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There are few things more intimidating than starting an art collection. What do I know about art, we wail, sure that our taste doesn’t stretch much beyond that Bob Marley poster and the print our ex left behind a few years ago. Yep, it can be hard – not to mention expensive – to start collecting art, and so most of us never do, content to imagine a collection is the preserve of the one per cent.

Yet, collecting art is one of the great joys in life, and surprisingly inexpensive once you know what you are doing. Your collection will change as you do, and as you add new pieces over the years, each one will tell a story of where you were (both physically and emotionally) when you bought it.

So how to get started? Firstly, and crucially, you need to (1) Have a Plan. Yes, planning is important. There’s no point splashing out on a massive ceramic for the sideboard if you share a studio apartment with a party animal. According to Catherine O’Riordan, who runs SO Fine Art Editions in Powerscourt Townhouse, it’s important to trust your taste, and the gallery. “This is where a good gallery plays an integral role in choosing a piece of art. They will look at the space you wish to fill and your decor. Size is important and often clients show me the space via a photograph and specify wall size. Engage with the gallerist and tell them what you like, and a good gallery will present you with works that suit your style and budget. Establish a good relationship with a gallery as some galleries offer a service of bringing artworks to their client on trial.”

According to IMMA’s Head of Collections, Christina Kennedy, prospective collectors shouldn’t rush into anything. “Take a bit of time to figure out where you interests lie, and what gives you a buzz,” she says.

And while size and space is one way of determining what sort of art you should be buying, your taste is another. So it’s key to (2) Trust Your Taste. While you may be new to all this, your particular taste (what you like, what you don’t like) is unique to you, and something that has been built up over the years. Don’t chase trends, as trends pass, and you will end up stuck with a piece of art you don’t particularly like. Art should resonate with you – it should make you feel something, and that feeling is why you buy art in the first place.

“You need to spend time selecting the art you want,” Catherine says. “It is an enjoyable and fun experience. Take your time in building up your collection and I find it more interesting to mix up the mediums; paintings with prints and photographs.” However, if you want to fill your apartment with monochrome photography and nothing else, go right ahead and do it. Choosing what to hang in your own home is a very personal decision, and one you, and you alone, should make.

Of course, much of what you will buy will be dictated by price, but (and here’s some good news), (3) Price Isn’t Everything. Yes, while we have all seen amazing art in galleries with equally amazing price tags, there is plenty of great art out there that doesn’t break the bank.

“Fine art prints can often be a very affordable way to start a collection,” says Shane O’ Driscoll, an artist based in Cork. “They are generally in a limited edition, so only a restricted number are made. Another option is to attend exhibitions in art colleges, as you can spot upcoming talent and buy work at really good prices – as well as being able to support young artists.”

Catherine also suggests starting off with fine art prints. “A client recently said that it’s an egalitarian process to buy an original limited edition – in other words a shared experience as 30 people own this original print, which goes against the elitist values of the past,” she says. “You can purchase an original limited edition print for as little as €100. A gallery may also offer a payment scheme on an installment basis. They will also advise you what to buy with your budget in mind. Look at galleries that showcase emerging artists like ourselves where you can buy works at an affordable price.”

She also recommends doing the research, which helps you understand if you are getting good value for money. “Buy pieces you love but make sure you are getting value for money,” she adds.

“A good buy often starts with a gallery as they can give you the background to an artist’s career and information on the exhibitions they have been in, along with a history of their career – are they part of collections by the State, such as the OPW or the National Gallery?

IMMA’s Christina Kennedy echoes this. “Most people start with less than €1,000 and many have gone on to become very serious collectors. In terms of what that sort of budget enables, limited edition prints are a great way of developing your knowledge base and are a direct introduction to an artist’s working process. They are also a means of acquiring works by established artists that are otherwise beyond budget.” “It is not about making a big return, but knowing your money is well spent and you can appreciate a good piece is a good place to start,” Catherine adds.

