Located in the Northwest in the picturesque town of Knutsford, Cheshire you will find the stylish two-storey boutique Vermilion Art Gallery on Princess Street and the 6000 sq. ft. Vermilion Studios which houses a large, unique gallery on two floors located nearby on the Stanley Road Trading Estate. The art galleries and studios are owned and run by the renowned Manchester born artist James Blinkhorn and his partner Eve Flanagan. The Stanley Road location is more than just a gallery, it is a creative hub where art enthusiasts can connect, engage, relax with a coffee and be inspired.
Opened in 2007, Vermilion houses one of the largest collections of original contemporary art in England and as an independent gallery, it deals directly with artists and art publishers to ensure the collections are fresh and varied. The range of artwork on display is hugely diverse, showcasing art from local, national and international artists including both emerging talent and renowned, established contemporary artists such as Vanni Saltarelli, Arthit Pansuay, Gary Walton and Nicky Litchfield. With a selection of sculpture and lighting at the gallery, there really is something for everybody.
James and his friendly, approachable team are knowledgeable, enthusiastic and passionate about art and will endeavour to make your visit to the gallery both enjoyable and enlightening. The experience of finding and purchasing a piece of art should be an enjoyable and relaxed one and so the team will give you space and time to browse the collections; we welcome everyone, including children and dogs!
Additionally, we offer personal commissions and home/office art consultation across the Northwest.
Artist and Gallery Director
The owner and director, James Blinkhorn is an artist and former illustrator who creates paintings exploring an array of subject matter using a broad range of media. Born in Manchester in the 1960’s, upon leaving college James established an illustration business with two friends pitching work for advertising agencies from Manchester to London.
‘We had to be able to work in any medium demanded of us, it would be an oil painting one day, charcoal the next. If someone ever asked “Are you experienced in pastels” we would never say no, but just go and learn it.’
This is the period where James built upon his natural artistic ability and became accomplished in many creative styles and processes.
Most notably known for his intricate and atmospheric large-scale cityscapes, James paints subjects from romantic scenes to animal portraits. Also regularly producing commissions for clients both domestically and commercially, including Bentley and Bugatti, James’ time is often split between design work at the computer and painting in front of the easel.
‘Most people find a genre and stick to it…I can’t do that. I have too many ideas, there are just too many things going on to inspire me. I can’t just paint in one style for the rest of my life.’
Artist and Gallery Curator
With nine years experience of working in the commercial gallery industry, Eve’s background originates from Fine Art after graduating with a BA Hons in Fine Art in 2002. After life and travelling took her on paths working abroad and in different industries, Eve’s enduring creative drive brought her back to her love of art where she worked with young people in schools and children’s homes on creative art projects. Subsequently Eve completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Art Education and became a secondary school art teacher.
Eager to pursue her own art practice, Eve moved direction several years later and sought work in galleries to gain a much greater insight into how art is integral in the lives of people and ultimately to discover what type of art people want. Consequently, Eve began to develop her own art practice and found the experience of sourcing good quality art from talented artists to sell to the public for them to enjoy in their homes extremely rewarding.
‘Art is subjective, we do not always agree on what we like with regards to style and subject matter but art is for everyone, it is a visual language that is all around us without us even realising. You don’t have to be an expert to appreciate or purchase art, if you walk into a gallery and something stops you because it either makes you think, or ignites some type of feeling, engages you to look longer and more closely or just makes you instantly feel happy then that is all you need to understand that you have found a good piece of art.’
