John Russell Contemporary Art Gallery

The John Russell Gallery has over forty years of expertise, specialising in the works of contemporary East Anglian painters and sculptors. The Gallery offers monthly changing exhibitions and a wide selection of original prints, paintings and sculpture by established artists and up and coming talents. The Gallery also offers the area's longest established, highest quality, bespoke conservation framing and restoration. click to go back to the top of the page
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Exhibition Information & Our Mailing List

The Gallery’s new yearly exhibition brochure becomes available each November and is automatically sent to our mailing list of clients, as well as being distributed to a number of outlets around the region. Clients currently on our mailing list will also receive invitations to the Private Views of our monthly changing exhibitions.

The same information may also be accessed via the Gallery’s web site, which is updated regularly with a selection of images from the current exhibition. At the end of each exhibition, the images will remain live on the web site until the end of the year. Occasionally, it is still possible for the Gallery to obtain a painting from a past exhibition on request, provided it remains unsold, and so it is always worth asking!

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Bespoke Framing

The Gallery offers a bespoke framing service for the framing of all works of art to conservation standard, including original paintings, drawings, prints and reproductions as well as football shirts and even ballet shoes!

Conservation standard framing involves the use of museum quality materials that are guaranteed to be acid-free, acidity being a major cause of deterioration of works of art. Where the framing involves the use of adhesives and tape, these are also pH neutral and fully reversible.

Works of art on paper will naturally deteriorate with age unless properly protected, due to the tendency to absorb acidity from the atmosphere, and particularly from acidic materials in close proximity eg non-acid-free mount board, backing, adhesives and tape. Typical signs of acidity within a frame include ginger discolouration of the cut edge of the mount and ginger ‘foxing’ marks on the paper itself. Acidity in works of art can usually be reversed, or in worst cases, arrested to prevent further deterioration – see RESTORATION below.

The method involved in conservation framing is such that the work of art is completely encapsulated within the frame, and the mount and glass becomes a sealed unit, with this unit being sealed into the back of the frame. Provided that this seal remains intact, then the work of art will be protected from the detrimental effects of atmospheric acidity. Should the seal become broken, either by careless handling or use of sub-standard materials, or if no proper seal was established at the outset, then the work will once more be prone to acidity, and also to invasion by tiny flies. These tiny, black flies are commonly seen trapped between the mount and the glass – whilst they do no harm, they are unsightly. Any flies can be easily removed by dismantling the frame, cleaning the mount and re-sealing to the glass ready for re-fitting and sealing back into the frame.

All frames are hand-made on site, being made to measure to fit each individual work of art. Frames are hand-finished with wax, or a combination of hand-colour and wax, to complement the image and to suit the client’s personal taste. Our fully trained staff will be happy to advise and assist with the selection of mount, frame and finish.

We will be happy to provide a free quotation for framing for your consideration prior to any work commencing.

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Reframing

Many framed works of art would benefit from re-framing and/or restoration in order to give them a ‘new lease of life’. Often works have been incorrectly or inappropriately framed from the outset, or else may just require refreshing or updating, perhaps with a neutral mount and a more contemporary frame.

Ideally, a frame should be chosen to complement the painting in such a way so as not to detract from the image. However, you may prefer to achieve a degree of consistency within a variety of works hung in a particular location, in which case a simple, natural wood moulding would be suitable, perhaps with a subtle wax hand-finish.

Certain frames are more suited to works of art of a particular medium or period – our staff will be happy to advise in all cases, and to provide a free quotation of costs prior to any work commencing.

Re-framing would be indicated in the following instances:

The work has been framed with no mount or spacer – works on paper should be distanced from the glass by the use of a mount or fillet spacer. Works in direct contact with the glass is liable to problems with adhesion due to condensation within the frame caused by fluctuations in room temperature and humidity.
The colour and size of the existing mount is inappropriate – the mount should focus the eye towards the image without detracting from it, and so its colour should complement the image. The size of mount should be generous enough so as not to appear skimped, but not too large so as to swamp the image. The dimensions of the mount should be correctly balanced visually (ie slightly deeper at the lower edge).
Discolouration of the existing mount – ‘gingering’ due to acidity (as above); water damage; mould; little black flies trapped between mount and glass.

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Restoration The John Russell Gallery offers a complete restoration service, including cleaning, de-acidifying and re-framing of works on paper, such as watercolours, pastels and drawings. Works in oil can be fully restored by cleaning and varnishing. Canvases can be also be re-stretched, re-lined and repaired where necessary. Where a period piece is presented in its original frame, any damage to the frame can be restored. Restoration is always carried out sympathetically and in keeping with the period of the piece. We will advise and discuss the extent of any necessary restoration, and will always give an estimate of all costs involved before commencing work. click to go back to the top of the page
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Valuations

Quality original works of art, including original limited edition prints, will always hold their price, with most works appreciating in value over a period of time. The John Russell Gallery offers a comprehensive valuation service for the purpose of insurance and probate, to both corporate and private clients.

