A passionate art lover has used his experience of knowing how unaffordable buying art can be for many people to create an art gallery which is accessible for everyone. Jonathan Ripley bought his first painting 20 years ago by using a credit card after falling in love with it when he walked into a gallery in Dartmouth.
The 58-year-olds fortunes have since turned around because he has been left some artwork painted by his uncle, Tom Hawkes, a former well respected director of opera with more than 500 different productions under his belt.
When he retired in 2015, he had turned to painting to leave something more permanent behind. When Tom passed away in 2023, he left a legacy of around 700 paintings. Jonathan is the proud owner of some of those and it has inspired him to open his own art gallery in Exmouth called Artisan in Exeter Road.
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It opened its doors on February 1 and on its walls are some of Tom’s artwork, but just as important to Jonathan is supporting local artists and enabling people with all budgets to experience the joy of being able to purchase works of art. He offers lower commission rates, compared with other galleries, and customers can benefit from bespoke financial deals.
Jonathan said: “My mission is to make buying original art easily accessible to everyone. If I can replicate the feeling I had buying my first painting, my job is done.
“Way back in 2005, I walked into a gallery in Dartmouth and saw a painting that took my breath away. I had no money and left without the painting.
“However, over the next week, I couldn’t get the feeling that took my breath away out of my head. I ventured back to the gallery the following weekend and purchased it financed with my credit card.
“Was I mad? Was I spontaneous? No, it was a momentous moment in my life and kick started a love of art in all its magnificent forms. It grabbed me, it changed me, and allowed me to embrace emotions that I may have never felt.”
Jonathan is now keen to help others feel the same while also supporting artists hoping to make a name for themselves.
He said: “For every painting of my uncle’s I sell, it in turn helps me to support local artists in the area who otherwise would suffer with the lack of gallery space. We have a wealth of artistic talent available in this area and I am committed to showcasing as many as I can, with lower commission rates.
“The commitment to the artist is equal to that of the customer where I can arrange bespoke financial facilities avoiding the credit card if required. The artworks that I have and will be having are an eclectic mix of local view landscapes and seascapes as well as abstract and deco.”
Prices range from £30 unframed watercolours through to upwards of £800.
