Clarendon Fine Art Haslemere

What challenges did you face when deciding on a premises, setting up and opening?

As with most new premises and destinations there is always a race to the finish to be ready on time for the opening! This gallery was no exception with magnificent sculptures and artwork still being unwrapped and positioned as visitors arrived and the Mayor came to cut the ribbon. Thankfully everyone was very forgiving and raved about the treasures that we have adorned our walls, easels & plinths with.

If you produce your own products, is this at the same premises or somewhere else? If somewhere else, where, and why?

We feature many renowned and up and coming UK artists, some are even quite local like Al Solaris who is based in Alton and is the former Head of Art at Churcher's College in Petersfield, also Sheree Valentine Daines who resides in Dorking. Other artists within our portfolio are global phenomenon’s, based in every corner of the world and alongside our incredible 20th century offering, whether it be a signed limited edition or an original piece, we really do have something for everyone.

If you buy in your products, how do you choose your suppliers? Do you have any strict requirements such as being local or environmentally friendly etc?

Joining the Clarendon portfolio is highly sort after and for every thousand artists that apply, Clarendon will sign just one! There are numerous criteria that an artist would need to fulfil to be lucky enough to join the other artistic giants we support.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Once we have placed our famous bay trees & A board outside and had a lovely strong local coffee, it’s all systems go!

We begin the day with a little artist knowledge and revision. With an ever-expanding portfolio, we need to make sure we are on point and au fait with every new release, up and coming event. By soaking up every bit of information we can better inform our clients and therefore present them with the most appropriate works for their needs.

The rest of the day can be entirely varied. We have clients popping in, private gallery viewings and home appointments, following up with existing clients and of course ensuring the curation of our gallery is tip-top, enticing and ever changing, really showcasing the looks that we can achieve in home, office or in a public space.

Do you have staff and if so, how many?

With just a small team of four, often only two of us are in the gallery at any one time. We are all bright and bubbly, friendly local ladies, we pride ourselves on excellent communication, teamwork and of course putting the customer first.

When looking for staff where do you advertise? Do you try to employ local staff?

Our HR requirements are handled by our head office in Lichfield in tandem with local agencies. 

Do you find most customers supportive?

The customers have all responded exceptionally positively and we frequently hear, what a welcome asset we are to the town, they have all heard how helpful we are and love that they can try pieces in their home. Our clientele are savvy, they know that art consistently out-performs the stock market and is a key investment opportunity and a great way to hedge your bets against inflation. We love to source art for every style, budget, size.

What software do you use (e.g. Square, Shopify, Quickbooks etc) and would you recommend it? 

We use our own software to house our vast art portfolio, which all 85+ galleries have access to the inventory within, called "artbook". It contains high-res images, descriptions and sizes of all our available pieces. We use this alongside a computerised till system that is linked to this, to effortlessly produce receipts & insurance valuations to accompany purchases.

Do you have social media profiles and/or website? If so, do you manage this yourself or have an external agency do it for you? Do you use any tools you would recommend? 

Our social media is handled by our head office in Lichfield. Our social links can be found at the end of this article.

How do you market yourself and what challenges do you face? What have been the best marketing strategies for your business? 

Our marketing is handled by our head office in Lichfield, but we are responsible for the exciting & vibrant curation of our own galleries, connecting on a local level to our patrons and arranging relevant exhibitions and focus events accordingly. Although we have a real mix of genres - in general, Haslemere and the surrounding areas are keen collectors of sculpture and great lovers of colour!

What has been your biggest successes? 

Clarendon's has helped launch the careers of many artists, including Christian Hook for e.g. who went on to win Sky portrait artist of the year! We support and encourage our patrons to invest in our artists, joining them on their rising career trajectories. One of our most highly investable artists, Mr. Brainwash (who was introduced onto the world stage by Banksy) has just opened his own museum in Beverley Hills, and we retain the exclusive UK rites to his incredible body of work.

What mistakes have you made (has been your biggest regrets) and what (how) would you do differently?

More haste less speed is definitely a great mantra, as the art world is booming, the pace at which we move is second to none….when handling sometimes delicate one-of-a-kinds, we have to deliberately slow down and exercise more precision. However, accidents do happen, and I’m sure we have all seen the famous news article detailing the toppling of a Jeff Koons Balloon dog sculpture recently, smashing it into multiple pieces. Mercifully, these types of accidents are very rare, but sadly they can happen, and whilst we all saw the funny side of this particular incident, it may have been a very different story if it was in our own gallery, so it serves as a great reminder to exercise every care possible.

Do you have any future plans to enhance the business? 

As the world's largest gallery group, and having just opened a new premises in Westport Connecticut, we can only say, do continue to watch this space! In the meantime, why not pop in and join our mailing list and be kept apprised of all our latest collections, artist visits and in gallery events?

What support do you need, if any? 

We have an ever growing and loyal following, but we are always keen to get the word out, not just about the artists and sublime pieces we showcase, but our customer relations, we are second to none, we really do go the extra mile.

Fabulous art is an extension of everyone’s personality, it can truly enhance and uplift, not to mention being a cracking investment and we want to spread this message far and wide!