Art is a timeless piece of beauty and creativity. In an exclusive interview, Georgina Llewelyn from Whitewall Galleries Newcastle explains why art is such a good investment.
Who are some artists to look out for?
Mr Brainwash is a really interesting one. He has created work for Madonna, Michelle Obama and Rick Ross. His first celebrity collector was Michael Jackson so he is very popular. He was discovered by and worked with Banksy and filmed a documentary with him in 2010.
There is speculation on who he really is and whether he is really Banksy, but he’s a good character and great fun and his work generates lots of sales as originals, hand signed limited edition prints or at auction. He has a museum in LA, where he lives, where the Grammy’s after party was held so he is firmly in the celebrity sphere.
His pieces sell at auction for three times the set price so there is high demand for his work and is definitely someone to invest in as give it a couple of years and he will be commanding the same prices in auction here in the UK.
Local artists are a good idea too. We have a lot of the 20th century and blue chip artists on the portfolio like Warhol, Lowry, Dali and Hirst, but there are some fantastic artists from our region who are worthy of investment too.
Twin brothers Chris and Steve Rocks have 20 years of artistic experience and they work together to paint the same piece. One does the base layer and one does the details and together they create these beautiful abstract landscapes. They have a really good following and are two of our featured artists.
Husband and wife Alison Britton-Paterson and James Paterson create vastly different pieces of work. Alison makes abstract muted work and is a fantastic self-taught artist. Her husband James creates pop art posters with circus rings, pin-up girls and working lights and arrows. Their work is so different and unique but they are both wonderful artists and they’re from just down the road in Darlington.
What have you noticed about those buying art?
There’s been a huge shift in buying patterns. We have a broad spectrum of pieces and prices from £295 to £1.1million and we have noticed that smaller sales have dropped off due to the cost of living. For those wanting to invest in artwork, it’s a good time to do so as putting money in a tangible asset is a safe option.
Art is a low maintenance investment that’s quite niche. There is no big cost after investment, apart from insurance, and it’s a beautiful item that provides enjoyment for everyone who sees it.
The art market is independent of the stock market and is often known as ‘currency neutral’ meaning that its resell value, even when the economy is performing poorly, tends to remain high. Before Covid, a lot of art was bought in person, but now nearly two-thirds of art buyers have bought art or collectibles online.
Can you tell us a bit more about the company?
Our CEO Helen Swaby set up the business over 30 years ago after a bad experience at a gallery and felt galleries should be more accessible and break down the stigma and elitism of art buying. We are now the largest gallery group in the world with around 87 galleries and a the largest art publishing house in Europe. We have 3-400 artists on the portfolio across the company that we can access and showcase from anywhere.
We are able to do home approvals so that customers can see the art in the space and we can help with positioning and framework. It’s a really emotive job and we get to know our customers really well. Every time they look at their piece of art, they will remember their experience with us so it’s important that it’s always a good one.
