I established Carina Haslam Art in 2001 to promote the work of up and coming artists. As an artist originally I know well that artists are, by nature, less able to promote themselves than to paint a great picture. There are of course plenty of agents ready to exploit this but I wanted to take a more empathetic approach.

I find all of my artists by word of mouth and particularly like to take on those who might not have sold work in London before. What my artists have in common is that they have all been to good art schools: while some have enjoyed critical and commercial success, others are new to the mainstream.

Whatever stage they are at in their careers, I select the artists and their work for freshness, colour, impact, accessibility and, not least, affordability. And I have one golden rule – I only show work I would be happy and proud to have in my own home. When a client purchases a painting from us, I like to know that he or she has gone home with a highly original piece by an artist who may one day enjoy renown but that the piece is loved and enjoyed in the meantime.

Art is like the stock market: it can go up or down in price, but I believe a painting is a lot more interesting to look at than a share certificate!

Carina Haslam has been involved in the art world all her life. Growing up in Buckinghamshire and Kirkcudbrightshire in Scotland, her family links to the Bloomsbury Set and their own love of art and design ensured a career in the Arts was inevitable. After training at City & Guilds Art College in London, she based herself in Edinburgh where she ran a groundbreaking fabric design business. Carina then joined Pinewood studios as an Art Director, working on the design and finish of sets for a series of films including Ken Russell's production of DH Lawrence’s The Rainbow. This experience led Carina to follow her uncle, internationally renowned interior designer Nicky Haslam, into the interiors arena. Specialising in creating accessories for the home Carina supplied outlets around the world – as far as Japan and New Zealand – as well as Harvey Nichols and John Lewis.

Always passionate about promoting the work of up and coming artists, in 2001 Carina decided to put together her first exhibition at The Lennox Gallery, Fulham. The show was a runaway success with nearly all the paintings sold on opening night. Since then Carina’s knack for finding fresh talent has ensured continued success and an excellent reputation for originality, fair pricing and quality of work. Over the past nine years Carina’s solid base of professional artists have gained a loyal following – with enthusiastic clients often queuing for the gallery to open on the first day of her exhibitions.

Following her return to Buckinghamshire in 2005 Carina began to exhibit at a local venue in Great Missenden. The Coach House Gallery proved an excellent space and was in keeping with Carina’s philosophy of making art accessible and enjoyable for all.

In 2011, Carina opened her brand new gallery at 91 High Street, Great Missenden, Bucks HP16 0AL, which has proven to be a great success.

Please join us for a Private View on Wednesday 18th July 2012, from 6pm.