Better Work.
Clearer Direction.
Real Growth.
Thomas J Theakston
[ Art Business & Creative Advisor ]
Thomas J Theakston
[ Art Business & Creative Advisor ]
I've spent my career at the intersection of art, business and creativity.
I've worked with artists, collectors, galleries and some of the UK's biggest art retailers, selling art, launching artists, building brands, creating digital platforms and figuring out what makes people stop, look and ultimately buy.
Today, I work directly with artists and galleries, bringing all of that experience to the table.
For artists, that can mean anything from finding the right direction for your work to figuring out how to position it, tell its story, build an audience and create a career around it.
For galleries, it means looking at the business, the brand and the opportunities in front of you, and working out how to make them stronger.
Being an artist means making the work.
It also means figuring out how to present it, talk about it, sell it, build an audience around it and create a career that can actually support you.
And then there's everything nobody sees.
Self-doubt. Creative blocks. Losing direction. Comparing yourself to other artists. Knowing you could be doing more but not knowing what. Trying to make the work while building a life around it.
Sometimes you need practical advice.
Sometimes you need a different perspective.
Sometimes you need someone who understands what you're trying to do and can tell you what they really see.
That's where I come in.
I work across the creative and commercial sides of an artist's career: from developing the work and finding your direction, to positioning, storytelling, digital presence, marketing, sales and the business behind it.
Sometimes there's one thing that needs fixing. Sometimes it's the bigger picture. Either way, the starting point is understanding what you're trying to build.
Working together isn’t about adding more to your plate. It’s about knowing what to do, what to stop doing, and why.
A clear picture of where you are, what’s working and what isn’t.
A stronger sense of where your work and career are going, and what you’re building towards.
A clearer way to present yourself and your work to the people you want to reach.
A better understanding of who your work is for, where to find them and how to reach them.
A more informed way to make decisions about your work, your business and where to focus your time.
For the last 18 years, I've worked across sales, business and digital. I've spent the last five working inside the art world.
I've sold over £4m of art, helped launch new artists and print programmes for one of the UK's largest art retailers, helped open a gallery in New York, curated at Art Miami and trained more than 150 art consultants.
I've also spent years building websites and creative businesses of my own.
That mix is what I bring.
I understand how the art business works, but I also understand what it's like to be the person making the work and trying to build a life around it.
A one-off deep dive into your art, business, positioning, audience and what you should focus on next.
£139 £99
Special offer
Bring me the situation. I'll bring an outside perspective.
Before we speak, I'll review what you're currently doing: your website, portfolio, social media, positioning, content, pricing and the journey from someone discovering your work to potentially becoming a collector.
Then we talk.
What's working.
What isn't.
Where you're getting stuck.
What you're overlooking.
And what I think you should do next.
60 to 90 minutes. One-to-one. Completely focused on you.
You'll leave with a clearer picture of where you are, where you want to go and what needs to happen next.
You'll also receive the recording afterwards.
I’ll look at the whole picture — because often the thing holding you back isn’t where you think it is.
The work itself, your ideas, your direction and whether you’re building towards something cohesive.
How you’re presenting yourself, your work and your story — and whether it makes sense to the people you want to reach.
How it looks, feels and works. What a potential collector sees, understands and whether you’ve made it easy to take the next step.
What you’re communicating, how you’re building an audience and whether your content is helping people understand and want the work.
What happens between someone discovering your work and actually making an enquiry or buying it.
How you’re pricing and presenting your work, handling enquiries and turning interest into sales.
What you’re trying to build, what’s getting in the way and what deserves your attention now, rather than trying to do everything at once.
Ongoing Artist Development
Longer-term support to help you develop your work, yourself and the career you’re building as an artist.
A consultation can give you clarity.
But sometimes you want someone who knows your work, understands where you're trying to get to and can be there when things change.
Someone to call when you're stuck.
When an opportunity comes up.
When you're questioning a decision.
When the work isn't happening.
When you're wondering what to do next.
Ongoing Advisory & Mentoring
Long-term one-to-one support for artists who want an experienced outside perspective across the work, the business and the life around it.
Creative direction. Career decisions. Positioning. Money. Marketing. Confidence. Motivation. Opportunities. Growth.
No fixed programme. No formula. Just an ongoing relationship built around you and where you're trying to go.
Before we speak, I review what you're currently doing. Then we spend 60 to 90 minutes on your situation: what's working, what isn't, where you're stuck and what I think you should do next. You leave with clear priorities, practical recommendations and the recording of the conversation.
Artists at different stages of their careers, whether you're just starting to build something, already selling work or feeling like you've reached a point where you need a different perspective.
No. You don't need to have a certain number of collectors, followers or sales. We start with where you actually are.
I review your existing online presence so that we can spend the session talking about your situation rather than wasting time going through things you could have looked at yourself.
Consultations are held online, with in-person work available where appropriate.
The consultation is a one-off deep dive. Ongoing advisory is a longer-term relationship where I get to know you, your work and where you're trying to go.
It depends on what you need and how we work together. We'll discuss that after an initial conversation.
Of course.
