On Saturday 28th and Sunday 28th July the Olympics came to Surrey! Thousands of people from across the world gathered together to watch their national team compete in the men’s and women’s Olympic Road Cycling Race. The Advocate Gallery office closed this day as the roads were taken over! To show how close we were to the action here is a map that shows the Road Race Route and where we were in relation to the exciting sporting event.
Advocate Gallery was featured in this months issue of So Surrey Magazine. The article titled ‘A Question of Art’ features art gallery owner Edward Burns talking through the often daunting prospect of buying a piece of original art. See the article in the digital magazine on the So Surrey website or read on to see what it said.
A Question of Art
After 20 years in the business Ed Burns, owner of Advocate Gallery in Ashtead tells us about the most common concerns and questions people have when buying art.
“Buying a piece of art is not as simple as people think, for most purchasing a painting is not a regular occurrence like the weekly shopping and this throws up all sorts of questions and queries. From those that are looking for an investment or wanting to commission a piece of work to those that are simply too nervous to come in for a browse, we’ve dealt with all sorts of clients. At Advocate Gallery we offer advice, guidance and reassurance and never forget that art is a very personal choice.
Never feel nervous
One of the most common misperceptions is that we expect people to be experts in art.
Many people feel too nervous to walk into a gallery, even though they’d love to just pop in and browse and perhaps even buy a painting. You should never feel nervous, at Advocate we’ve worked hard to create an art gallery that you don’t feel intimidated to walk into or pressurised once inside; where you don’t need to know anything about the “art-world” but simply know what you like. It’s important that when clients walk into the gallery they are not ‘hit’ by a sales person, that they can browse an exhibition and look for that perfect genuine piece of art, that they connect with, at their own pace.
Investing successfully in art does not need to be expensive
Many people would like to invest in art but only have a small budget and don’t know where to start especially in today’s financial climate, where many clients are looking to invest shrewdly. Unlike most luxury purchases that date and de-value as trends pass, if you choose wisely, art can work in exactly the opposite way. It’s thrilling to see an artist’s career blossom, the more popular the artist becomes the more a clients’ investment can grow.
It’s a good idea to do some research first, visit galleries, fairs and auctions to broaden your knowledge. Even on a modest budget it’s possible to buy a one-off artwork. At Advocate Gallery we sell original pieces from £275 and many of our artists have become favourites with collectors. By not importing work, dealing in reproductions or trading with mass market suppliers, we can offer something unique to our clients. We’re happy to offer our investment expertise and advice. But my biggest tip is always to like the piece you choose as, with any investment, there are no guarantees the value will increase, but if you’ve chosen a piece you love, you’ll get enjoyment from it every day.
Is it possible to commission your own piece of art?
Definitely, commissioning art is a growing area as owning a piece of original art that has been created for you is simply magical. Commissions can be arranged with several of our artists. For example, Candice Tait captures the wild energy and beauty of landscapes, so when a client visited the gallery with a photograph from their honeymoon in the French Alps, she was the perfect artist to translate this onto canvas for them. One of our other artists Alec Macdonald specialises in beautiful costal and park scenes. If you supply a family photo he will interpret this into a picnic or beach scene. There’s something very special about commissioning your own painting and creating a personal work of art that will be treasured forever.
Where to hang you painting once you’ve bought it
Buying a new painting is always enjoyable but placement of artwork can be tricky, try to choose somewhere were the painting does not take up all of the available space, if possible. It is good to have a certain amount of space around a painting when hung.
If you have a large wall, don’t be afraid to leave some of it blank. When you do this it showcases the artwork, at Advocate Gallery we have clean white walls and don’t overcrowd them with paintings, as the art then stands out and makes a statement.
The most common mistake people make is hanging their pictures way too high, the majority of work is designed to be viewed at eye level. Think about the furniture the painting is near and how this may detract from the kind of visual impact you’re looking for.
How do galleries choose what pieces to exhibit?
At Advocate Gallery we are always on the lookout for new and captivating artists, but we also constantly think about what will appeal to our clients. An exhibition can focus on a particular artist or theme, depending on trends, event and the time of year. Our current exhibition ‘It’s a British Thing’ is extremely popular, with the huge focus on the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics. There is definitely an instant connection between this type of art work and the viewer, which provokes memories and conversation, which is priceless. Many of these British landmarks, emblems and designs will, or already have an important place in history, making these pieces not only highly collectable, but a worthwhile investment.”
This week we found this lovely little book which recalls the Ashtead of old through the memories of Meredith Worsfold. Here at the Advocate Gallery we found it fascinating to imagine our art gallery and offices and what they might have looked liked in the past, all the people who have walked through our doors, and the lives they led. We loved looking at the photos of what our gallery and its surroundings looked like in the olden days and thought we would do a little compare and contrast photography project…
Yesterday the village of Ashtead got together to celebrate the summer solstice with a jubilee themed fete, the street was alive with activity and so was the Advocate Gallery! We had a drawing competition which went down really well and a fantastic performance from some musicians from the Surrey Philharmonic Orchestra.
