A BUSINESS that was founded in Stanhope and is now enjoying global success is celebrating 25 years.
Alex Clark’s Lime Tree Gallery first opened its doors to the public on October 25th 2000 and little did she know then what a huge success her artistic talent would be. Alex, from Ebchester, had first began creating art when she was at college and to help fund her education, she started by painting pet portraits for friends and family and they quickly caught on.
She proceeded to university to study graphic arts and maintained the steady flow of her own art works, designing and painting four greetings’ cards. The local printer at Prudhoe produced them and Alex was delighted when they sold like hot cakes. She decided to change courses at university after realising that the world of graphic arts was very difficult to enter. She changed to Biology, being very interested in animals – she had always loved animals and the rural area that surrounded her in childhood – and, of course, it was always animals that featured in her paintings and still does to this day.
Alex first exhibited and sold her cards and other works in Stanhope at the Dale Art Gallery in the Dales Centre, run by Philip Oliver and George Skelton. In the meantime, as she wasn’t able to find work, she sold at craft fairs every weekend all around the country. These included at Sandringham, Windsor and Aberdeen.
Around this time, the building that has been her own shop and gallery for 25 years now came up for sale and Alex bought it in the May of the year 2000. It needed a lot of work to make it fit for purpose and in this she was aided by her parents, her father being a builder, but it needed a lot of investment – lots of money was needed for a complete refurbishment. This she raised through selling her own creations through the Dale Gallery and at craft fairs. In these efforts, she also praised the tremendous support of her parents throughout it all.
“My parents have always supported me throughout,” she said paying tribute to her mother and father.
Alex said, “I chose Stanhope in the first place because I am a home bird, I don’t like being too far away from where I grew up in Ebchester. I knew that many people visit the town but also because the people of Stanhope and the wider Weardale had always been so incredibly supportive of me and my work.
“Whenever I’m in Stanhope, I always feel welcome and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
As it is, her fame as an artist has gone global and although her feet are firmly on the ground as the canny north-east lass she is, she does have outlets selling her creations around the world. She is infamous around the world for her quirky paintings of animals – domestic, farm and wild animals, which are instantly recognisable. Her inspiration comes from her upbringing in the countryside where she was born and bred.
But she will always retain the happy memories of the people who supported her in the beginning – the Weardale folk .
Of course although her greetings cards and art piints are still very popular, Alex’s work is now included on so many items, including gift wrap, gift bags, textiles, cushions, coasters, placemats, fridge magnets, bookmarks and a large variety of stationary items as well as a ceramic collection.
“I remember June Crosby, a huge figure from Stanhope at the time. She helped me a lot, supporting and encouraging me and the gallery for years. She once came in and presented me with a framed certificate from The Weardale Society for the sympathetic way we had refurbished the building.”
Alex also recalled a couple – Alf and Marjorie – who called in at the shop every week, mostly to have their own art work framed. And, of course, she paid tribute to Neville and Elaine who came to work in the gallery to allow Alex to continue her work and to build the business.
The wholesale side of her business, which she founded many years ago, began to take off and she started to supply other shop, not only in this country but literally all over the world.
Alex now has an established warehouse, which employs 15 people near Knitsley and there is another, smaller warehouse in the Netherlands. “Because of the complications of Brexit, we had to take a warehouse there,” she explained.
“It’s so nice when people tell me where they have been in the world and where they have seen my artwork – Canada, Australia, New Zealand – they are very loyal and I really appreciate them very much.”
And so back to the Lime Tree Gallery. Alex still owns it and it still sells her wares but last year, because her global business takes up so much of her time, she knew there was a decision to make about it. She would either have to sell it or rent it and because she couldn’t bear to let go altogether, she decided on the latter. The new proprietor is Lisa, who rents it from Alex.
“The gallery needed something,” mused Alex. “It was becoming tired, it needed re-inventing because I had neglected it, really. Lisa has been in there for a year and she has done just that – it is fresh and new but still retains my original ideas and my work as well as the work of other artists.”
“I want to say a huge thank you to the people of Weardale for supporting me from the very beginning and for being there, expressing their friendship and loyalty still. Wherever my work goes around the world, I – and they – know that it began in Stanhope.”
Alex would like to invite all those past and present customers to a celebration of her 25 years in business at the Lime Tree Gallery on Saturday October 25th for a drink and a piece of cake. Everyone welcome.
The Lime Tree Gallery is open Wednesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm.
For more information about Alex Clark, go to the website at alexclarkart.co.uk
