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Reproduced by kind permission of the Eastbourne Gazette and Herald The art of being one year old A stunning new art gallery on two floors opened a year ago behind the five star Grand Hotel in Eastbourne. The Nigel Greaves Gallery in Compton Street, Eastbourne features landscapes, seascapes, figurative works and some brilliant large, vibrant abstracts. The gallery is now also well equipped to deal with quality restorations and the expert cleaning of pictures and their frames. A student at Eastbourne College of Art and Design in the sixties, Nigel Greaves studied fine art, art history and graphic design before embarking on a career in publishing, which he took early retirement from in February last year. The gallery project is the result of a lifelong ambition of Nigel to run his own art gallery. At Art College he was fortunate to study under Robert Tavener, Daphne Oliver and Geoffrey Flint. Nigel was elected a fellow of The Royal Society of Arts in 1994. The Nigel Greaves Gallery was officially opened last year by BBC newsreader Beverly Thompson. Since then the gallery has defied recession and has attracted buyers from Australia, France, Spain, Switzerland, Canada and America as well as many from the south east and from all parts of the UK. Despite the global economic turmoil, business has been encouraging with purchasers buying a varied range of subjects from landscapes, seascapes, figurative works and stunning abstracts. Local schools have been quick to realise the value of having such a unique gallery on their doorstep. The past year has seen Moira house school, Cavendish school and Eastbourne college students visiting the gallery as part of their art and cultural studies. The gallery has benefited greatly from the opening of the new Towner art gallery and museum being less than two minutes walk away. Nigel said “ our customer count has increased four fold since the Towner opened and we are seeing customers from as far away as Portsmouth and Chichester and inland from London and the Home Counties”. Nigel says his customers are in agreement that in this economic climate, art is a superb investment to enjoy and quality art plays an important role in the economic cycles that have occurred throughout history. Some of the most significant stimulations to the market economy have been the result of the sale and resale of works of art. More and more these days people are collecting quality original art, keen to add diversity and colour to their lives and above all, owning something unique that does not degenerate or ever go out of fashion and will increase in value over time. Over the years, Nigel has gained great confidence in his art, experimenting and working with equal ease in acrylic, watercolour, oils and pastel. He mixes much of his own paint mediums from high quality pigments obtained from the south of France In his early years at Art College he had no choice but to study the masters. Time, much experimentation over four decades and constant practical experience gradually led him to a world of new ideas with a fresh approach to the use of colour to seek creativity that could be treasured. One year on and in scenes unveiled sometimes from beyond our dreams, Nigel takes us to compositions rich in spirituality. His generous use of colour and his understanding of light can be seen to bathe scenes in a tranquil unreality that we sometimes wish to be real. Nigel’s art is creative, warm and enthusiastic and he speaks of his work with passion and simplicity. What he enjoys most is the joy of having a free rein to his artistic impulses. Nigel is proud to say that his works are one offs and therefore each piece is the only one in the world unlike a reproduction or hand embellished print. Soon after the gallery opened, Nigel received a visit from a group of 30 Sussex artists who after a tour of the gallery were given many tips on preparing canvasses, colour mixing and choice of composition. There is a brilliant range of new works on display as well as the popular retrospective exhibition with prices ranging from £195-£2895. The gallery is open 7 days a week from 10.30 until 5pm and Sundays from 11am until 4pm. For further information visit www.nigelgreavesgallery.co.uk or ring the gallery on Eastbourne 01323638268.
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