8 -12 April 2024
In April I was invited to be a part of Affordable Art Fair Hampstead Heath, represented by Lara Bowen Contemporary.
Affordable Art fair (Hampstead Heath) (AAF) is a fantastic opportunity for art enthusiasts to get their hands on their very own original art, with an affordable price tag. Every piece is priced between £50 and £7,500, and there is a lot of choice at this fair. It is an art fair of contemporary work, but there was a vast range of styles and types of art on offer so you could find something for most tastes, budgets and spaces and its a nice day out wether you are just browsing or bringing something away to gift or keep.
Hampstead Heath is a beautiful leafy backdrop for this event, with its stunning lake views and meandering walks through the park and this year, the weather was sunny and hot and it got even hotter over the weekend!
Lara and I began talking in the weeks leading up to the fair and I immediately knew that she has something different to offer. I visited Affordable Art Fair (Battersea) last October but this was my first time exhibiting. The fabulous Forest Framers pulled it out of the bag with a beautiful bare wood deep oak frame for Marlborough Day, which arrived with hours to spare on the opening night and looked absolutely cracking.
I was too nervous to attend the private view on Wednesday, so I went along on the Friday afternoon and there was a nice calm-before-the-storm feeling. Friday afternoon is a good time to visit if you don’t enjoy very busy crowds, as there is plenty of space to ruminate in your thoughts and enjoy the work on display with a bit of a chill out vibe (and the queues are good for food and drink). Plus, you get first dibs before it kicks off on the typically busier Saturday and Sunday of the show, (although these days are great for the atmosphere, and there are more events and workshops on those days – which I think I will try and get along to see more of next time).
Amazingly, Marlborough Day sold at the private view – Utterly thrilling! Now I”m not complaining, its absolutely wonderful to sell a painting and I’m delighted it has found it’s new home, but I was a bit sad that I hadn’t seen it in person all finished and framed in it’s lovely oak frame and I did go on about it a bit to my friends and family (who probably think I’m bonkers), but to me, It is like not getting that first day of school photo – or missing the drop off day to uni…you know? You do I think…
As you can imagine, I was very excited that the new owners of Marlborough Day got in touch after the fair to ask about the painting and tell me about their buying experience! It really is so satisfying to hear where these works end up, as often they have played such a large role in bringing me my own comfort and joy. It’s hugely rewarding to learn that another person, couple or family can actually feel the same way about something that YOU made.
If you missed out on Marlborough Day, I have just started on some new pool works which will be available in the summer. It is best to sign up to my mailing list to hear first about new work released. Some paintings will be reserved for the next Affordable Art Fair.
Lara has many gifts (painting being one of them as an accomplished artist herself), but her skills as a curator and gallerist were on top form for this show and I was blown away by her way with people. Lara put visitors at ease, talked about the pieces displayed knowledgeably and also allowed space for guests to the fair to just enjoy the work on display in her gallery stand. Absolutely fascinating to see her in action as a total novice to art fairs I am best kept to the sidelines for risk of telling collectors what went wrong during the making, or why I don’t create more of the work that they are eyeing, in the least sophisticated of manners “just don’t want to” (shrug).
Some of my work that Lara had on show at Hampstead Heath Affordable Art Fair is pictured below.
Marlborough Day, 2023 (SOLD)
Much to my delight and surprise, Wild Oranges sold on the Saturday. Thank you so much to the lovely collectors of this piece. It was very satisfying to paint this and I get a bit of a kick out of making a sky that can’t decide what weather or time of day it is meant to be set in.
Changing Rooms at Tooting Bec, Sanguinello and Ciel de Péche were also at the fair and Ciel de Péche is pictured above with Wild Oranges. If you are interested in any of the three mini pools or Walking with Cubs please get in touch with Lara as these are still available (at time of posting). The pool paintings are smaller works and would make a good gift and they fit in awkward spaces quite well.
I like to try out paintings in natural light to see the changes in the paintings through the day or season. If you plan on visiting Affordable Art Fair, have a quick look around your home beforehand, to assess what your space is like and measure up any good areas that you want to fill or rearrange so that you don”t miss out on your favourite pieces. Think about how much space you want around the work and if you would hang at eye level or be looking to line up with current displays. Try to avoid direct sunlight and hanging paintings too close to radiators or a source of heat.
These gorgeous tufted works (below) by textile artist Corinna Wilson (aka Bob & Eve) were selling like hot cakes at AAF and I’m desperate to get my hands on one of them. The witty quotes are glass and wood framed and are made with wool on monks cloth.
How beautiful, clever and fun are these dominos? The sweary dominos, and the clever installation piece (Confirmation Bias) shown are by conceptual artist Lucy Delano. Another firm favourite.
There were other really fabulous works on display that sadly I did not take photos of. Sophie Abbot’s centre piece Frosted Sunrise is breathtaking. I had seen Green Ridge at Lara’s studio for the open studio event (on throughout May in Brighton and Hove) the week before and that made me feel equally giddy. The way Sophie represents colour and light is very powerful. The photos of her work look good, but I strongly recommend you get yourself along to see her work in person as they are very high impact.
I also really wanted to pick up a Fei Alexeli print (or three) who was showing with Liberty Gallery but I’ve just blown all my budget on framing and a years supply of canvas and paints… so it will have to wait!
The Affordable Art Fair is back in the UK again at Battersea in October and I will be exhibiting my work with Lara. I am feeling a lot more settled about large crowds and the attention sometimes being on me. It might sound stupid but it is possible to want people to see you but not want to be seen at what seems like exactly the same moment. I can be a bit of a fantasist about how I would like to come across in these situations versus what actually happens (at best I waffle, at worst I can’t speak) but, I realise that if you want to meet your potential audience you have to face up to the reality of talking to people and somehow in the last few years that has become a big deal.
I’m trying to make it feel less of a deal by focussing on how welcoming and supportive the galleries and staff are at this scene. I spent a good while talking to Pixie at Will’s Art Warehouse who was positioned opposite Lara Bowen Contemporary and I felt a lot more grounded by this chat and the kindness she showed me. This type of opportunity to show my work is going to require me to adapt a bit and get comfortable with talking about my work, but as I came away from the evening feeling excited about what might come next and not doing an autopsy on my own words, I might even brave the private view next time (might!).
If you want to hear about my new or available work please sign up on my news page.