Some food for thought…
It’s no secret that perhaps Brexit (regardless of your voting persuasion) and the Trump election campaign has hit the retail or art market, hard, but while the big galleries and Art Houses report large sales and growing demand, the rest of the art world is finding life a lot harder. The impact of this could have drastic and far reaching repercussions for the art world, and art investors with a smaller budget. How will this change affect artists trying to establish themselves and the galleries that house their works?
For many artists, it is often that first gallery willing to take a chance and hang their work, which helps to establish them as a professional artist and set them on the road to becoming a renowned name. It is therefore worrying that now, more than ever, these small to middling sized galleries conform, perhaps selling commercial prints and what I consider ‘easy on the eye’ or ‘match my curtains’ art.
Many artists may struggle competing in a market saturated with other artworks, particularly online where some professional and skilled works can get lost in a sea of amateur art. Without this influx of talent traveling into galleries such as mine, the ecology of the art world could be warped into something completely unrecognizable, with no room for artists to move up the ladder and the upper echelons of the artistic world could stagnate with no room for newcomers. Here in the gallery we like to think that we work with our artists. Up and coming talented painters provide us with beautiful pieces and we in turn provide a platform with which to promote and showcase them. Take for example the works of Kirsty Mackay. Utilizing a particular blend of industrial paint and various other ingredients, she manipulates paint onto canvas creating a beautiful marbled effect using a multitude of colour.
‘Evolution’ by Kirsty Mackay
Original Artwork: Industrial Paints on Box Canvas. Presented with a large modern white float frame.
£795 (Own Art available, spread the payment over 10 months)
For art investors, specifically those on a lower budget, this change could completely squeeze them out of the market, with little growth coming from the lower end, and the top end becoming even more out of reach to them. The small to middle sized galleries offer the chance to pick up new works from emerging talent and the chance to watch their investment grow. Here at the gallery, works sold by Kate Brinkworth and Russell Hatton have steadily increased in retail price over the past few years. Some may argue this is their value and some may argue it’s just a perceived value as again within any business a commodity is only worth what someone is willing to pay, however the facts don’t lie and both these artists works have increased in price.
Why not take a look at what we’re trying to achieve in the gallery. A break from the norm. A chance for collectors to invest in art that may not have the commercial splendour of the John Lewis print but art which is reasonably priced and one that is guided by skill and integrity.
Risk taking galleries like mine are the pioneers of the art world and should not be overlooked; it is at this level that fresh and enigmatic works are separated from the ordinary which in turn keeps the art markets so dynamic.
‘The Writer’ by Kate Brinkworth
Original Artwork: Oil on Board
£4,750 (Own Art available, spread the payment over 10 months)
‘Organicolcour ” by Russell Hatton
Original Artwork: Industrial Paint on Aluminum
£3,950 (Own Art available, spread the payment over 10 months)
George Thornton Art
12A Flying Horse Walk, Nottingham, NG1 2HN
Tel – 01159243555
GEORGE THORNTON ART 