There has been a watercolours fair in the West End for some 17 years but this one was launched three years ago by two prominent London art dealers, Rupert Maas and Julian Hartnoll along with professional organiser Richard Hodgson.
The three directors set themselves a target of three years to make their fair a success but after last year’s outing they felt the fair had realised its potential with a gate of more than 7000 and good business in most areas.
Again this year around 60 dealers will stand and, while there will be plenty of the traditional work one readily associates with the world of watercolours, a feature here is that the dealers bring more adventurous works which are pulling in younger, fresh buyers.
However, the fair remains unique in that it focuses solely on watercolours and drawings with examples from early English through Victorian and 20th century masters to out and out contemporary. There are six dealers new to the fair, two of them from overseas, and returning is one of the best known names in the field, William Drummond, who is also on the advisory committee.
Buyers will recognise many of the names at the fair but this event also attracts exhibitors who deal by appointment and are not on the general fair circuit.
Henry Potts from Northumberland, Alexandra Williams from Bristol, Francis Greenacre also from Bristol and Caroline Gee from Sussex are among those who exhibit only at this fair.
Caroline Gee says: “The watercolours fair is an important opportunity for us to show our latest discoveries to new clients and old friends.”
Expect some 5000 items on sale at prices from £150 to £150,000 plus a most interesting idea for an exhibition. It is called Possession – Art Dealers and Collectors in Partnership.
Rupert Maas explains: “Each dealer at the fair will select one picture that they have traded and that has stayed in their memory as being the best of its kind. They will borrow it back from their customer, the current owner, and reveal on the label why they have chosen it.”
Admission is a bit steep at £14, even though that includes the novel postcard catalogue, but if you buy a picture you get your money back.
A newer look at watercolours
LONDON is especially strong on niche events and specialist fairs do not come much more quintessentially English than The Watercolours and Drawings Fair which will be held for the fourth time at the Park Lane Hotel, Piccadilly, London W1 from January 31 to February 3.
