Is art on the High Street dead?

 

 

I hear a great deal of people complaining about their High Street and lack of variety, one high street is the same as the other these days. Some of these same people buy cheap prints and mass produced artwork on ebay, and cheaply created art from Asia and Africa whilst on vacation and then wonder why their local gallery has closed.

There will always be a place for a well run gallery on or around the High Street. However with the high cost of retail space and the growth of online shopping they are becoming thin on the ground. What we're left with is high priced limited edition prints from celebrities masquerading as artists. In truth it's just a way for art publishing houses to make a great deal of money from celebrity culture.

It's not all bad news though, more artists and galleries have an online offering, and if you're buying art direct from the artist on his or her website it is considerably cheaper than doing it through a physical gallery which adds 40% commission on top. There is more variety too, webspace online is unlimited to display artworks whereas in a physical gallery you only have a limited wall space.

Visit my website www.simonsgallery.com to see what I mean, there's more original artwork available on this site than most physical galleries are able to offer and as it's art direct from the artist, many of the pieces are well within reach of most peoples budgets.

 www.simonsgallery.com

Complimentary Art

 "Autumn Mosaic II" 20x20 inches

Commissioned to compliment one of my earlier pieces of art this abstract painting is full of texture and the vibrant colours of fall. I was asked by the client who had purchased an earlier painting to create a complimentary piece of artwork for their home in the USA. Painted in the same style as the earlier work, this has a little more red in it and reflects a carpet of leaves on a crisp autumn morning.

I'm always happy to create art to suit your unique living space, if you have an idea or some images you want me to work from, I'm always happy to help you personalise your art for your living space.

www.simonsgallery.com

 

Making Art Special

Commissioning a piece of art gives you the opportunity to own something extremely special. Recently I finished a painting for a client which demonstrates how you can help create something very personal to you.

The client supplied me with a photo their children holding hands which was lovely, We agreed that showing the view from Parliament Hill across the London cityscape was important to this piece. Using photoshop I combined one of my images of the London Cityscape from Parliament Hill with their original photo.

The result is a beautiful painting, which is extra special to them, incorporating a superb view of London from Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath.

www.simonsgallery.com

Understanding Drip Art

The renowned artist Jackson Pollock was the creator of this style, and I can't help but feel his influence when using this technique.

When creating these pieces I try to look passively and receive what the painting has to offer as it develops and not to bring a subject matter or preconceived idea of what I'm trying to achieve. It can look haphazard and random, however to achieve a balance across the whole painting with many layers is actually quite difficult. Manipulating the paint in the direction you wish the painting to go is actually quite challenging, sometimes the painting wins, more often than not it's a draw. A combination of where the painting leads and where I managed to influence it.

These paintings don't not come from the easel. I prefer to lay the canvas horizontal, on the floor, this way I can walk around it, working from all four sides. This enables me to create a balanced work being able to apply paint from all directions. I use hardened brushes, pouring techniques and syringes to apply the paint with a fluidity which wouldn't be possible using a conventional upright surface and tools. Each layer is also applied at varying stages of drying to further add complexity to the process.

I hope you enjoy them, they're great fun to create and can bring a huge impact to a room.

www.simonsgallery.com

Art to make you smile

I guess it's okay to like your own paintings, sometimes I create art that just makes me smile. It's all in the title and these abstract still life paintings have a real sense of fun to them. Cheese and wine... well to be honest mostly wine :0) A perfect addition to your art collection they will look fantastic in a kitchen or dining room.

we're going to need bigger glasses!

5 bottles 2 glasses no problem!

2 bottles each that should do it!

www.simonsgallery.com

Now where are my walking boots!

I just can't help myself loving these landscape paintings, some more abstract than others. I like the way the sky dominates in big spaces. That time of day when the landscape is just emerging at dawn, features are barely distinct. It reminds me of many happy memories of walking in the highlands and moorlands, those lonely places full of atmosphere, peaceful and quiet when there is no other person to be seen.

I must get my walking boots out once again, the hills are calling!

www.simonsgallery.com

Art Like Wine no longer the sole preserve of the establishment

Wine is a recurring theme in my art and it occurred to me that there are a few similarities between the art and wine.

Wine used to be the sole preserve of the establishment, 25-30 years ago you would not have had wine on the table in an average home, and probably wouldn't have been able to buy it in a local store.

The same is true of art, it was something that average people had no access to or were allowed access to. When I first started to create paintings I was determined to make my art accessible to everyone, and avoid the old stuffy art galleries and usual routes to selling my paintings. These were frankly were far too precious snobbish and protective about their little world and largely still are.

That's why I set up my website, when everybody was still saying that nobody would ever buy off the Internet, I knew they were wrong and look at it now. You can now buy great pieces of art at prices that are accessible without the fear of walking into an art gallery and being treated like some 2nd class citizen who obviously shouldn't be there.

Art and wine are now affordable and fully accessible for everyone to enjoy, thank goodness. Everyone can now buy beautiful paintings at an affordable price, and view them while enjoying a glass of the good stuff.

I'm pretty sure that wine proof that God loves us & wants us to be happy! I'm also sure he'd want us to do that in a nice environment surrounded by beautiful art.

www.simonsgallery.com

 

3 Ways to Identify an Artist

When I first started painting, not knowing any better, I purchased my paint in small 50ml tubes, and had virtually every hue available to me. I soon realised that a more limited pallet produced less garish paintings, and that buying paint in a larger sized 2.5 litre bucket was far more cost effective and convenient.

I've also noticed something else too. A pathological reluctance to ever throw away a paint brush. I must now have over 350 in various stages of use, and although some of them are only good for stirring paint I just can't bring myself to throwing them away.

Finally, I now have a lot of clothes covered in paint! probably more with paint on than without. Common sense tells me to always change into some old clothes when painting, but if the creative muse comes along all that just goes straight out of the window. If you exhibit any or all of the above attributes, it's just possible that you're an artist!

www.simonsgallery.com

real art direct from the artist

How to sell a painting twice!

I showed my latest work to a Wine Merchant Friend " Drinking Wine with Friends" who loved it and decided to buy it for his shop. I now find that I have now sold it again within hours to a second buyer and this time it's on it's way to a restaurant in California.

How did I achieve this?

Almost immediately after it was put up a couple saw it and were so taken by it they decided that they just had to buy it for a restaurant in the USA.

He sent them over to me and we negotiated a price and it's now on it's way over to California. This was only possible through the kindness of the original buyer who allowed me to sell it to them in the full knowledge that I would provide him with another similar painting in the same style and colours. With more customers like that I could double my sales!

It's only fair I should mention his wine business so thanks Jez at Wine and the Vine in Radlett. www.wineandthevine.co.uk he sells great wine by the way and apparently he's now an art dealer too!

See more of my work or buy a painting twice at:

www.simonsgallery.com

Dispelling the Myth that Art is Expensive

Original art doesn't have to be expensive. So far this Year I've managed a painting a day. These are smaller works in my affordable art section. I am working on some larger paintings at the moment too but these take a little longer. Here are 6 of my more affordable works completed in the last week and available for £25.00, a great way to add to or to start your art collection. They also make fantastic gifts for someone special.

My website contains all my current and newest work as it's completed and I'm always updating it with new works and images. By covering a wide range of price points I try to make buying original art accessible to all.

www.simonsgallery.com