(4) Get Involved. While there are countless online galleries where you can order fine prints, it’s preferable to see the art in person before buying, as paper quality and size can vary. “Going to galleries is essential,” says Shane. “At openings you can meet the artists, which is always great as they appreciate meeting the people who buy their work. Seeing work in the flesh is always important,” he adds. This is echoed by David Archibold of Hang Tough Gallery in Portobello. “[In a gallery] you get a physical sense of the work, how it occupies space and how it looks in natural lighting as opposed to studio lighting. You also get a sense of scale and impact of the work. All of these are absent when viewing artworks online.”

Opening nights are a great time to visit galleries: the artists will be there, and will be happy to be approached. “It’s important to attend opening or preview nights,” says Catherine. “A lot of galleries have an option on their website to join their mailing list. You can of course bring a friend and it is an excellent way to introduce you to looking at art in a sociable and enjoyable environment.” And of course, there will be wine. Score.

(5) Find Your Purpose. Ask yourself why you want to start collecting art in the first place. If it’s to showoff to friends, or to make money further down the line,you may be barking up the wrong tree. “[Are you collecting art] to accumulate a collection of your favourite art or is it to acquire artworks which will appreciate in value over time?” asks David.

“People may purchase art purely based on their taste regardless of the future value of the work,” he adds.“Similarly, people may also buy artworks purely to resell them later at an increased value. The trick is to do both, collecting artworks based on taste and keeping an eye out for opportunities to acquire works which will appreciate over time.

”While your own taste is extremely subjective, it will change over time, which is half the fun of collecting. It’s also important to diversify. “Shrewd collecting plans should also consider video art, photography, textile,ceramics, artist’s books, design, architectural plans,the models and maquettes of same, and collections of archival material,” Christina says. “Some wily collectors specialise in oddities: a ceramic here, an etching there – it all makes for a highly original collection.”

This article originally appeared in Issue #1 of Press, a quarterly publication from Press Up in partnership with Roe & Co Irish Whiskey February 2020.

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The Company of Books is open seven days a week, and has an eclectic collection of fiction, non-fiction and children’s books. Naturally the store has a devoted fan base. While Gwen says Ranelagh has become considerably more restaurant and night time-oriented, there’s still a place for independent retailers. Aoife Sheehan sat down with Gwen to discuss Ranelagh’s book-reading population and how her store has persevered through economic turmoil and is here to stay.

Your shop front is so beautiful, do you think there is a pressure in Ranelagh specifically for a business to come across as original?

Yeah for sure, we opened our business nine years ago and it was important for us to have a good impression on the street front. A distinctive streetfront, and something that has a clean, modern design fits well with the area. It draws people in.

Why did you choose Ranelagh? Did the sense of community affect where you chose to set up shop?

Yeah, there was definitely a gap and I’m actually a resident of the area. I’ve been living in Ranelagh since the mid ‘90s and I always thought that [a bookshop] would suit the area well. It was just a matter of finding the right premises, and then this came up to let in 2009 and I liked the double-fronted nature of it, I think that works well for a bookshop in terms of display.

I know you have a book club that is currently full, who does the reading community you’ve set up attract? Who is your customer?

They are quite a devoted and loyal bunch, there have been very few departures in recent years. One person left because she moved to London, so that was reasonable [laughs]! Yeah, it’s a mix of age groups, obviously all of their interest is in reading. In terms of both the bookshop and the book club, the people of Ranelagh are a curious bunch who like to be informed. They have good taste in terms of fiction and non-fiction and it’s great to be able to cater for that. It’s great to have books like this on the doorstep so you don’t have to go into town, for me that is one of the reasons for setting up the shop, just the convenience of having something like this in a neighbourhood.

Do you think coming into a bookshop is still important? Why should people choose to shop locally instead of getting their books online? What can you bring to the experience?

