James Naughton & Margaret Francis

The May/June Exhibition @ Ascot Studios sees us welcome two artists new to the gallery - James Naughton, one of the leading landscape painters in the UK, and Margaret Francis, who has exhibited widely in Los Angeles, New York & in Japan.

The exhibition preview on May the 1st was a great success and there was a real buzz in the gallery. The team from 'Live Ribble Valley' Magazine were in attendance with fancy cameras and notepads, both artists were there to talk more about their work, the red wine & elderflower champagne flowed, and I got chance to catch up with a number of our collectors as well as introducing new people to our contemporary art gallery.

In terms of sales, many originals were secured before the gallery doors even opened. Within the first week, we had sold half of the James Naughton originals we had on display! Quality does speak for itself, and the positive response we have witnessed for both artists has been testament to their skill and vision.

The current exhibition runs until June 13th, and the originals on display can be viewed here.

Also, I would like to thank the Ascot Studios team - Marcus, Geoff, Sarah & Edwina - for making the evening run so smoothly.

If anyone would like to reserve an original from James Naughton or Margaret Francis, please feel free to call me on 01254 878100 or email us on info@ascotstudios.com. If you haven't had chance to see the exhibition yet, i really would recommend that you came down to our Ribchester gallery. This really is one NOT to miss!

We are open Monday to Saturday, 11am until 5pm. More information is available from our website - http://www.ascotstudios.com/

Jan - Feb 2009 ~ Exhibition Review

January and February have been unbelievably good months for our Ribchester gallery! Ascot Studios has had its best start to the year on record, with several of our leading artists exceeding all expectations in terms of sales and in the level of interest shown by our clients & collectors. The Angela Wakefield Solo Exhibition @ Mooch in Manchester was a great success; her new work based on the Manchester city landscape was very well received by her fans.

People are looking for imaginative ways in which to use their money, particularly with the banks offering very little return on investment. Contemporary fine art, fine wine, antiques and other specialist businesses are bucking the trend and generating healthy returns during the recession. The market for contemporary fine art is definitely growing, out-performing the housing market and stock market by a considerable margin. However, the key lies in investing in the right people at the right time, making informed decisions and doing your research. I have written a few articles for Concept for Living where I have outlined my 'Advice to Buyers' - click here to see this publication online (in pdf format).

I am finding that there is a strong appreciation for the fundamental principles associated with the traditions of good painting. With artists such as Angela Wakefield, Richard Clare, Colin Halliday and Rob Miller having been influenced by artists such as Adolphe Valette, Turner, Constable, Cezanne, L S Lowry and Edward Hopper, I am finding that people are definitely relishing in a return to 'contemporary realism' as opposed to the overly conceptual and pretentious.

To see the current exhibition at our Ribchester gallery, please follow this link... http://www.ascotstudios.com/

Ascot Studios - Jan/Feb 2009 Exhibition

Hi there, and welcome to the Ascot Studios blog!