Episode 3 of The Big Deal with Steph McGovern on BBC Two took us to Margate, a seaside town that has become one of the UK's most exciting creative and contemporary art destinations. Alongside its traditional seaside attractions, you'll find independent galleries, artist studios, printmakers, ceramicists, vintage shops and creative spaces throughout the town. Turner Contemporary sits on the seafront, while a growing community of artists and makers has helped establish Margate as a genuine hub for contemporary art.
There is a reason so many creatives have been drawn to Margate. It's close enough to London to attract visitors looking for a seaside escape, but has developed its own distinct creative energy. Artists including guest mentor Margo Mc Daid, JMW Turner and Margate-born Tracey Emin have strong connections to the town, while a new generation continues to build careers there. For us, it was the perfect setting for a challenge centred around something we've become increasingly passionate about at Bella + Ollie Art: limited edition prints and making contemporary art more accessible.
The experience completely changed the way we thought about prints ourselves, and ultimately influenced the way we wanted to build the Bella + Ollie Art collection. Because if you're someone who has always wanted to buy art but doesn't know where to start, a limited edition print can be one of the best places to begin.
How do you choose affordable art for your home?
If you're buying your first piece of art, our biggest piece of advice is still the same one we talked about in Episode 2: buy something you genuinely love.
It can be tempting to start with the room. You might search for “art for living room”, look at the colours of your sofa and curtains and try to find something that matches. While the space you're buying for is important, we think the artwork should ultimately come back to you.
Think about what you're naturally drawn towards. Do you love colour? Are you more interested in photography, illustration or abstract painting? Do you have a favourite artist, place or memory that you would like to bring into your home? Those questions are often much more useful than asking whether an artwork matches your furniture.
Having a budget doesn't mean you need to compromise on finding something you love. There is a huge range of affordable contemporary art available, particularly when you look at limited editions, emerging artists and printmaking. We'd much rather help someone find an £85 print that they genuinely love than encourage them to spend more simply because they think that's what buying “proper” art means.
Discovering Margate artists
The challenge gave us the opportunity to experience Margate's creative community from the inside. At a networking evening at the Old Kent Market, we met artists from across the town and began looking for people whose work we wanted to represent at the public print fair at Dreamland.
Among them were Maximillian Boxer and Daisy Tortuga. We visited Daisy's studio above The Margate School of Art, where she showed us how she creates her tufted rugs and wall hangings inspired by seaside life. We also spent time with Max at his studio above Don't Blink gallery and vintage shop, learning about giclée printing and seeing the process of creating archival fine art prints first-hand.
For us, this was one of the most valuable parts of the experience. It is easy to look at a finished print online and see only the image. Meeting the artist and understanding how it was made gives you a completely different appreciation of what you're buying.
Maximillian Boxer: the Margate artist we discovered on The Big Deal
Maximillian Boxer was one of the artists who immediately stood out to us. We'd actually spotted his work during our research before we met him, drawn to his playful, illustrative style and the way he takes familiar Margate scenes and gives them a completely different personality.
His work combines seaside nostalgia with bold colour, graphic shapes and a Pop Art sensibility. There is something instantly recognisable about it, but also something playful and unexpected. When we met Max at the networking evening, we quickly realised that the work we'd been drawn to online reflected the personality of the artist behind it.
For the print fair, we chose several of his designs, including Lido Bumpers, Dreamland Spray, South-Eastern Scenic, Car Park Crabbing and Ticket to Margate. It was exciting to see people respond to his work in person, particularly because we had only just discovered him ourselves.
We've since returned to Margate twice. On one visit, Max invited us down during the winter off-season, when artists across the town open their studios, homes and exhibition spaces. We later returned to film content with Max and another Margate-based screen- print artist, Charlie Evaristo-Boyce.
That has been one of our favourite parts of building Bella + Ollie Art. We don't want to simply find artwork online, put it on a website and sell it. We want to know the artists we work with, understand their practices and introduce our audience to the people and stories behind the work. We think that makes buying art feel much more personal.
Ready to start collecting?
Explore our collection of limited edition prints from British artists, with artwork starting from £85.
What we took away from The Big Deal Episode 3
Episode 3 changed the way we think about prints. What started as a challenge to select, price and sell limited editions in Margate became a much bigger lesson in how art can be made more accessible to both artists and collectors.
