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MANY DINERS ARE LEAVING RESTAURANTS AND BARS WITH A FULL STOMACH
AND A NEW PAINTING.
MOST
DINERS EXPECT TO LEAVE A RESTAURANT WITH A LIGHTER WALLET
AND A FULLER STOMACH. THESE DAYS, HOWEVER, AS IS FITTING FOR
A DESIGNATED CAPITAL OF CULTURE, THEY MIGHT FIND THEMSELVES
WITH AN ORIGINAL PAINTING UNDER ONE ARM, AS LIVERPOOL RESTAURANT
AND BAR OWNERS CATCH ON TO THE FRENCH CUSTOM OF SELLING ART
WORKS FROM THEIR WALLS.
THE
EVERYMAN BISTRO, PUSCHKA AND HEART AND SOUL ARE JUST THREE
OF THE MANY ESTABLISHMENTS WHERE YOU CAN NOW PICK UP A CANVAS
WITH YOUR CAPPUCCINO.
"IT
GIVES PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO LOOK AT ART IN A MORE RELAXED ENVIRONMENT
AND THEY WON'T FEEL THE PRESSURE THEY MAY FEEL IN A GALLERY.
THEY CAN JUST SIT AND LOOK AT IT FOR A WHILE OR NOT THINK
ABOUT IT BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT'S THERE IN THE BACKGROUND,"
EXPLAINS LUCY BYRNE, FOUNDER OF LIVERPOOL-BASED DOT ART, AN
ORGANISATION THAT LOANS ARTWORKS TO BARS AND RESTAURANTS.
"I'VE
HAD PHONE CALLS FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN OUT AT THE EVERYMAN
FOR THE NIGHT, WHO HAVE SCRIBBLED DOWN MY NUMBER FROM THE
TICKET ON THE WALL AND SAY 'I THINK I LIKED A PIECE OF ART
LAST NIGHT, I'M NOT QUITE SURE'."
LUCY
HAS A DATABASE OF ARTISTS, ALL LOCALLY BASED, WHICH RESTAURANT
OWNERS CAN CHOOSE FROM. HOW MANY WORKS ARE SHOWN AND HOW LONG
THEY REMAIN ON THE WALLS IS UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL VENUE.
"IT'S
ONLY A VERY SELECT FEW RESTAURANTS.
"AT
THE MOMENT, WE HAVE THE EVERYMAN, 60 HOPE STREET AND WE HAVE
A RESTAURANT IN SOUTHPORT. WE'VE APPROACHED THEM AS PEOPLE
THAT WE THINK ARE SUITABLE AND THAT HAVE SUITABLE CLIENTS
AND SPACES FOR THE ARTWORK.
"WE
WORK OUT WHAT KIND OF STYLE THEY WOULD LIKE, WHAT KIND OF
PIECES WOULD WORK. THEN THEY HANG THEM UP WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY
GOOD FOR THEM AND THEY ALL HAVE TICKETS ON MAKING CLEAR THAT
THEY ARE FOR SALE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORK AND CONTACT
DETAILS FOR US HERE AT DOT ART. THEY ARE THEN ROTATED AS AND
WHEN THE VENUE REQUIRES IT," EXPLAINS LUCY.
IN
THE EVERYMAN BISTRO, PRICES RANGE FROM £25 TO AROUND
£350.
CUSTOMERS
INTERESTED IN BUYING A PAINTING OR PHOTOGRAPH CONTACT DOT
ART DIRECTLY. IF THEY HAVE CHOSEN A PRINT, THEN IT IS AVAILABLE
WITHIN SEVERAL DAYS. HOWEVER, IF IT IS AN ORIGINAL WORK THEN
A REPLACEMENT ONE MUST BE FOUND FOR THE VENUE BEFORE THE PICTURE
IS RELEASED.
DESPITE IT BEING A SUCCESSFUL SCHEME, LUCY SEES IT AS A WAY
TO RAISE AWARENESS OF INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS RATHER THAN AS A
METHOD OF GAINING SERIOUS NUMBERS OF SALES. WORKS CAN ALSO
BE BOUGHT FROM THE DOT ART WEBSITE AND SHE ALSO SELLS THEM
THROUGH DEVELOPERS AND INTERIOR DESIGNERS.
LUCY
ADDS: "I'M NOT SURE USING RESTAURANTS IS NECESSARILY
THE BEST WAY TO SELL ART. IT'S A GOOD WAY TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE
OF ART AND THINKING ABOUT IT A BIT MORE AND MAYBE THEN GOING
AWAY AND BUYING IT FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE. IT'S MORE ABOUT GETTING
ARTISTS A BIT MORE EXPOSURE."
