A little jaunt down to the very tip of Kent has revealed a new place to go. The Updown Gallery in Ramsgate is a real gem. It’s current exhibition is of incredible Howard Hodgkin prints, beautifully curated in an elegant Victorian villa in the heart of the town. Kate Smith, the owner, was so accommodating and helpful, taking me through the journey that she has taken with her career; starting in the Bernard Jacobson Gallery, opening up a branch in New York and how she set up the Updown Gallery. She even talked me through the lighting, flooring and shared her personal favourites that hang on the walls of the gallery. It was interesting to hear that, if she has to, she frames the works in her gallery in a way that she would like to see them in her home. She obviously loves what she does and is happy to share her knowledge readily and without condescension. This is a London gallery situated in a seaside town almost on my doorstep!
We are very lucky in this corner of Kent. It seems that it is becoming a real hub of creativity. We have the Turner Contemporary in Margate and a plethora of creative outlets springing up in the area. Whistable has the Horsebridge and Canterbury has the Sydney Cooper Gallery to name but a few. And now Ramsgate has the Updown Gallery. All worth a trip.
