Neil Buchanan

Neil Buchanan’s HOPE STREET drives traffic to galleries

and revs up sales

As galleries face the prospect of another challenging year on the high street, the first ever published fine art collection from Neil Buchanan (the creator, presenter and artist behind BAFTA award winning Art Attack) has provided a tonic on the high street for independent retail galleries.

The high profile, self taught fine artist regularly attracted an audience of six million viewers to his hit TV art show Art Attack and the combination of his profile and the calibre of painting in his stunning Neil Buchanan’s HOPE STREET art collection, has seen the artist packing galleries during his Winter 2011/Spring 2012 gallery tour of independent galleries.

The refreshing arrival of Neil Buchanan’s HOPE STREET, from independent publishers Art Attic Publishing, brilliantly depicts “the story of childhood” in a 12-strong collection of limited edition prints, and has brought a welcome boost to sales for many of the galleries on the tour.

Clive Ashmore, owner of Jamie Leigh Fine Art in Rubery, West Midlands said: “In eleven years of trading this is our first artist visit and it’s been a great success. The visit and exhibition has achieved publicity in local newspapers, magazines and on the radio and despite a heavy snowfall on the afternoon of Neil’s visit the gallery was still packed with customers and new visitors interested in seeing the art. In just two hours we sold nine signed and framed limited edition pieces of art which is just the kind of kick start businesses need during a cold and snowy February.”

Kuldip Chohan, owner of Gallery Rouge in St Albans, Herts, added: “We had a great visit from Neil Buchanan just before Christmas sales really got going. The combination of Neil’s stunning paintings and abilities as a fine artist and his incredible profile with the general public has proved a winning formula and we sold 11 pieces from the HOPE STREET collection during his visit.”

J’Adore Art in Brighton, Sussex, saw Neil Buchanan appear on the prime time BBC South East evening news to talk about his J’Adore Art visit and the high profile exposure helped deliver a raised awareness of both the gallery and the HOPE STREET art.

Joint owner Karen M é n é trier said: “Neil Buchanan’s ‘story of childhood’ has proved a breath of fresh air in the gallery and it’s great to have this new art entry come into the business. There is so much interest in his amazing story and the beautifully executed nostalgic paintings of childhood.”

Neil Buchanan is now working on a new 2012 collection, though the former TV star is keeping details of the new collection of limited edition canvas on board a closely guarded secret.

Neil Buchanan commented: “All I can say is this collection will tie in very well with some of the big stuff that’s happening in the UK this year, so will provide galleries with a very topical and current collection of art. People came to love and expect me being slightly anarchic on Art Attack and my 2012 collection will undoubtedly take the ‘alternative view’, with the inevitable Scouser humour painted into the narrative.”