5 Best Places to Buy East Anglian Art Online This Christmas

This year has been a special one, one where we have all had to reprioritise and do things differently. One of my priorities has been to support local independent artists and businesses. Despite all the difficulties, this year has been a wonderful one for the creation of art, with many people locked-down at home or in their studios. Many of the skilled professional artists and crafters that I admire in the region have spent the lockdowns busying themselves by creating amazing work. On top of this, many creatives have themselves had the time to upskill, and delve into the world of selling their work online.

Having been so inspired by what I have seen, I would like to share with you my pick of the 5 best places to browse for unique arts and crafts from professional artists at the top of their game, to smaller, lesser known makers. Read on to find out where to get that special christmas gift for this year to remember, find something beautiful and unique for your home, or treat yourself to something new with all that money you have saved by not going anywhere this year! Of course, by buying online from independents you will also support your local economy. Happy browsing.

First up is a new initiative from social enterprise, Art Eat Events CIC, producers of Art Eat Festival, who have just launched an online art shop on their website www.arteatfestival.com with the support of a grant from Arts Council England. Here you will find a varied and surprising selection of artwork from artists from East Anglia and beyond.

The beauty of this site is that is offers the opportunity for buyers to find truly unique work, from the Giclée Prints of Bev Howe’s (pictured) colourful and intricate cat illustrations, stunning original paintings by local legends such as David Stone, Max Northwood and Elizabeth De Alwis, as well as limited edition etching and lino prints from some of the regions celebrated print makers such as Greta Hansen, Elizabeth Morris and Devi Singh. This Art Eat Art Shop has just launched and will be online until the spring, so have a look and see if anything takes your fancy. Artists get 75% of the sale and the rest goes towards the ongoing work of Art Eat in the local community. Check it out.
Picture “Ginger Cat” by Bev Howe

Next up is for all those flower and botanical art fans. News on the street is that the celebrated Sudbury based Christopher Ryland has just launched his website where you can buy beautiful original floral watercolours. https://www.christopherryland.co.uk/

Christopher is a hidden gem in the region, but highly recognised within the floral art world. An elected Fellow of the Society of Botanical Artists he has had many solo exhibitions in London and in East Anglia. He is an award winning artist and now you can buy his framed works directly. If you are looking for collectable art and love botanical themes, head to his site and browse his available work on his Gallery page. Go on, treat yourself and your home to one of these bright and delicate paintings.

If Suffolk landscapes are more your thing then do head over to the website and print shop of the vibrant work of Christopher Humphries.

Christopher is another of the region’s artists that beavers away in a hidden corner of Yoxford, producing the most brilliant of Suffolk landscapes. Inspired by locations such as Walberswick, Southwold and Aldeburgh, Christopher’s original paintings fly off the easel and are bought before they are finished. His work is understandably highly sought after, and resides inside the finest homes and collections across the region and beyond. The good news is that for the more modest of pockets, you can order a range of gorgeous signed and framed Giglée prints directly from the website. https://www.christopherhumphriesart.com/ at a very reasonable price which includes the frame. If you want that perfect mix of affordability, quality and originality then look no further if you are looking to brighten up your home this winter.

If nature is something that inspires and interests you then do yourself a favour and have a look at the work of the Essex based sculptor Stephen Henderson who has a show open in his studio and online until the 20th of December. He has also made the investment to go online with a new page on his website where you can browse and purchase his incredible work directly. He is accepting visits to the physical show by appointment only and details are on the website.

Stephen has an annual studio show around this time of year every year, and it is not only a worthwhile experience to see his work, but also the hidden estuarine landscapes of the Walton Backwaters in Essex.

Stephen lives and breathes the landscape and its inhabitants and he studies the intricacies of his subjects and depicts these behaviours in his work. His delicate skill is unquestionable and if you are an admirer of the beauty and preciousness of british wildlife, then you will not be disappointed. https://www.birdsandfish.co.uk/

Following on from the nature theme, we have the intriguing and prolific artist Nicola Coe who along with many others has got her work online and now offers up her fascinating and delicately crafted artworks to online buyers. Her subject matter are the landscapes she comes into daily contact with and the souvenirs of nature she finds within them. She uses a combination of medium and process involving walking, printing, natural inks, paper and the elements to create her artworks.The collecting of natural finds is key to her visual work. The resulting sculptures and images come about from the influences of the place where these objects are found, the colours, the memories.

Uniquely, Nicola uses only natural materials, that she finds or makes these include plant based inks, rainwater and contact printing. Her evocative works are both affordable and irreplaceable, so if you are interested in owning her work, be sure to know you are buying something very precious indeed. https://www.nicolacoe.co.uk/

About the author – Iona Hodgson is a huge art fan and much of her work supports and platforms artists. She is the producer behind The Secret Art Fair, the Art Eat Festival Art Fair and she curates and produces art exhibitions and related events. She was brought up in Essex and Suffolk and knows and loves the region and has extensive connections with artists who are based here through her curatorial work and art fairs. She also runs a marketing and PR company called We Create Projects Ltd which specialises in Arts Marketing and Communications Consultancy.