Claire McCaslin-Brown, Founder, McCaslin Art Advisory
McCaslin Art Advisory was established by Claire McCaslin-Brown in 2016 in London to help art collectors and investors worldwide acquire art they love and wish to collect.
She helps new art investors enter the market by advising on the timely acquisition of artists (established and emerging) and sourcing artworks. In addition, she helps individuals create a concept for their art collection, recommends artists and curates the collection.
Through her network, she sources high-value artworks on the secondary market. As an independent art adviser and consultant, she works with clients mainly based in London and has a professional network that spans the rest of the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.
Claire has previously held leadership roles with Sotheby's Institute of Art, where she was marketing director for eight years. Prior to working in the art world, Claire worked in communications specialist roles with leading management consultancy firms, including McKinsey & Company, EY and Accenture, based in London, Munich, Dusseldorf, and Brussels. Claire has an MA in Contemporary Art from Sotheby's Institute of Art and a BA (Hons) in Modern Languages. Her area of specialisation is Contemporary Art.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
Instagram because of the focus on the visual image, the ability to direct message someone, and the Stories. It keeps me in touch with friends and colleagues from around the globe.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
I'm an independent art adviser and spend a lot of time reading the latest articles and reports about the art market. I am often looking for art that my clients are interested in acquiring. Sometimes I get a request to search for a particular artwork, and I get in touch with my network as part of the sourcing process.
I often work in different time zones with colleagues in the US, China, the middle east, and south Asia. As well as being an art adviser, I'm also an entrepreneur, so I need to focus on ways to grow my business and market my services. I like keeping up with the latest marketing trends, and the to-do list sometimes seems to be never-ending.
I am particularly interested in the role of technology in the art world, creating new ways of presenting artworks and communicating with my target audience in the most effective ways possible and consistently. Building my profile and reputation are absolutely key areas of focus currently.
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
I love being involved in the art world and helping people acquire art in the most transparent way possible. However, it can be overwhelming, with so many artists and galleries all producing very interesting and absorbing work.
It is sometimes difficult for people to know where to focus their attention, where to go, and who to trust. This is where I can step in and give some guidance and input.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
To be yourself and to bring your own personality to whatever you do.
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
I follow a few entrepreneurs who I find very motivating, and I listen to their podcasts and follow them on Instagram. Meeting up with artists in their studios and talking to them about their new work inspires me and reminds me of why I am doing this job.
Also, going to a live auction is really inspiring, again seeing such wonderful and sometimes famous works of art in person. The other thing that helps me move forward is physically getting out and walking every morning in the countryside and doing training sessions in the gym. When we are physically fit, we can find more enjoyment in the present moment.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
I'm proud of persevering with my vision and just putting in the work to get to where I want to be. It is not always straightforward, and sometimes you just have to keep faith in what you're doing.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
At an art gallery preview because it's usually in such pleasant surroundings and people are relaxed, happy, and ready to talk and be sociable.
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
Having a good eye. Really, it is all about looking and seeing art. Other skills that have helped me are attention to detail, being able to research any topic, and always being open to learning new things. Also, a sense of humour and know when to work hard and when to take some time away and relax.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
I wish I had known more about how to market yourself and what it is like being an entrepreneur. I didn't appreciate how creative entrepreneurship is as well. It's actually like being an artist.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
I admire Steven Bartlett, who gives such words of wisdom after succeeding in setting up his business and then selling it so early in his career. Academically, I admire some of the German philosophers and writers, such as Goethe and Schiller, and creatively, I admire many artists who dedicate their lives to their art.
Most recently, I was inspired by the Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi, who was such an accomplished seventeenth-century artist and was producing work by the age of fifteen in an era when there weren't as many opportunities for women to become artists.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
Health and fitness are really important to me because we lead such sedentary lives, and keeping physically fit makes me feel energetic. Without health, we can't pursue our dreams.
I also love cooking and good wine, especially when I'm cooking for my family. There is nothing better than a good meal, a glass of red wine, and being with people we love. I love trying new recipes and discovering recipes and chefs on Instagram or in the Sunday papers.
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you managed it?
The pandemic negatively affected my business because so many galleries had to shut down, and we couldn't go to exhibitions, private views, and auctions any longer. I really didn't know what I was going to do at all. When I look back, I see how drastically I have changed the way I work now.
I do a lot more work online, for example, e-mailing, writing blog posts, having zoom conference calls, and discussions on WhatsApp. I'm much more focused on my digital presence, keeping up-to-date with social media, and creating content. I have become more of a digital content creator, a new concept for me, which has given me a new way of communicating. It's a lot to learn.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
I would love to mentor someone. Sometimes I feel I have mentored one or two of my interns who previously worked with me. I'm lucky to have experienced business people in my network who I can call upon if I need to, and I have an older sister who is a handy lawyer! So, I have had some business coaching before but have yet to find a mentor.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
I would advise you to learn and study art history and go to exhibitions and auctions. Learn about different styles of art, each artist's background, and their artwork's context. Develop your eye and confidence when looking at art so that you understand what the artist is saying.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Probably just not having enough resilience and stamina. You have to be almost obsessive about things and never give up. Sometimes it can feel like there is no way forward. But then, the next day, it can be completely different. So, it's very up and down, and I think that just doesn't suit some people.
Taking the entrepreneurial route is really like the best personal development journey you can do though, and you learn so much about yourself. I think I have become a better person through this journey, and I hope so.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom" - Aristotle.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
McKinsey & Company because they are still producing leading edge reports about the latest trends in every industry, so you instantly feel up-to-date with things that are happening today. I think most brands are constantly in flux today and have to change dramatically, from how we work to how we do business.
I am shocked by the number of scams that happened during the pandemic and one of the aspects of my work that I have to be constantly on my guard about is fraudulent people, fake documents, and people saying they want to buy artwork and not keeping their word. There is a general lack of reliability somehow these days.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
I would define success as being happy with your own company and who you are and being able to define your own way of life. It doesn't mean having millions, but just the freedom to live the way you choose.
For me, I think it is about getting the balance right and fine-tuning it throughout my life, like the combination of a few key ingredients that all work together: health, fitness, spirituality, eating the right food, having a positive attitude, knowing when to work hard at something or when to move onto something else.
You can't avoid the trial and error that goes with learning how to build a successful business. I think that is one of the most important lessons I've learned. Also, learning how to live in uncertainty and keep a strong mindset, and continue to be your authentic self. It's very good to be a real person and to keep a check on the people we love.