We feel that overall the event was a great success, it was lovely to feel like an official part of the village!
Check out this lovely little video of the musicians playing, and watch this space to see the results of the drawing competition…
This week we had a very exciting few moments here at the Advocate Gallery when a biker fell off his bike and skidded across the road. Now have a close look and try to figure out what made him fall…
But never fear, Ed is always on hand to come to the rescue…
With royal fever still in the air, in the form a jubilee themed summer solstice festival coming to Advocate Gallery’s local town, we thought this would be a great time to share this fantastic feature found in Vogue Magazine. The picture speaks for itself really, our queen is definitely a fan of colour…
Advocate Gallery is excited to announce that a double page article about The Pope Twins was featured in So Surrey Magazine this month! Read the article in its entirety here, or on the So Surrey website.
Sister Act
Collaborations between artists have produced some of the most famous partnerships and exciting work in contemporary art even though there is a persistent and popular image of the artist as a ‘heroic’ solitary figure. We talk to Ed Burns of Advocate Gallery about two sisters who definitely share the same vision when it comes to the drawing board.
“The Pope twins, Liz and Kate Pope were born and raised in Derbyshire, after both graduating with first-class degrees in Surface Pattern from Staffordshire University, Liz and Kate began their careers as professional greeting card and book illustrators, working together to create their signature colourful and collaged technique. Working well together encouraged them to pursue their passion and develop their style. Soon after, this unique partnership became successful artists.
Liz describes herself as the illustrator of the team, sketching out designs which she then gives to Kate to work up in paint, collage and patterned paper. This mixture of illustration and design gives their charming artworks a sense of vibrancy, movement and eclecticism. The Pope Twins use mixed media and collage to produce very original and contemporary designs. “We’ve been working together for over 10 years, so it feels like a natural process, where we can bring double the thought and creativity to each piece. The individual boundaries are blurred and working together to produce one piece of art inspires us and certainly removes any competitiveness there might otherwise have been.”
Experimentation has complimented their inventiveness as seen in their London and Cornwall series of artworks. The Pope twins interest in collage, combined with line and colour results in a rich interplay of texture and form. The twins also draw inspiration from everyday life, from simply visiting the local corner shop to noting a twist in a telephone wire. This freshness of thought and eye is paramount in creating works with the liveliness of composition and subject they are known for. When they’re not drawing, Liz and Kate like to scour charity shops for bargains, ensuring their personal styles are just as individual as their art work!
Establishing good relationships with those artists that Advocate exhibit is the key to our success and we have worked closely with the Pope Twins since they joined Advocate straight from college. It’s thrilling to see an artist’s career blossom, becoming more successful every year and forming a fan base of clients that collect their work. Not only does it help to enhance our reputation with buyers, but our clients appreciate that the more popular the artist becomes the more their investment can grow too. “It is still the best feeling ever to create art from the ‘heart’ and explore our style without too many restrictions. Advocate have always encouraged this and given us the chance to make our dream jobs become reality!” says Kate.
Liz and Kate’s work continues to evolve and in the year of the Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics, many artists are drawing inspiration from unmistakable British sights or design for their paintings and the Pope Twins are no exception capturing everyday scenes and symbols, so that there is something familiar the viewer can connect with but portrayed in the sisters’ unique way. Advocate Gallery is exhibiting some exciting new original works from the twins at our summer exhibition ‘It’s a British Thing’ which celebrates British icons in art. Their works focus on famous landmarks including Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral, Piccadilly and the Thames, the instantly recognizable underground sign and red London bus. After seeing their pieces, few are left with any doubt that the collaboration of these two artists only serves to enhance their work and is perhaps something we will be seeing a lot more of in the future.
The exhibition is currently showing and runs until 7th September, if you’d like to find our more either call us on 01372 274 068 or www.advocategallery.com, or alternatively visit us at the Advocate Gallery at 56 High Street, Ashtead, Surrey KT21 1AZ.”
Advocate Galleries would like to invite you to a night of Jubilee-themed shopping!
Local retailers will be opening their doors until 8pm on Thursday 21st June, and to celebrate the Solstice there will be live music, a wandering magician, face painters, pony and trap rides and BBQ’s.
Advocate Galleries will also be holding a kid’s drawing competition (everyone’s a winner).
We will also be displaying work from our current exhibition It’s a British Thing – a celebration of the British Isles featuring paintings, photographs and prints from a small selection of artists.
If you would like to order a catalogue for this show, please get in touch
