Business Profile: Niall Taggart Fine Art
Contact: Niall Taggart
Business: Niall Taggart Fine Art
E: nialltaggart@hotmail.co.uk
M: 07849913754
Can you describe your business?
I studied fine art painting at Bath Spa University, so my business is the practice of making art. I enjoy creating paintings and projects using a variety of media, including oil and acrylic paint, pen and ink, pencil and charcoal. The subject of my work varies from local characters and places, to pop culture. As well as working on my own projects, I am also available for commission. I work with individual clients who want an original and unique piece of art for their home, as well as corporate clients such as hotels, bars, and restaurants who need paintings made to order for their venues.
Why did you start your own business?
I had a couple of small exhibitions of my paintings in the past couple of years in local galleries which had a really good response. People seemed to like my painting style and the work that I was doing, so I sold a few paintings and people were asking me to make prints or original artworks for them. It just went from there really. I think everybody should have more art in their lives and I really enjoying discovering what people are looking for and working with them to make something beautiful and unique that they can be happy with and proud of. The main reason I started this business though is because I love painting and if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.
What are the best things about running your own business?
The best thing about running my own business is that I can keep my own time. I am a bit of a night person which can lead to me painting into the early hours of the morning even when I’m not on a deadline for a project. I also find it really rewarding, after putting in hours of hard work and effort, when a customer or client is delighted with the final product they have received. My uncle once told me you get three times as much out of life as what you put in, so I’m happy to be doing this for myself, working hard and hopefully with a bit of luck and determination I can make a success of things and keep growing in the future.
What are the main challenges facing the business?
The main challenge for me is getting my work out there to seen by as many people as possible. Social media and the internet are great tools but we have so much information and content at our fingertips that we can be overloaded, and even the best work can be lost in the sheer volume of content available. I think funding is also a problem. Particularly within the arts, funding is always getting slashed which can sometimes make it difficult to take advantage of opportunities that do present themselves. Getting people to understand the value of art and the hours of work and concentration it takes can sometimes be an issue, but generally the challenge is to keep plugging away, taking every opportunity that comes your way in order to keep building momentum.
What advice would you give to someone starting a business?
Success doesn’t happen overnight. It is an accumulation of hard work, luck, and taking your chances.
Can you describe your experience of running a business in three words or less?
Highs and lows.