KEN
MARTIN, OWNER OF THE VIEW TWO COMMERCIAL ART GALLERY IN LIVERPOOL'S
MATHEW STREET, ALSO LOANS PAINTINGS TO RESTAURANTS. HE AGREES
THAT IT IS A GOOD WAY OF IMPROVING AWARENESS OF PARTICULAR
ARTISTS.
HE
SAYS: "THE MORE AWARENESS THERE IS OF GOOD PAINTINGS
THE BETTER BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY REPLACEMENT FOR A
GALLERY.
"PEOPLE
COME IN HERE ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND HAVE A GLASS OF WINE
WITH ME AND TALK ABOUT THE SORT OF THING THEY'RE LOOKING FOR."
HOWEVER,
TERRY MCSHANE, ONE OF THE FIRST RESTAURATEURS TO SELL ART
FROM WALLS OF HIS ESTABLISHMENT, BELIEVES IT IS A SUCCESSFUL
ALTERNATIVE TO A GALLERY.
HIS
DESIRE TO HELP SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS BEGAN WHEN HE WAS WORKING
AT THE NUMBER SEVEN BISTRO AND GALLERY, IN LIVERPOOL, NOW
THE QUARTER BAR-RESTAURANT WHERE TERRY IS HEAD CHEF AND MANAGER.
"I
WORKED HERE MANY YEARS AGO AND THEY USED TO HAVE QUITE A FEW
EXHIBITIONS. I WAS ONLY ABOUT 16 AND I JUST GOT DRAWN INTO
IT. I'VE GROWN TO LOVE ART.
"WE'RE
QUITE FUSSY ABOUT WHAT WE PUT UP BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO SELL
IT.
"I
THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP CHANGING THE ARTWORK EVERY
THREE MONTHS OR SO AND KEEPING IT TO LOCAL ARTISTS BECAUSE
OBVIOUSLY LIVERPOOL HAS GOT SO MANY WHO WANT TO DO WELL,"
HE SAYS.
"BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY BEHIND THE RESTAURANT, I'VE ALWAYS
STRIVED TO GET REALLY GOOD LOCAL ARTISTS WHO HAVEN'T REALLY
BEEN SHOWCASED ANYWHERE ELSE. "IT'S VERY HARD TO GET
YOUR WORK SHOWN IN THE GALLERIES. THERE ARE NOT MANY IN LIVERPOOL
THAT WOULD PUT YOUR WORK UP WITHOUT YOU HAVING ANY RECOGNITION
IN THE PAST. IT'S A STEPPING STONE.
"AS
MUCH AS IT MAKES THE RESTAURANT LOOK GOOD, AT THE SAME TIME
I HOPE IT'S HELPING THE ARTISTS OUT AS WELL."
CURRENTLY,
THE RESTAURANT IS DECORATED WITH ABSTRACT PAINTINGS BY ROY
MCCARTHY AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF LOCAL SCENES BY ANDREW DAWSON.
"ROY AVOIDS USING CONVENTIONAL ARTISTS' MATERIALS. HE
PREFERS TO USE THINGS YOU CAN FIND AT HOME LIKE CAR PAINT
AND FLOOR VARNISH. HIS WORK IS VERY DIFFERENT TO ANYTHING
WE'VE HAD IN HERE IN THE PAST. IT'S VERY AUTUMNAL.
"WE'VE
GOT PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE BACK ROOM AT THE MOMENT, SCENES OF
FORMBY POINT, AND PARKGATE. THEY'RE NOT TOO OBVIOUS. WHEN
YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT THEM CLOSELY, IT MAKES YOU THINK ABOUT
WHERE THEY ARE," EXPLAINS TERRY.
PIECES
RANGE FROM £85 TO JUST UNDER £1,000. THE RESTAURANT
TAKES A 10% CUT, WHICH TERRY SAYS IS USED TO REPAINT THE WALLS
THAT THE ARTWORKS ARE HUNG ON.
THE
MOST SUCCESSFUL ARTIST TO BE EXHIBITED AT THE QUARTER IS LIVERPOOL-BASED
ELAINE PREECE-STANLEY, WHOSE PAINTINGS OF STREET SCENES HAVE
PROVED POPULAR WITH DINERS.
"WE
HAD ELAINE'S PIECES UP FOR 18 MONTHS. IN SIX MONTHS, SHE PROBABLY
SOLD 15 TO 20 PIECES AND FOR A LOCAL ARTISTS THAT'S REALLY
GOOD. YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT TO SELL THAT AMOUNT OF WORK IN THAT
SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME," SAYS TERRY.
