Twenty Years Later

We opened Lime Tree Gallery in November 2006. Our original site was in the picturesque village of Long Melford in Suffolk. The building was called Lime Tree House, hence the name. The excitement of that first day is still vivid for us. Peter King’s Carradale, Mull-of-Kintyre was the first painting to sell, and we were absolutely thrilled. Works by Sylvia Paul, Philip Richardson, Claire Harrigan and Ian Humphreys followed soon after. We’d collected Ian and Claire's paintings for years before we ever imagined owning a gallery, so seeing their work find new homes felt incredibly personal. Those early years were full of studio visits, long chats, discovering new artists, and building friendships that have lasted decades. Supporting artists has always been at the heart of Lime Tree Gallery – nurturing new talent, encouraging experimentation, and celebrating the individual journeys of the painters we represent. In 2009, when we opened our Bristol gallery, it felt like the next step in a shared adventure. Our inaugural exhibition brought many of those early artists with us. Sylvia and Philip joined us at the Private View, and afterwards we celebrated at a lively Italian restaurant – one of those evenings that stays with you. Now, twenty years later, we’ve invited those same artists back for a celebratory exhibition. Peter King has painted a brand new Carradale to mark the occasion, echoing that very first sale. Alongside them, we’re showing new work from artists who’ve grown with us over the years – some from the beginning, some who joined us along the way, all part of our story. Since 2006, Lime Tree Gallery has grown far beyond anything we imagined. We’ve sold thousands of paintings, many to collectors around the world. We’ve travelled to art fairs across the UK, Europe, the US and Asia – Cambridge, Bristol, Torquay, Battersea, Hampstead, Chelsea, Edinburgh, Cheltenham, Ascot, Aberdeen, Alexandra Palace, Stockholm, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, Austin and Boston. Every fair brought new friendships and new discoveries. To our clients and artists – old friends and new faces – thank you. Some of you have been with us since the very beginning, and your support means everything. And to those discovering Lime Tree Gallery for the first time, we warmly welcome you. We hope you’ll enjoy being part of our next chapter.