Well, I think it’s the physical presence of books. You’re able to walk in and you’ll get the smell and if you’re a real book person you’ll like to pick up the books and feel them. Being able to browse. I know you can look online, but it’s not the same thing, like you said to me, ‘Oh I see three things I want here already’, and that was in ten seconds! There is space for both. Also, you can walk away holding your book, you don’t have to wait for the postman.

You’ve, I’m sure, almost handled every book in the shop so you can give informed recommendations?

Yeah I have a reasonably small space here so I’m careful with the book selection I make, how I choose to fill it, and part of that is knowing what the neighbourhood likes to read. It’s having an instinct for something that would be of interest to my customer, but also what’s in the news. But in terms of the weekends, you get families coming in with little kids and they just love to look at the books. It’s not all technology, books still have a place. When we opened in 2009 there were two things going on, number one the recession and the second was the transfer to Kindles, so e-readers were beginning to increase in sales, but since then they have plateaued. People have come back to the physical book, they have Kindles that they might like to bring on holiday, but when they’re at home they like to have a book in their hand. It’s great that there is space for both.

Do you think that you have a responsibility to bring books dealing with specific topics to the fore? To curate your offering to keep people informed?

Yeah, that is the balancing act of a bookseller. Knowing what the area likes to read and making people aware of books they may not have considered. In order to do that you’re looking at journalism, prizes and festivals. For example, in August we had ‘Women In Translation’ month, so that would feature international writers who have been translated into English and maybe we wouldn’t be so aware of them over here. I have the opportunity to promote something like that in Ranelagh – Finnish writers, Italian writers, Chinese writers… I can bring that to Ranelagh.

There are so many independent businesses in Ranelagh, do you feel like businesses in the area support each other? Have you ever done any collaborations with other Ranelagh businesses?

Yeah, it’s a good question. Over the years there have been different schemes – there was a We Love Ranelagh scheme where all the retailers combined to put on certain offers for the residents. From our point of view we worked with the Ranelagh Arts Festival over the years – for example if they had an event we would supply the books. We are always open to collaboration.

Do you enjoy the human side of owning a business? I’d imagine sharing book recommendations can be satisfying when someone comes back to tell you you’ve sold literature that has changed their life.

Yeah absolutely, I get a lot of repeat business from when I’ve recommended a book to someone and they’ve really enjoyed it and they want to pick my brain and get another recommendation. It’s really satisfying to think that you have influenced someone in a positive way and that they have been happy with your choice. That’s what makes the job worthwhile. Definitely human interaction, that’s so important to every business, no matter what size, whether you’re a small independent bookshop or a big multinational.

What do you hope your ethos inspires in people? What do you want people to leave your shop thinking?

I’d like to think they had a welcoming experience while they were here and also learned something, whether that be choosing a book and maybe coming across a book they didn’t know they wanted to read and they’re leaving with it in their hand and they’re happy. It’s all about positive customer experience and them wanting to come back. Nine years later we’re still here, and to survive a recession and the whole e-book thing means there is still a place for us here.

This article originally appeared in Issue #1 of The Devlin Zine, a collaboration between The Devlin Dublin, District Magazine, & Roe & Co. Irish Whiskey.

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Here are some of the key works James recommends checking out while you’re exploring The Devlin:

• A commissioned oil painting by Chloe Early located in Americana Bar.
• An original screen print from seminal op-artist Bridget Riley located at the lobby lift area.
• Artworks by Eva Rothchild, Kathy Prendergast and Dorothy Cross located in Americana Bar and third floor stairwell.
• A gargantuan monochrome painting by Joy Gerrard from her protest series, measuring at 2.5 metres wide. This is the largest artwork within the hotel’s collection and is located on the first floor lift lobby.
• An original neon Tracey Emin piece above reception.

This article originally appeared in Issue #1 of The Devlin Zine, a collaboration between The Devlin Dublin, District Magazine, & Roe & Co. Irish Whiskey.

