How much would you expect to pay for an original piece of art? £5,000? £10,000? Or maybe more?

Jackie Foster, who owns Strawberry Fish gallery at Hartley Wintney, believes exciting and interesting art should be within everyone’s reach, not just for those who can afford to pay top prices.

She opened the gallery in High Street three years ago, replacing the traditional one that was on the premises before. The idea was to sell hand-made crafts and paintings that were of a high standard but also a little quirky or unusual and, most importantly, affordable.

For people looking for something to hang on the wall, Jackie stocks a wide range of original paintings and limited edition prints by contemporary artists from around the country.

There are also some glass and textile hangings in addition to a small selection of photographic art.

There is something for every fan of contemporary art, as styles vary from the abstract right through to the more traditional. But even the ever-popular sea and landscapes will generally have a modern twist.

“I try to stock a variety of styles which are of today but with longevity, so people don’t get bored with them, and we sell some well-known artists, including Toni Goff from Alton, who is becoming increasingly popular,” said Jackie.

“The pictures are realistically priced and the vast majority are under £2,000. But I always tell people to buy pictures they like, rather than consider the investment value of a piece. You can’t predict the market, so it’s important you enjoy your art.”

Which is something most of Jackie’s customers do. She explained that many customers buy paintings simply because they love them.

Others choose something to fit in with their existing decor to finish a room off, while a few will do things the other way round and decorate a room to complement the picture.

But people don’t always buy for themselves. Sometimes interior designers will go into the shop on the lookout for something for a client, or customers might be looking for an unusual and personal gift for a family member or friend.

Jackie continued: “We find that with the expensive paintings and pieces, people are buying for themselves or as a special gift for their partner. The cheaper items are more usually bought as presents, where the customer is happy to take a chance on getting it right for the recipient.

“One thing that is nice, though, is that we get grandparents coming in with 18 and 21 year olds wanting to buy something to mark these milestone birthdays.

“The young people seem to have definite ideas about what they want and I think it’s great that this generation is so interested in owning original pieces of art.”

But art isn’t just about paintings, and everywhere there are pieces of sculpture, ceramics and glass to give pleasure to the owner and add interest to a room.

As you look around the shop, your eyes constantly alight on something new and intriguing that catches your attention.

Everything is displayed on different levels, so the more you look, the more you spot — like Andy Cordy’s enchanting lamb heads, which are hung on the wall almost like trophies, or Chris Cane’s exotic copper table lamps and his tea lights made from old baked bean cans.

Jackie explained that some of the pieces don’t look so dramatic in the shop where the space is large and there is so much going on, but once you get them home, they really come into their own.

Certainly some of them are real talking points, such as the beautiful bronze boxing hares by Paul Jenkins or the stunning 3ft high hollyhock ceramic tile set by Frances Doherty.

These items are not cheap but for smaller budgets there are less-expensive options. For example, if you fancy bronze but without the high price tag, there are hollow, coldcast sculptures, such as realistic sleeping dogs which sell for a tenth of the price of a solid piece.

Collectables are always popular.

They allow the cost of acquiring art to be spread over a period of time, with the bonus that a collection can be more valuable as a whole than the sum of the individual items.

The gallery has a number of collectable artists to choose from. There is a range of witty ceramics from Trixie Godeson which features characterful creatures including a hopeful-looking mouse clutching a bouquet and a rather-pleased hen optimistically sitting on an enormous clutch of eggs.

Or there is Susie Watson’s popular tableware, which can be built up over time because new pieces will always co-ordinate with previous ones.

And Stacey Manser-Knight’s imaginative ceramic pieces are becoming increasingly sought-after, in particular her fantastical clocks which are beautiful as well as functional.

Jackie said: “Our price range works for where we are. This is a nice area, but not super-rich. We are not in the same league as the big London galleries, although we are a luxury shop offering an elite product.

“We have to work within the realms of what our customers want.

“We don’t stock enormous sculptures, for example. We don’t have the space and neither do our customers.

“And we don’t go too far into the world of the weird and wonderful. The art here is contemporary in a time sense, but it’s not high fashion. It is for people to live with.”