For artists, prints can create another way to share their work with a wider audience and build a following beyond the people who can afford an original. For collectors, they provide an opportunity to own work by artists they love at a more accessible price.
That balance is something we want to continue building at Bella + Ollie Art. We represent British artists whose work we genuinely believe in, and we want to make discovering and buying contemporary art feel less intimidating. Whether you're looking for your first piece, searching for affordable art for your home or already have a growing collection, there should be a way into the art world that feels right for you.
Our experience in Margate reminded us that you don't need to spend thousands to start collecting art. You don't need to know every artist or understand every movement. You simply need to find something that makes you stop, look twice and think, I want that in my home..
And if that piece happens to be a limited edition print by an artist you've just discovered, that's a pretty good place to start.
Bella + Ollie
What happened in The Big Deal Episode 3?
Episode 3 of The Big Deal with Steph McGovern on BBC Two took the remaining contestants to Margate to explore the world of prints and limited editions. The contestants met artists from Margate's creative community, selected artworks to reproduce as prints and then sold them directly to the public at a print fair held at Dreamland.
Why is Margate known for art?
Margate has become a major contemporary art destination in the UK, with independent galleries, artist studios, creative spaces and Turner Contemporary contributing to its reputation as a hub for contemporary art. The town also has longstanding connections with artists including JMW Turner and Tracey Emin, while a new generation of artists continues to contribute to its creative community.
What is a limited edition print?
A limited edition print is an artwork that has been reproduced in a predetermined quantity. Unlike an open edition, where prints can continue to be produced, a limited edition has a fixed number available. Once the edition is sold, no additional prints are produced within that edition.
Are limited edition prints a good way to start collecting art?
Yes. Limited edition prints can be an accessible way to begin collecting contemporary art because they allow you to own work by an artist without the price of an original painting. They can also offer collectability because the edition is produced in a restricted quantity.
How much does affordable contemporary art cost?
There is no fixed definition of affordable art, as prices vary depending on the artist, medium, edition size and size of the artwork. At Bella + Ollie Art, our limited edition prints start from £85 giving first-time collectors an accessible way to begin building a collection.
Who is Maximillian Boxer?
Maximillian Boxer is a Margate-based artist, printmaker and creative community builder. His playful work combines illustration, spray paint, stencil techniques and graphic imagery, often drawing inspiration from Margate, the British seaside and nostalgic popular culture.
We discovered Max during Episode 3 of The Big Deal and now represent his work through Bella + Ollie Art. Max also runs ‘Don’t Blink’ gallery and ‘Archival Print’ Giclee print studio.
What is Dreamland Spray by Maximillian Boxer?
Dreamland Spray is a limited edition giclée print by Maximillian Boxer inspired by Dreamland in Margate. Max's colourful interpretation combines spray-paint and stencil techniques with bold graphic elements, creating a playful contemporary take on one of Margate's most recognisable landmarks.
The artwork is now available through Bella + Ollie Art as part of our limited edition print collection.
Where can I buy affordable art for my home?
Bella + Ollie Art represents a carefully selected group of British artists, offering original artwork and limited edition prints at a range of accessible price points. Our collection is designed to make discovering and collecting contemporary art feel less intimidating, particularly if you're buying your first piece.
If you're not sure what you're looking for, get in touch with us. We can help you discover artwork based on your taste, your home and your budget.
Can Bella + Ollie help me choose art for my home?
Absolutely. We believe choosing artwork should be personal, not intimidating. Whether you're looking for a colourful print for your living room, a statement piece for a new home or your first piece of contemporary art, we're happy to help you find something you genuinely connect with.
Explore our collection of limited edition prints and affordable contemporary art, including work by Maximillian Boxer, or get in touch to start your collection.
Follow the Journey of Bella + Ollie Art on The Big Deal with Steph McGovern BBC 2
The Big Deal with Steph McGovern BBC 2 | Bella + Ollie
The Big Deal Episode 3: Why Limited Edition Prints Are a Great Way to Start Collecting Art
The Big Deal Episode 3: Why Limited Edition Prints Are a Great Way to Start Collecting Art
The Big Deal Episode 3: Why Limited Edition Prints Are a Great Way to Start Collecting Art
|Isabella Sheppard
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