The painting/works being valued are digitally photographed so that the image can be incorporated into a detailed valuation sheet specific to each item. The client is then presented with a portfolio containing all the individual sheets, complete with a summary sheet totalling the overall value of the pieces. In the case of works by a specifically named artist, their background will be researched as fully as possible and a précis prepared for provenance.

Where the valuation involves several works of art, we will be happy to visit your home or premises in order to photograph the pieces in situ.

A price quotation for this service is available on request.

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Art Consultancy

The Gallery’s consultancy service extends to both individual and corporate clients. We will be more than happy to visit your home or premises in order to discuss your art and interior design requirements, and will offer our recommendations as to the best use of available space. We will hang and/or re-hang your paintings in order to display your works of art to their full potential.

The Gallery has an extensive portfolio of professional artists, many of whom will be willing to undertake commissions for a unique piece. We will arrange meetings between client and artist, undertaking all negotiation on the client’s behalf in order to oversee the commission from conception through to completion.

Corporate Art Purchases – the Gallery may be able to arrange extended payment terms in order to facilitate a one-off purchase of multiple art works. We will be happy to discuss your needs and to prepare some theoretical costings.

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Unframed Prints

The Gallery always stocks a large number and variety of unframed limited edition prints ie etchings, lithographs, linocuts, woodcuts, monoprints and collographs by our portfolio printmakers. These prints are completely hand-coloured and hand-printed by the artist, and as such are editioned as a limited number of prints (usually under 300). As each print is executed individually, by hand, no two prints are exactly the same, being subject to slight variations in position and intensity of colouration. Thus, although a print is not a ‘one-off’ piece in the same sense as a watercolour or oil painting (monoprints being the only exception), their very nature of hand-production ensures that each print of an edition is individual. Therefore, a limited edition print is a valued work of art and should not to be confused with a ‘reproduction’, in which case the image is photographically or digitally mass reproduced on a printing machine, consequently being of little monetary value.

The Gallery currently has comprehensive stocks of the following artists’ unframed prints:

Charles Bartlett P.P.R.W.S, R.E, A.R.C.A
Richard Bawden R.W.S, R.E
John Brunsdon A.R.C.A, R.E
Michael Carlo
Bernard Cheese
Chloë Cheese
Olwen Jones V.P.R.W.S, R.E, R.A.S
Joan Hodes
Elizabeth Morris
John O’Connor R.W.S (R.E)
Constance Stubbs A.R.C.A
Glynn Thomas R.E
Valerie Thornton R.E

If you are interested in purchasing prints by a particular artist, we will be happy to send you a selection of images for your perusal, either by e-mail or by post. Unframed prints may then be safely and quickly dispatched in a sturdy postal tube, by Special Delivery.

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Gift Vouchers / Wedding Lists People’s taste in art is extremely personal and so it is not always easy to buy a work of art as a present for an individual, no matter how well you know them! In order to minimise the risk of ‘getting it wrong’, the Gallery is happy to issue vouchers, to any denomination, which may be used as payment towards the purchase of a work of art or framing. If you would prefer to keep the voucher amount confidential, as may be the case with a retirement / long service award or wedding gift, we would be happy to accept payments on account, with the utmost discretion assured. click to go back to the top of the page
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Group & Educational Visits

The Gallery is happy to accommodate Group visits – primary school classes, high school art students, art groups and other societies are welcome. If desired, the Gallery Director will be happy to deliver a brief history of the Gallery, the historic Isaac Lord complex and of course some background of the exhibiting artist(s). Prior booking is advisable for groups of 10 or more people, and is necessary if a structured visit is planned.

Small groups (five or less) or individual students are welcome to visit the Gallery at any time during an exhibition, with no prior arrangement necessary, and should feel free to sketch and take notes for coursework. Photography is generally permitted, but please ask to confirm. Artists’ CV’s, press releases and images are available if required for educational purposes – please ask.

Please Note: Groups that intend to make use of our coffee/tea facility are respectfully requested to limit their numbers to a maximum of 20.

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Private Viewings & Corporate Hospitality

We would be happy to arrange a private evening viewing during an exhibition for businesses, societies etc, with wine and canapes included, if desired.

The Gallery is an ideal venue for corporate functions and is available for evening hire throughout most of the year, from Mondays to Saturdays (except Public Holidays and Gallery Holiday closing).

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