sale piece in the independent on sunday this morning

There is a fun article in the independent on sunday this morning here.

Full text reproduced below

Postcard art: Having a cool time. Wish you were here

A Slice of Britain: At the annual lucky dip for postcards by famous and emerging artists, the sharp-eyed and patient scoop up bargain masterpieces

By Andrew Johnson at the Royal College of Art

Sunday, 22 November 2009

They don't look much like contemporary art-lovers. There are no sharp suits, silly haircuts or bold spectacle frames. Instead, the queue snaking outside the Royal College of Art (RCA) is made up of a motley group – bleary-eyed and unshaven – dressed in woolly jumpers and waterproof jackets.

They are there for the annual lucky dip. The prestigious college asks around 1,000 artists – from the famous to recent graduates – to donate up to six postcards of new work. Art-lovers can buy no more than four, at £40 each. The catch is that no one knows the name of their artist until after they have bought the work.

This year's coup was Gerhard Richter. The German, considered one of the world's greatest artists, painted six cards in his distinctive blurred abstract style. Other sought-after names included Grayson Perry, Anish Kapoor and Tracey Emin.

"Whatever happens, your work will be worth £40," says the sale's curator, Wilhelmina Bunn.

The doors open at dawn, and 50 raffle winners are given first dibs. Next come die-hard regulars, who have learnt that if you want to buy a contemporary great for peanuts, it's the very early bird who gets the work. By 7am the queue is wrapped around the RCA building in Kensington. Inside the RCA's white halls, it snakes across the wooden flooring and continues down a set of stairs past giant TV screens that reveal which works have gone and which are still available.

Buyers are busy scribbling in their notebooks as they try to keep up with the changing stock. Eventually, the queue winds its way to a cashier, who checks your choice is still available, takes your money, and gives you a form to take upstairs to the main gallery. There, rows and rows of postcards with a multitude of designs – drawings, paintings, photographs, inscriptions and collages – are mixed in with plain green cards to replace those that have been sold.

Chris and Gayle Corbett camped out and managed to be fifth in the queue. "We've been here for two and a half days," says Chris. "We love art. There's lots of people here during the night. You make friends, order a pizza, have a drink." They are hoping for a Nick Park or Tracey Emin. Their ritual, however, is not to open their envelope until after they've nipped off for a big breakfast. Others take their envelopes outside and open them immediately, frequently to squeals of delight.

Like hordes of others lining up for a card at the sale they had to register online first. Perry Hill, a solicitor, is in his 10th year at the sale, and very chuffed to find himself with a Grayson Perry drawing of a shoe as well as a Richter. "I thought it might be by Grayson because of the bow," he says. "I just love the sale. It's a real opportunity for people like me who can't afford to buy the artists that we like, to own their stuff."

Ms Bunn registered 5,000 new people for the sale this year, 2,000 more than normal. Some 14,000 had already registered over the sale's 16-year history. "There's 2,700 cards and we normally sell them all," she says. "Not everyone turns up and not everyone buys four. We invite around 3,500 artists and this year 1,016 agreed. I first asked Richter in 2007, and his studio said he would be interested but was busy. I never let go. He couldn't do it last year, but this year he painted six, and sent a note saying it was a great project."

By 1pm the queue is shorter, although latecomers are still tagging on. The last person – for now – is Heather Broughton who has travelled from Leicester. "There is something very British about queueing," she says. "I'm not bothered about anyone famous: it's about the future. I work for a museum in Leicestershire, which has been buying new art to loan to schools for 50 years. It now has work by people like Bridget Riley and David Hockney."

Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime of queuing, The Independent on Sunday gets to buy a work. It's by the Welsh artist Carwyn Evans. By now Chris Corbett has had plenty of time to savour his purchase. He calls, having finished a leisurely breakfast, to reveal the couple's days of vigil has been rewarded with a card by the fashion designer Manolo Blahnik. His tone bears the quiet satisfaction of a modest lottery winner. "We're very pleased," he says simply.

Artists Names are all up now

The artists names are now all up on the rca site, as usual a few surprises and interesting ones.

I hope everyone had a great time and got what they wanted, I know I did.

Over the coming days I will posting peoples experiences of the sale day and their stories, including my own. If you've got a story you would like to contribute then please let me know, by commenting on the blog. Would be great to hear from you.

I will also be publishing details of a special framing offer I have negotiated for all our readers should you want to get your cards framed as I am sure you will.

I will sleep well tonight though.

Good luck all

Very best of luck to everyone tomorrow in the raffle and on Saturday in the sale. I've never won the raffle, maybe this year will be my year. Who knows. But whoever wins I hope you get the cards you want and that you have a fabulous time. And do feel free to come and say hello. I should be somewhere near the front of the queue and would love to meet you. Just don't wake me up if I'm asleep ;)

RCA Secret invaded by Eels

London based street artist Eel performed a Banksy style stunt yesterday when his placed his own contribution to the sale onto the wall making it card number "240.5". Some photos of the stunt on Eel's flickr.