Art Inspiration

Seymours Prestige Homes speak to Alison Ramsay and Emma Riley, founders of The Art Agency in Esher, for expert advice on choosing art for your home.

Artists
From its two Surrey bases – Esher and a new centre in Oxshott, the Art Agency represents more than 30 artists and our aim is to have as broad a portfolio as possible to appeal to a wide range of tastes and budgets. Some of our artists are local while others are from all over the world. Visitors to our gallery will find a mixed collection of original artwork, limited edition prints, sculpture and ceramics with prices ranging from £50 to £5000. Some of our more unusual pieces include Lene Bladbjerg’s handpainted butterflies on knife blades and the glitter pill and resin popsicles by Emma Gibbons, who previously worked for Damien Hirst.

Our advice is always to buy what you love and don’t play it too safe – be bold and take a risk. If you have an emotional response to a piece of art, then it’s likely to be a far more successful addition to your collection than a painting purchased on the basis that it simply matched your decor.

Logistics
For maximum effect, a painting needs room to breathe around it but, at the same time, make sure that it doesn’t look lost in a space. As a general rule, hang a picture at eye level – this is especially important with a piece of portraiture. We have a professional picture hanger who is an expert in working with tricky spaces.
Try before you buy

Our ‘Try Before You Buy’ scheme is extremely popular. A customer can take home pieces of art to try in their home for a few days without any obligation to buy – it gives them time to make a decision without any pressure.

Affordable art
We are members of the Own Art scheme which allows customers to spread the cost of buying artwork, interest free over ten months. It’s a great initiative funded by the Arts Council and was set up to support independent galleries and living artists.

True value
Original artwork is unique and the decision to buy a piece is completely different from other spending choices. Your art collection expresses your personality and taste and infuses your interiors with vital energy.

For more information, visit theartagency.co.uk