Hampstead: Best Artworks Under £500
Find incredible art on a budget with our tour of galleries exhibiting works under £500 at Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead, 11 - 14 May 2023. In partnership with JM Finn.
In Partnership With JM Finn
Wednesday 3 May, 2023
If you’re just starting out buying art, and are looking for amazing artworks that won’t break the bank, look no further than our Under £500 route guide, brought to you by our Lead Partner, JM Finn. It’s a whistle stop tour of the best affordable pieces at our Hampstead Fair (11 – 14 May). Let’s go!
1. Finds Under £500 displays
To help make finding your dream artwork even easier, our Finds Under £500 displays, in partnership with JM Finn, bring together a curated selection of artworks from across our amazing exhibiting galleries, all in one place! You’ll find the displays in our atrium entrance, where you can also pick up a copy of JM Finn’s helpful guide to investing in art. Featured artworks include a colour-popping screenprint by expert printmaker Susan Vera Clarke of East London Printmakers, only £350 framed, and a beautiful original painting by Sophia Oshodin, titled ‘Fearless’.
We are delighted to continue our partnership with Affordable Art Fair in 2023. Over the past few years we have helped many visitors on their journey to collecting art with these fantastic curated Finds Under £500
Oliver Tregoning, Head of Marketing at JM Finn
2. OWL – stand G5
Next up, let’s head over to OWL gallery to take a look at work by Olivia Clifton-Bligh. Olivia is a sculptor and printmaker, working in the rural West Country. Olivia explores indigenous country lore, both ancient and contemporary, using linocut and woodcut techniques. Her work reflects on our historical and changing relationships with the natural world.
The tools she uses originate from Japanese printmaking techniques and her practice requires patience and physical effort! Each print is pressed and finished individually, making them all unique, with deliberate variations in palette and texture, finished with embellished details using gold leaf and shellac varnish.
3. According to McGee – stand F7
Just a short wander down the aisle and we arrive at According to McGee gallery with their collection of beautiful works by Yorkshire based artists. The gallery always encourages their artists to experiment, resulting in highly innovative and unique work. We love the abstracts of Chantal Barnes and Freya Horsley, pictured below.
4. Air Contemporary – stand F4
Next up on our whistle stop tour is Air Contemporary and there’s a couple of artists here that come in on budget.
Blending surrealism and pop art, Paul Fuentes captures the endless summer of mid-century America. You’ll find classic cars, iconic architecture, and wild animals chilling by the pool in his multi-layer images. Big cats have become a particular signature of his art prints.
His work aims to put a smile on your face and inspires us to live a colourful, adventurous and happy life.
Firm fair favourite, Dan Jamieson also makes an appearance here with his selection of quippy crockery. Dan’s plates always fly off the walls so don’t leave it too late to peruse the collection and bag your favourite barb.
5. Arc Fine Arts – stand D7
Round the corner to the next aisle and you’ll find Arc Fine Arts about half way down.
We’re in love with the mood and character of Melanie Bellis’ detailed urban etchings. Her cityscapes often feature large buildings, as she’s drawn to their presence and the way they dominate their environment.
She particularly enjoys capturing buildings under construction focusing on the patterns and lines created by the scaffolding and cranes that weave frameworks around them, supporting the structure as it develops inside.
6. East London Printmakers – stand A7
Just one stand over is East London Printmakers. As always, their stand boasts a smörgåsbord of options under £500 from accomplished printmakers and long standing members of the studio.
Jennie Ing uses the reduction linocut method which involves the successive cutting away of the block and printing over the previous colour. Her love of architecture and the London horizon exudes through her bold use of colour. If you adore the Heath as much as us, you’re sure to love her Parliament Hill Over London print!
New to the Hampstead fair is Susan Vera Clarke whose work centres on narratives including Science, Environment and Ritual. Susan is fascinated by the environment around her, not just locally but globally, and this becomes the birthplace of her work.
7. Carina Hallam Gallery – stand B6
Just down the aisle is our last stop on the list: Carina Hallam Gallery. Having gained a reputation for discovering fresh and exciting talent, this stand is a must-visit for fans of original oil painting.
In the tradition of British landscape art, Colin Willey can often be found painting in the elements around his home in Dorset, trying to capture the big skies and dramatic light that inspire much of his work. His pieces are joyfully received all around the world.
For Rosemary Lewis, enjoyment of light, colour, form and atmosphere move her to paint. Rosemary’s preferred subjects are everyday objects or scenes. In still life, working with simple compositions focuses her attention on the beauty of each individual object.
Stephanie Hemming’s work is mostly of loved landscapes and treasured objects. Many of her still life paintings feature loved and familiar objects and work by potters she knows. Inspired by artists like Matisse, Morandi and Scott, Stephanie’s still life paintings are studies in shape, pattern, space and colour. Using muted and pastel colours and with a disregard for perspective and scale, she seeks to satisfy the eye rather than the brain.
Matthew McEneaney, Investment Director at JM Finn has some advice for looking for art: “Similar to investing, there is an abundance of choice available when it comes to buying art – it’s important to try not to be distracted and think about the longevity of your purchase! As an Investment Manager, I need to ensure the stocks I am picking are aligned with the goals of my clients. Similarly, at the Fair, I’d recommend to take your time to go round its entirety and think about how you’d like to develop your collection over time.”
And with that, our tour of artworks under £500 is complete, but don’t worry, there are 1,000s more on offer at Affordable Art Fair Hampstead! And, if that’s whet your appetite, why not have a read of JM Finn’s helpful guide to collecting art, available on their website.
We hope you have a great time exploring Affordable Art Fair Hampstead from 11 – 14 May. If you haven’t booked your tickets yet, you know what to do…
