1. Fairs vs online?
What is the pleasure – or profit – in having to sell your best pieces just to pay the rent? If I were selling pictures for 10 times more than I am (most of the works I sell are in the £150-1500 range), I could just about afford a rat-hole at a London fair. So I have turned my home into a gallery, gone online and keep a constant lookout for entertaining pop-up opportunities.
2. Biggest threat to the market at the
moment?
Rents.
3. Market predictions for 2017?
Higher rents.
4. One rule you live by as a dealer?
Don’t rent, invent.
5. One thing you would like to achieve?
Longevity. I started late in this business – I was 65 when I became a dealer (I used to be a television producer and journalist). So I need to live at least 20 more years to enjoy the longed-for fruits of success.
I love researching ‘my’ artists and their work and introducing lesser-known artists to a wider public. It was very gratifying when a museum recently acquired three works by David Rolt, the ‘forgotten’ artist whose underpriced, miscatalogued work first got me into this business (pictured).
But maybe the greatest pleasure has been joining forces with my son, Harry, who has recently set up a framing workshop. We have complementary roles and work together without treading on each other’s toes.
If you would like to be featured in 5 Questions, please contact francesallitt@auctiontechnologygroup.com
