This fact was forcibly brought home to me recently with the news that quite a number of artists have, in recent weeks, been receiving one of those scary Inland Revenue letters: “Please explain why your income for the year 2002/03 appears so low.”
One such recipient tells me that upon telephoning the Revenue she was told not to worry too much as many such letters had been sent out. Apparently the taxman has now been made aware that, for many artists, 9/11 and Iraq have had a profound impact on income and he is generally being sympathetic to their present plight.
...and where, sadly, the money isn’t
WHILE some painters, such as Jack Vettriano (b. 1954) and Royal Academician Ken Howard (b. 1932), seem to be able to sell their canvases almost before the paint has dried, many other artists are finding it a precarious market. Contemporary art might be the current buzz word, but it remains a fickle business, with buyers far too focused on seeking out the work of a few A-list names.
