Stephen is Director of the New Art Gallery (NAG), Walsall (2005), a Visiting Professor at Manchester School of Art and an Honorary Member of the Royal Ulster Academy (2018).

In 2013 he started painting again, having initially trained at the Belfast College of Art (1983, MA in Fine Art) followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Art Gallery & Museum Studies from Manchester University, and has since exhibited and sold his work internationally.

Stephen has held positions in leading arts venues such as Arnolfini Gallery (1987) where he showed exhibitions including Richard Long, Rachel Whiteread, Jack B. Yeats and Juan Muñoz; Cornerhouse (1991), where he was responsible for bringing The British Art Show 4 and shows such as the John Baldessari Retrospective to Manchester; Southampton City Art Gallery (1996), where, as Director he organised the Chris Ofili solo exhibition which won him the 1998 Turner Prize. In Spring 1998 he moved to Milton Keynes to direct the construction of the brand-new MK Gallery - which opened in October 1999 with The Rudimentary Pictures, an exhibition by Gilbert & George, prior to becoming Director of the BALTIC Gateshead (2003).

Last year brought about many changes as a result of the pandemic, were there any consequences for you as a museum director and artist?

Yes, there were many. The NAG Walsall closed because of COVID-19 and as Director I had to manage that change as carefully as possible, move to remote working and plan a digital programme while we remained closed to the public. It also involved postponing exhibitions, collection displays and learning projects, and working out a revised programme in very uncertain and changing circumstances. This continues, on a daily basis.

It also means that all travel stopped since March 2020 (my last preview was Andy Warhol at Tate Modern on 10 March 2020) and I have visited very few museums and exhibitions in these last ten months. I have learnt that we can all work remotely but it has also reinforced that you have to see art ‘in the flesh’; the magic is in the real work; online viewing only provides efficiency. I miss meeting colleagues, artists, curators, directors and collectors and catching up with them over a meal and a glass of wine.

With regard to my own work as an artist, I was able to spend more time and concentrated on making and extending the Looking Out, Window, Thira and Portal series of paintings and drawings. Appropriate in these times of ‘lockdown’!

Were there any works or artists that stood out for you during that time? Or were you surprised about any art market results?

In March 2020, the artist Matthew Burrows set up #artistssupportpledge to support artists through selling art works online up to a maximum of £200. When an artist reached £1,000 of sales, they would in turn spend £200 purchasing another artist’s work. This has led to a global phenomenon of artists selling through social media and bypassing the normal market route through galleries and exhibitions. It has been a lifeline for artists who are not dealer represented and created a direct route to a new market for first time collectors. In lockdown I think people have reflected on art as a more important part of their lives than they previously realised, and at under £200 they can afford to purchase art for their home easily and directly from the artist. I predict that Matthew Burrows/#artistsupportpledge will be shortlisted for the Turner Prize 2021 for his contribution to artists during the pandemic.

At the top end of the market I am sure there has been a ‘pause button’ effect but as evidenced by the previous ‘crashes’ and recessions it does not take long for the art market to recover and grow again. What we might see for the foreseeable future is less ‘IRL’ art fairs and auctions moving online (these may well become the norm) as people restrict their travelling to the essential only.

Many people who are new to buying art are looking for inspiration and guidance from those that have been buying art for a while, especially when it comes to buying their first work of art. Do you remember your first art purchase, and can you tell us what it was and why you acquired it?

My first art purchases were in 1984, three pencil line drawings by Dame Laura Knight of Anna Pavlova, the ballet dancer (probably drawn in 1910/11 at the Palace Theatre, London, all about A4 size), and a Sir Christopher Le Brun, PPRA limited edition etching of a burning boat.

I bought the Knight’s as they were so beautiful in their simplicity and they were very affordable at the time and the three made an impressive triptych. I also remember negotiating a better price for buying three. The Le Brun I bought as he had been a visiting lecturer to Belfast College of Art where I had been a student a couple of years before and I admired his work.

Is there one stand out tip that you can give to those who are starting a new collection or considering buying their first work of art?

Strategy – allocate an annual budget and understand that it is a five-year project. A collection is a group of works that grow together. You might want to collect works on paper first and this might be in themes, for example landscapes or still lives or geometric abstract pieces. Any works that are bought unframed you must get framed immediately and don’t skimp on the cost and always use a museum quality framer like ‘Frames’ in West Didsbury, Manchester. Take your time and always negotiate either on the price or on the terms of payment. Another tip - never buy a limited-edition print with an edition of more than 100.

Is there one work that you either own or would like to own that stands out above all others for you? What is it and why?

Matisse said, "The entire arrangement of my picture is expressive: the place occupied by the figures, the empty spaces around them, the proportions, everything has its share." The painting I would choose would be The Piano Lesson, (MOMA, New York) a 1916 canvas, 2.4m tall and almost 2.1m wide. In this work Matisse's son Pierre sits practising at the family piano in the home Matisse bought in the Paris suburb of Issy-les-Moulineaux. Greyness dominates and oppresses the picture and it makes the picture plane confusing, so you need to work out the structure of the painting. Everything about The Piano Lesson exemplifies Matisse's own description of his art perfectly, except that the mood it creates is opposite to the ones we associate with him - the unbridled joy and colour of his paintings, the bliss of his paper cut-outs. The Piano Lesson is a painting about painting, about modern art, made in direct response to cubism. In this period Matisse shows ‘the means of production’ in his paintings something which I try and do in my own work.

Many collectors are looking to deepen their knowledge of the arts and the market. Is there a book you can recommend?

Your eyes are the best book and seeing exhibitions deepens your feel for the context of the work and the market. Keep catalogues and press releases of artists you are interested in and don’t be afraid to ask the prices of work as often this is not displayed. Join as many email lists as possible in both the commercial and public sectors as this keeps you informed of what is coming up. All this helps to build an archive of knowledge. Talk to Curators and Directors who work in the public sphere as their advice is not ‘influenced’ by trying to ‘sell’ you the work. Ask them what artists they are showing in the future as these are always a good investment. A public museum showing increases the value of an artist’s work, as does a hardback catalogue. Go to previews and meet people and become part of the social process.

What do you feel is the role of art advisors and how do you think they can help collectors?

Art Advisors are there to give good sound advice based on an in-depth knowledge of artists and their work and by knowing their clients well enough to build an art collection that suits their circumstances. This advice must be independent of any dealers and I would also guard against ‘trends’ and ‘fads’ as this is short-termism. Any art advisor who is in a rush is not looking out for the collector’s interests.

What is the one thing you look forward to in the art world in 2021?

What I look forward to is waking up early and making some art. Driving to an art gallery just to look at art, having a long lunch at the gallery and driving to another gallery and looking at more art and then an early evening glass of wine with art friends discussing what we looked at.

Follow Stephen on Instagram @stephen.snoddy