What does being an art dealer involve?
Two different things: I work directly with artists. This involves selling their work, promoting their work, putting on exhibitions, publishing catalogues and artist books and exhibiting at art fairs (as well as many more associated mundane activities!). I also buy and sell on the secondary market.
Is it a difficult business to break into?
It is a business that some people strive to get into and others fall into. There are many ways to get into the art world. All are equally valid.
How did you come to specialise in prints? Why did you choose to specialise?
I didn’t mean to specialise in prints and I still don’t! But I love prints for two very different reasons; one somewhat less pure than the other. Firstly, art exists, to my mind, to be seen, to be disseminated. An image that exists in multiple copies – a print – is a wonderful way to achieve this. Secondly, as a dealer, prints are great as they allow for multiple sales of the same image.
How do you find your artists?
Randomly.
Can you take us through an example: say Abigail Norris?
I saw her degree show in 2022 and was absolutely blown away by it. A year later, I was invited to contribute to the curated section of the inaugural Women In Art Fair (excellently curated by Rowena Easton!) and saw that Abigail’s work had been selected, so agreed to take part, partly based on that fact. After an eight-hour visit to Frieze on its opening day, I got to the Fair shortly before it closed, saw her work, met her and we have been working together ever since.
You show at a lot at art fairs… Is that hard work?
Art fairs are a necessary evil. They allow dealers, art lovers and buyers to show or view a lot of work in a short space of time in a confined space. But… it’s probably the worst way to see art. Booths are often overhung, there is never enough space, the walls, floors and lighting are often less than ideal, people give a booth one or two minutes and the place is heaving with visitors looking for their friends and a free drink.
Can you tell at a glance who is a potential buyer? What are the tell-tale signs?
No. There are tell-tale signs, though. My colleagues, who are better than me at spotting wealth, tell me that handbags, jewellery and very smart trainers are helpful signs. Ultimately, it is always best to treat everyone as a potential buyer, as you never know.
This year you sold thirty Marcelle Hanselaar prints to the Metropolitan in New York. How did that come about?
I try to go to New York every year. I am taking a break at the moment. When I go I try and arrange meetings with curators to show them new works from my artists. Sometimes I am successful!
Is there any London-centric geographical snobbery in the art world?
I wouldn’t call it snobbery. London, as in so many other areas of life, is an inescapable art-world vortex, greedily sucking everyone and everything into it. The problem is more that we all seem to have less time than ever to spend on the wonderful pleasure of viewing art.
You’re in the process of opening your own gallery, in Chichester (taking over the space from Candida Stevens). Tell us the rationale behind that.
At an art fair earlier this year, Candida tapped me on the shoulder and said “fancy an art gallery?” How could I say no?! What advice would you give to a rookie art collector? See as much as you can. Look at art with friends – it’s often more fun – but don’t let their opinions on art change yours. When you see something that you absolutely love and/or cannot stop thinking about, that you can afford, buy it! Never buy based on a trend or because you feel that you should.