"WE
DON'T WANT TO GET REALLY BIG PIECES BECAUSE I WOULDN'T EXPECT
SOMEONE TO COME IN AND SAY 'HERE YOU GO, HERE'S £5,000',
WE'D BE PRICING OURSELVES OUT OF THE MARKET."
JOANNE
MILLEA, RIGHT , IS ONE OF DOT ART'S MOST SUCCESSFUL ARTISTS.
AN
ART TEACHER AT DE LA SALLE SCHOOL IN ST HELENS, SHE FINDS
SELLING HER WORK IN RESTAURANTS IS EASIER THAN APPROACHING
COMMERCIAL GALLERIES.
JOANNE,
26, SAYS: "IT DEFINITELY BENEFITS THE ARTIST BECAUSE,
WHEN YOU LEAVE UNIVERSITY, YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO
WITH YOURSELF. "I USED TO SELL MY WORK ON STALLS BUT
IT CAN BE VERY TIME CONSUMING.
"HAVING
YOUR WORK EXHIBITED IN RESTAURANTS AND BARS TAKES AWAY ALL
OF THE BUSINESS SIDE SO YOU CAN GET ON WITH DOING THE WORK.
"WHEN
MY PICTURES FIRST WENT UP A YEAR AGO, I USED TO GET A CHEQUE
EVERY MONTH OR EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS. IT DIED DOWN AS MORE
PEOPLE GOT USED TO THE WORK."
JOANNE'S
ABSTRACT PAINTINGS ARE CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY IN THE EVERYMAN
BISTRO, ON LIVERPOOL'S HOPE STREET, RANGING FROM £30
FOR A SMALL PRINT TO £200-PLUS FOR A LARGER ORIGINAL.
"THEY
ARE QUITE BRIGHT WITH LOT OF COLOURS. I'M VERY INTERESTED
IN COLOUR THERAPY AND HOW DIFFERENT COLOURS CHANGE YOUR MOOD
SO I LIKE TO USE A LOT OF COLOUR IN MY WORK. "THEY DON'T
REALLY LOOK LIKE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR AND THAT'S WHAT I
WANT.
"I
WANT PEOPLE TO MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS ABOUT THEM. "DIFFERENT
PEOPLE INTERPRET THEM IN DIFFERENT WAYS," EXPLAINS JOANNE,
WHO GRADUATED FROM JOHN MOORES UNIVERSITY WITH A FINE ART
DEGREE THREE YEARS AGO. JOANNE THINKS PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO
BUY WORKS OF ART FROM RESTAURANTS BECAUSE THEY FEEL UNDER
LESS PRESSURE TO MAKE A PURCHASE.
SHE
BELIEVES THE SETTING GIVES PEOPLE A CHANCE TO THINK ABOUT
WHAT A PIECE WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THEIR OWN HOME.
SHE
SAYS: "THE MORE MODERN BARS IN PARTICULAR ARE MADE TO
SEEM MORE LIKE A LIVING ROOM.
"IT
MAKES IT MORE ACCESSIBLE THAN GOING TO A GALLERY."
1.
IF SOMETHING CATCHES YOUR EYE WHILE YOUR FINISHING YOUR PANACOTTA,
IT MAY BE HARD TO RESIST MAKING A RASH PURCHASE BUT WHAT LOOKS
RIGHT IN A MINIMALIST RESTAURANT MAY NOT SUIT THE REALITY
OF A BUSY HOME.
DON'T
BE AFRAID TO SLEEP ON YOUR DECISION - IT'S UNLIKELY THE PAINTING
WILL BE GONE BY THE TIME YOU MAKE UP YOUR MIND.
2.
CONSIDER TAKING A PIECE OF MATERIAL THE SAME COLOUR AS YOUR
SOFT FURNISHINGS, OR MAYBE A CUSHION COVER, INTO THE GALLERY/RESTAURANT
NEXT TIME YOU GO TO COMPARE IT WITH THE SHADES IN THE PAINTING.
YOU DON'T WANT TO GET IT HOME TO FIND THAT IT CLASHES WITH
YOUR DECOR.
3.
MAKE A NOTE OF THE WORK'S DIMENSIONS TO SEE IF IT IS SUITABLE
FOR YOUR HOME.
4.
SOME GALLERIES WILL LET YOU BORROW A WORK OF ART TO SEE IF
IT IS WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR. ASK IF THIS SERVICE IS AVAILABLE.
5.
FOLLOW YOUR GUT INSTINCT. IF YOU'RE NOT SURE IF A WORK OF
ART IS RIGHT FOR YOU THEN IT PROBABLY ISN'T.
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