An Eye for Art
The life of an Art consultant is not an easy one, as Kaye Kent of Indigo Art will testify. This Liverpool-based publishing company are leading suppliers of bespoke artwork to the hotel/leisure industry, who have put together the ‘Indigo Collection’, an exclusive range of art and photography for interior design projects. Kaye, who sources artists and manages the collection explains more about life as a ‘talent scout for art’:

‘Searching for art for the latest modern interiors is not as easy as it sounds, and several factors have to be taken into account. Exclusivity, originality, style, aesthetics, content, colour and design are all factors which contribute to the selection process, along with a sense of judgement - and looking for artists is not without its quirky moments. You never know what you are going to come across from one day to the next!

As trends in design are constantly shifting and the individual styles of designers differ, the Collection has to encompass the broadest possible range of art styles, without losing its coherence as a whole. The market is saturated with 'commercial artists' who can paint ten canvases a week, and in my research I am careful to approach artists whose work has something 'different' to offer - but not so challenging that it might put people off.

Unlike buying a painting, you can’t rely on appealing to individual taste. Although we receive daily submissions from artists, there is no substitute for seeing art 'in the flesh'. Therefore studio visits are invaluable to the process, as this way I can meet artists in person and see work they might not otherwise have shown. Once standing in front of a piece of art, I visualise how it might look as a framed print or stretched canvas in an executive's office, trendy bar, luxury apartment, health club treatment room or hotel bedroom. When you’re looking at art as a full time job, you learn to quickly spot what you’re looking for’.

Although Indigo Art are trade suppliers only, the ‘Indigo Collection’ is an interesting range of artists work non the less, and always on the lookout for new additions – details of how to submit available on: www.indigoart.co.uk