Original Art on Subscription: An Interview With Founder Stephanie Crosland Goss

After spending years buying art for leading London galleries, Stephanie Crosland Goss became fascinated about the limited opportunities for modern artists. Just how much talent is left unseen and also how the role of technology could be developed to help people buy art that they truly love. This all led to the launch of Interrupted Art, your answer to modern day art collecting.

Stephanie’s art subscription service is bringing emerging artists onto the white walls of London homes. The beauty of this concept allows tasteful members to pick different pieces of art (from Stephanie’s curated collection) to adorn their walls on a ten week rotation. Letting you encounter new artists and artworks with no pressure to buy (unless you can’t bear to see it go).

From striking photography and abstract canvases to textured collages and delicate still life drawings. We sat down with Stephanie to understand just how she is changing the way we collect art, one painting at a time.

Interrupted Art offers amazing artwork on subscription. What motivated you to create this business?

Stephanie: I’d spent most of my career building art collections, either at the Tate or consulting for institutions around the world, or advising major collectors. But I’d always wanted to do something for myself, and the lightbulb moment was after a deep conversation with my husband - and now co-founder - whilst stuck in heavy traffic in LA about the art market. We realised there were a huge number of people who would love original art in their home but were really turned off by traditional buying options like galleries, but also the idea of buying online where they couldn’t see it in the flesh. We sketched out a totally new model where buyers could experiment and explore without having to commit and artists could keep the lion’s share of their sales (not many realise that galleries take around 50% of the sale price). We felt it was a way of creating something really groundbreaking and special by serving both buyers and artists in a much better way.

How has your background in buying art for leading London galleries such as The Tate and The British Museum, lead you to where you are now?

S: My background has obviously been a huge help, both in terms of gaining super valuable experience but also a great network of people around the world. Investing the years I did working on high profile collections gives you credibility that is worth its weight in gold. Clients aren’t just buying the opportunity to try art in their home, they come to us for the peace of mind that each artwork has been handpicked by someone who can assure its quality, and also provide access to unique pieces they can’t get elsewhere.

How do you add such a personal touch to your high-end subscription service?

S: Many of our clients are very busy, successful people who are looking for some companionship on their buying journey. So for those clients who sign up to our Curated Collector membership, they have an initial consultation exploring their tastes and what they want to achieve (I often do these personally). Every 10 weeks they receive a bespoke curation of artwork we feel will fit the brief and in some cases challenge clients a bit. For those clients who are looking for less advice and prefer to browse our available collection, we still ensure they receive a high level of service. All of our delivery appointments are handled by our team; we’re not just handling and delivering art, we’re providing a high-end service to people in a way which suits their busy lives.

How would you describe the types of artists that you represent? Is there something to be found for all tastes?

S: We deliberately have quite the span of styles and mediums, from photography to bold abstract, to fabric collage and figurative still life. Our whole ethos is about enabling experimentation and exploration, so we don’t stick to a narrow or safe offering. Our artists are all working artists, some are early-career but many are established successful artists looking for more consistent representation.

When you are looking to represent a new artist, what is it about their work that will stand out and speak to you?

S: Above all, it has to have standout quality, and that result is often the product of an artist who is fully dedicated to their practice and has a clear statement they’re trying to make in their work. We’ve had over 250 artists from around the world approach us in the last year for representation. We also have great communication with our members and know what kind of work they might be looking for, so we always keep in mind what might really excite the membership.

Do you have any advice for female business founders within the art world?

S: I’m still very much on my own journey, but perhaps the best advice is to just keep going when it gets tough, because it will. There will be endless people you don’t hear back from, things you invest a lot of time and energy into which don’t end up happening, but staying focused and determined is super important.

Which artists do you admire and who has been the biggest inspiration throughout your life and career?

S: Both grass-roots movements in the current emerging market and established trail blazers inspire my own collection and reflect what has inspired me. It spans from Salvador Dali to Rachel Whiteread, which are hung next to amazing pieces by some young artists only recently embarking on their art journey. One artist I adore is Fahrelnissa Zeid who creates colossal kaleidoscopic artworks. The paintings themselves are so striking and stir excitement but it’s also the stories behind pieces that I love and influence how I feel about a painting. Zeid was a real force, opening art schools across the Middle East, hosting her own exhibitions all around the world during WW2 and eventually marrying into the Iraqi royal family.

Are there any current art ‘trends’ that you are finding that buyers are searching for?

S: There are a few aesthetic trends we see come through, but to be honest our clients are more trend setters than followers. We have entrepreneurs, actors, magazine editors and top fashion buyers among many more discerning clients. It keeps me on my toes but also creates a really interesting curatorial dialogue. They don’t tend to obsess over trends or names, but opt for real creativity and quality.

What are your hopes for Interrupted Art as it continues to grow?

S: We don’t really see ourselves as an art brand, we’re a mix of art, interiors and lifestyle. Looking at the really big picture, we think original art has been relatively left behind in those three worlds, probably because it’s much harder to experience and buy unique pieces than it is with a new lamp, rug or chair. But it has such transformative value in a space, and we want to help people experience that. We’ve just launched a new service which allows people to select their own artwork from our entire available collection, rather than have bespoke curations made for them. I think that will appeal to new audiences who love browsing a broad range. We’re also partnering with a new exciting group of artists which gives our members more choice and we’ll be adding to our collection all the time.

Words / Sarah Barnes
Images / Courtesy of Interrupted Art