Art Investment Part 2 of 2: Investable art on offer at Fresh: Art Fair Cheltenham
Art has been a source of inspiration and fascination for centuries, but it’s not just for the aesthetically inclined. In recent years, art has become an increasingly popular investment option for those seeking to diversify their portfolios.
Unlike investing in the stock market, art doesn’t fluctuate (to the same degree). Instead, art can appreciate in value as demand for certain artists or art movements grows.
Art investment is also no longer limited to the ultra-wealthy. People from all walks of life are taking up this interesting hobby, now more accessible than ever with options for various budgets as well as strategies for the more cost-conscious such as investment in original prints or emerging talents.
Additionally, schemes like Own Art make buying original art easier and affordable, by letting you spread the cost of your purchase over 10 months with an interest-free loan. This service will be on offer to visitors to Fresh: with all participating galleries.
Fresh: for collectors
So, what might a budding art collector find at Fresh: this year.
With over 40 galleries showcasing artworks and artists from across the globe there is something to suit all tastes and budgets. For those specifically seeking investment pieces here are 5 galleries to look out for.
Paragon Modern Masters
We’re delighted to welcome to Fresh: this year Paragon Modern Masters who will be bringing with them a unique collection of rare original prints by celebrated artists including Picasso, Matisse, Hockney, Chagall and Miro amongst others.
Original prints are an exciting yet surprisingly affordable way to add these celebrated names to a collection.
Take Pablo Picasso for example, one of the most important artists of the 20th Century. It’s an assumption that original works by Picasso are unattainable by most, however this is only the case with his paintings, which represent only a part of his output. He was a painter, sculptor, theatre designer but also a prolific printmaker. During a career spanning seventy-five years, he produced an estimated 2400 prints in varying editions, alongside his paintings, sculptures and ceramics.
Picasso was so prolific it’s possible to acquire work by his hand for less than £1000. Many are unsigned, making them more affordable, but at Paragon Modern Masters all original prints are authenticated and accompanied by a certificate or a justification page.
Whether the affordability of works like this will remain priced as they currently are is open to question: the demand for the artist’s work has sent prices surging over the past decade. As more pieces end up in collections and museums, the pool of available work gets smaller and smaller. There has never been a better time to invest in original works of this nature, it is a rare opportunity to own a piece of history from one of the true giants of art. Experts will be on hand with Paragon Modern Masters to talk you through the fascinating world of printmaking.
Marc Chagall “Vision de Paris” | Henri Matisse “Nu Aux Oranges” | David Hockney “Pool Made with Paper Blue Ink for Book”
Synergy Fine Art
We are also pleased to welcome back to Cheltenham Synergy Fine Art. Synergy is a unique collaboration between two London-based galleries: Gallery Different and Sheridan Russell Gallery. Synergy will be bringing to Cheltenham a diverse range of art including many sculptural works. Keep an eye out for…
Ben Broadbent
Ben is a sculptor whose work delves into themes of mental and physical strength, often exploring the nuances of modern masculinity. His sculptures frequently depict heroic figures, both real and imagined, highlighting the layers of the human psyche. He sculpts in clay or plasteline and casts in bronze. His pieces are celebrated for their ability to convey complex emotions and stories through the medium of bronze.
Mel Fraser
Mel Fraser is a unique talent, creating the most beautiful stone sculptures. Equally at home with figurative and abstract forms, Mel has an eye for beauty.
Based in Cambridgeshire, Mel has worked in Carrara and Pietrasanta in Italy, at the quarries and stone yards in Kilkenny, Ireland and has a long collaboration with members of the Shona tribe from Zimbabwe.
Her stunning contemporary stone carvings are held by collectors all over the world and a recent commission saw her work installed in Frank Gehry’s Opus Building in Hong Kong.
Mel Fraser “Aleteo” | Ben Broadbent “Matador”
Coombe Gallery
Coombe Gallery, from Devon have exhibited with fresh from its inception. For keen collectors look out for the works by …
Rosie Sanders
Her unique style of painting pushes the boundaries of Botanical Art and whilst fitting loosely into the tradition of the genre, the size of her compositions and intense richness of colour sets her apart from her contemporaries.
Several of Rosie’s paintings are in the collection of Dr. Shirley Sherwood and a dramatic painting of Arisaemas has been prominently displayed in the new Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art in Kew Gardens.
Rosie has been awarded five Gold medals by the Royal Horticultural Society and won the Royal Academy miniature award.
Alison Pullen
Alison’s paintings are represented in collections in the UK and internationally. Her sophisticated practice explores in depth the medium of collage. Alison’s strength is to seek out a place in each room that has a special interest, focusing either on its history, the architecture or light. The brush work has a lightness of touch and is instantly recognisable as hers, allowing the collage below to shine through. The result is an ethereal, semi-abstracted work which seems to melt together, the details of the room emerging with each viewing, as if we are travelling through it ourselves.
Alison Pullen studied at the Royal College of Art and her work has taken her to residencies at Osterley Park House in West London, Christchurch College and the Bodleian in Oxford. She has completed numerous commissions, including one for the HRH The Queen who commissioned paintings of The Throne Room at Buckingham Palace.
Alison Pullen “Osterley Park House Entrance” | Rosie Sanders “Here comes the sun” | Rosie Sanders “Bee Orchid”
Circus Gallery
Winchester-based Circus Gallery are back at Fresh: this year. Large scale statement pieces, including abstract and figurative painting, are their forte. Look out for works by…
Anna Maiko
Anna was born and raised in a small town in the eastern part of Ukraine in 1992. After attending a local fine art school, she kept on following her vocation, which took her from the Ukraine, to the US and now to Spain where she lives. Her work is a contemporary approach to the genre of painting floral subjects.
Annaʼs paintings are included in numerous private and public collections around the world, including those of the San Jose Museum of Art and Palo Alto Art Center. In 2020 she was commissioned to create a large floral artwork for the USAA Poppy Wall of Honor in Washington, US.
Daniel Hooper
Daniel Hooper is a self-taught artist. His skills have developed over the years, along with his style. Not wanting to be confined to one genre he will bounce from romantic florals to minimalist abstracts. His paintings can always be identified by his impasto brushstrokes and signature paint drips.
Daniel has held several sell-out exhibitions in his hometown of Winchester and in London. He will be at Fresh: throughout the fair to showcase his work.
Daniel Hooper “Barbour Diptych” | Anna Maiko “Enigma”
Nhaka Designs
If you’re looking for something a little bit different you might consider paying a visit to Nhaka Designs. The team behind this unique endeavour celebrate the rich culture and artistry of their homeland Zimbabwe, bringing contemporary Zimbabwean art to homes across the UK. Their mission is simple: to inspire thoughtful purchasing with an emphasis on ethical, slow production. They believe in buying less, but buying better, with respect for both people and the planet. Each of their carefully curated pieces reflects their deep commitment to social and environmental responsibility.
The work is bold and often though-provoking and offers an added dimension for the sustainably-minded art enthusiast. At Fresh: we love the humanity contained in works by Johnson Mugabe and the vibrancy and colour of Valentine Magutsa’s work.
Valentine Magutsa “Tea Pickers” | Johnson Mugabe “Bring It In”
