Art for under £300

Last week I was asked if I could recommend a work of art to buy for under £300. The request came from a lovely lady who I know from Instagram – she has a popular account where she posts fashion images showcasing her style, so she knows exactly where to go for a great pair of shoes but when it comes to art she’d struggled to find something unique for her budget. This is where an art consultant can help, as I’m constantly scanning social media and gallery sites, staying up to date with artists work and projects.

£100-300 will get you a good edition print or a work on paper – especially now via the Artist Support Pledge which started in the March 2020 Lockdown as a way for artists to generate an income whilst exhibitions and galleries were closed (search Instagram using #artistsupportpledge). Artists taking part list works for £200 and less. When the artist has sold £1,000 of their work, they promise to buy another artist’s work for £200. Ok so you’re not going to pick up a Tracey Emin for that money but there are so many incredible artists out there, its just a case of knowing where to look. Size wise, for that budget the works will be up to A3 in size. Some start from as little as £95 (and they might just be the next Tracey Emin…).

My starting point was to put together a selection of work from different artists to help my Instagram lady figure out what she is drawn to and narrow down the options. The following work is all by female artists. At the time of writing this blog post the works below were available, but the art market moves fast so they may well have sold by the time its published!

I’m obsessed with Ptolemy Mann’s use of colour. There is such a confidence in her work, a few simple brush strokes and a couple of dots and the whole thing just sings from the paper. She’s a master of colour and I can’t wait to get our work back from the framer so we can live with it on the wall. I’ll enjoy my morning coffee even more with it to look at.

Valentine Place
Acrylic on paper
23 x 31 cm
£215 unframed including U.K. postage
Signed on reverse and accompanied by a numbered and dated certificate of authenticity signed by the artist
Click here for more info

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Amy Stephens is a recognised sculptor whose minimalist work explores the relationship between organic form and the manmade. Her work can be found in collections around the world. This edition print features a 6th Century basilica on the beach in Southern Cyprus, set against layers of cliffs. The artist has added a strip of neon tape which gives a sense of structural support to the ruins, whilst also bringing to mind barrier security tape. I also love Amy’s sculpture pieces and unique prints – we’re lucky to have a number of her works at home, having known her for some years.

Three Kings, 2020
Archival pigment print, fluorescent tape
30 x 21 cm
Edition of 25 + 3AP
£120 unframed (plus postage)
Signed on reverse and accompanied by a numbered and dated certificate of authenticity signed by the artist
Click here for more info

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Anna Mac’s collages are mesmerising. The bold, neat blocks of colour slot together in such a satisfying way. And her colours…. I get lost in her beautiful combinations – the way that little blue patch sits so perfectly amongst the retro hues of mustard and brown. Like many of the artists I’ve selected here, Anna started making these collages during the first lockdown. With each collection she produces, she chooses a charity to donate 20% to. The current charity is Unicef. Also check out Anna’s modernist paintings of chairs – they’re absolutely captivating.

Together/ Apart 95, 2020
Collage, acrylic on paper
18 x 24 cm
£115 unframed including postage
20% of sale donated to Unicef
Click here for more info

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Faye Wei Wei’s work has a wonderful romantic classicism to it. I love her paintings but sadly they’re above the £300 limit set in this post! These little works on paper are delightful though, they invite a sense of intimacy from the viewer, drawing you in for a closer look. I love how she titles her work – there is a great deal of symbolism attached to the Thistle Flower – throughout history it has been seen as a symbol of pride, protection and bravery; a prickly flower that is also a weed, echoing the male female duality in the work.

THISTLE FLOWER, 2019
Etching on Somerset 300gsm paper
57 x 38 cm
Signed verso
£250 unframed and not including postage
Click here for more info

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Melissa Kime’s charcoal drawings speak to me on so many levels. The abstracted women she depicts seem powerful, magical and wise, connected to nature in a raw and visceral way. The artist draws on folklore and celtic mythology, exploring themes of fertility and nature. I love the energy in these works, I can almost feel the ley-lines of the artist’s native Wiltshire thrumming!

Mothering her flock
Charcoal on paper
29.7 x 42 cm
£100 unframed
Click here for more info

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Sarah Maple’s work packs a powerful punch with its directness and wit. Using her art to provoke thought, she addresses identity, religion, race, the art world, feminism and freedom of expression. The combination of straight talking and biting satire is so empowering and enjoyable. I think she’s really one to watch and I love the fact that her prints are so affordably priced.

Silkscreen print
Edition of 100, signed and numbered
50 x 70cm
£95 unframed + £11.95 shipping
Click here for more info

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Last but not least Lucy Smallbone, whose distorted landscapes transport me to another place. This particular painting evokes a hazy memory of Mallorcan holidays in the sun. I love how the light hits the water and the heat bounces off the terracotta tiles. Lucy has a great selection of works listed on her instagram, including oil paintings on board.

Oil on paper
29.7 x 21 cm
£200 unframed plus postage
Click here for more info

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So there you have seven incredibly talented female artists, working across different mediums and subject matters. There are so many good artists out there, many are selling their work independently, others are connected to galleries. Having good art in your life makes a difference on so many levels – just jump in and get started, now is such a good time to buy art. I hope this post has shown that you don’t need to have £1,000s to get art on your wall. Any questions or if you’d like me to put your own list of suggestions together, just drop me a line.