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We meet Dee Buckley on an already busy Thursday afternoon, just before the rush of health-conscious locals come bursting through the door of Urban Health for the lunchtime rush. The place is a mecca for clean eating, an establishment “born through a love of healthy, nutritious food and an active lifestyle”, according to Dee and her husband and business partner Darragh.

What made you come back to Dublin from your travels in Australia?

That’s always the thing with Dublin for me, you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Every time I went away, I just appreciated Ireland so much, especially Dublin. There’s such a cool vibe in Dublin. I’m so proud of being Irish. I’d never intended really staying away. I was always going to come back.

What made you choose Ranelagh?

I’ve lived here since I was three, I’ve grown up around here. It’s changed so, so much since I first moved in. Now, there’s such a cool restaurant and coffee shop vibe around Ranelagh, but the one thing again that we noticed was that there were no health food places. The restaurants around here are amazing, absolutely! But where could we get good, healthy products like spirulina, wheatgrass, fresh juices? That’s why we started Urban Health.

There’s a village mentality, but it’s so close to the city. Do you have that sense of community with locals?

100 per cent! That’s the beauty of Ranelagh, it’s like a country village in the big city. Everyone knows each other. All of the businesses around here help each other out. If we run out of coffee cups, we borrow them from someone else, no big deal. We keep an eye on each other. The bigger franchises don’t do well in Ranelagh, people just want to support the small local businesses.

On social media you’s talk about environmental sustainability a lot, is that important to you?

Our whole thing is we wanted it to be about healthy lifestyle. It’s not just about food, we have a yoga and pilates studio upstairs. We really believe in health as a whole. Mind, body and soul. We made the decision to try and cut down, we’re not plastic free totally yet, but all of our packaging is recyclable. That was our big goal for 2018.

Does it frustrate you, as an independent company making a big effort, going into the supermarket and seeing plastic everywhere?

The bigger companies need to take the lead. Until they start demanding it it’s making it so much more expensive for everybody else. I think what frustrates me more now though is that all of our packaging here is compostable, but when people leave here, there are no compost bins, so they are forced to put it in the general rubbish.

Speaking of being an independent company – you mentioned in an interview before that all of your waking hours are consumed by work. But does the sense of achievement drive you to keep doing it?

Definitely, I don’t think I’d ever be fully happy working for someone else. I’ve always wanted to just do my own thing. There are times where you’re answering emails at 11pm, or you’ve forgotten to order something and you waking up in the middle of the night thinking about it. But for all of the bad points, there are so many good points as well. It’s a lot of hard work, running a business, but for me doing something I really believe in is what’s most rewarding. I put my head on my pillow at night time and feel I’m doing something that can help people. I can feel like I’m actually improving their life.

“The Urban Health Shop: Health in the ‘Hood” originally appeared in Issue #1 of The Devlin Zine, a collaboration between The Devlin Dublin, District Magazine, & Roe & Co. Irish Whiskey.

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Ranelagh Arts first launched in 2005, how has the arts scene in Ranelagh changed since then?

It has become a very important part of the community. As you probably know it features art exhibitions, when we have the space, but we also have workshops, drama, book readings, book launches, historical talks. We are also really involved in Tidy Towns, so that has made a huge difference and the festival has grown in the past few years, there were 50 events this year.

What is your best memory of being involved in the arts in the area?

I am an independent curator and I put on visual art exhibitions, about a dozen in the arts centre and at least a dozen acoustic gigs. There have been some wonderful events and some better than others, obviously [laughs]! And the collective which is a creative music and poetry, spoken word monthly concert in the back garden of the centre. They are some of my best memories. It was wonderful. It was curated, not an open mic, so the person behind The Collective organised who was playing.

Dublin is a city full of creative energy, do you think there is something special about being a creative person in Dublin?

It does have a huge amount of creative energy, its size is one of the special things, you can get around easily and visit places. It of course has a very good art college, that all helps, and it has quite a few art galleries also. It isalways in a state of flux, but everyone still knows each other. Artists can work together and inform each other and learn from each other. With NCAD, DIT, Ballyfermot and Dún Laoghaire, there are loads.

What are the advantages of being on the fringe of a capital city? Are there advantages to being situated in a neighbourhood?

Absolutely, it is very near the city centre, but Ranelagh still has its own identity. We are on the Luas, but the village feeling is very important, especially to the residents. We are exposed to the benefits too, like the theatre, etc.

You have a number of different spaces on offer for different types of events, but what is the future like for Ranelagh Arts Centre?

Well, we had to close the Ranelagh Arts Centre this year because we can’t afford a market rent, so we agreed to move out after the festival this year at the start of October. Very sad of course. My background is the visual arts and I’ve been the chairperson since May. We are launching a fundraising initiative this month to enable us to rent a space where we could put on exhibitions and have an office. However, Framexperts has been taken overrecently and the new owners are happy to accomodate exhibitions for us. We will have less because we don’t have staff anymore, but maybe nine or ten a year. We will be doing a Christmas group show. We have been talking to the manager of The Devlin also about using the cinema in the basement. Hopefully it will all pan out, it would be really good for literary events, talks, workshops.

That’s very resourceful, another sign of Ranelagh coming together to help each other.

Ranelagh Arts Festival ran for three years before it got a premises, so we are just going back to that. It is important to have a main street presence but we are still going on, and of course running the festival every September. My priority is to keep the brand alive and not just every September festival but regular events. It could be walks, could be talks… Ranelagh Arts will continue. We get a generous grant every year for the festival from Dublin City Council, we couldn’t do it otherwise. It’s a community arts organisation, that’s very important. There is a great backing from local people who are very happy to be involved.

“Ireland Culture: 60 Seconds with Tony Strickland Of Ranelagh Arts Centre” originally appeared in Issue #1 of The Devlin Zine, a collaboration between The Devlin Dublin, District Magazine, & Roe & Co. Irish Whiskey.

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Good pubs in Dublin certainly aren’t hard to come by…

Ranelagh’s main street alone is one of the areas most densely populated with modern bars and good pubs in Dublin. We’ve made a shortlist of our six favourite spots to either watch a match, listen to some music, or catch up with friends in, all while imbibing on a delicious beverage.

Smyth’s, Ranelagh

Popular with the locals, Smyth’s is a go-to for a quiet pint and achat, or an evening of belly laughs with mates. The jewel in theircrown is their Sunday jazz sessions, and their currently giving the venue a make-over, just in time for Christmas!

Humphreys, Ranelagh

We urge you to keep this information to yourself, for the locals’sake… But there’s nothing like the Humphreys beer garden in thesun. Then in winter out comes the canvas and heaters. Don’t be surprised if you end up whiling away a few hours here, engrossed in conversation and pints.

Blackbird, Rathmines

P.Mac’s little sister south of The Liffey, Blackbird has a craft beerselection that alone is enough to keep you coming back. Plus themusic is always on point. Expect to hear anything from NWA toQueens of the Stone Age.

Birchalls, Ranelagh

Our next-door neighbours, Birchalls has been in our ‘hood for years, and for good reason. It has a classic, old-school pub vibe. The staff are super friendly and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more bustling atmosphere.

Taphouse, Ranelagh

Previously known as Russell’s, Taphouse rebranded a few years ago. It’s now one of the most popular spaces in Ranelagh to watch a football or rugby match while sipping on one of their many craft beer options.

Americana Bar @ The Devlin, Ranelagh

The Devlin have assembled a crack-team of the very best bartenders and they’ve developed a menu full of surprises. There are wild and wonderful bottled cocktails, bonafide classics with a twist, plus Americana Bar is serving up soakage in the form of delicious food throughout the day and night.

This article originally appeared in Issue #1 of The Devlin Zine, a collaboration between The Devlin Dublin, District Magazine, & Roe & Co. Irish Whiskey.

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