Trois Crayons was founded by Alesa Boyle, Tom Nevile and Sebastien Paraskevas to increase the visibility, accessibility and appreciation of drawings in all their forms, offering a centralized platform for drawing-related activity.
Through curated exhibitions, collaborative events, a widely read monthly newsletter and an active social media presence, Trois Crayons connects the global drawings community.
Since its founding, Trois Crayons has cultivated strong relationships with some of the most respected dealers of drawings and works on paper. Recent exhibitors include W.M. Brady & Co., Ambroise Duchemin, Galerie Eric Coatalem, Colnaghi Elliott Master Drawings, Enrico Frascione Antiquario, Stephen Ongpin Fine Art, Rosenberg & Co., Nicolas Schwed, John Swarbrooke Fine Art, Nicholaas Teeuwisse OHG and Wildenstein & Co. Inc.
We have curated exhibitions showcasing exceptional works on paper over five centuries, from Old Masers to the present day, including works by such artists as Jean-Antoine Watteau, Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, J.M.W. Turner, Auguste Rodin, Gustav Klimt, Henri Matisse, Gwen John, Pablo Picasso, Françoise Gilot, Andy Warhol and Jenny Saville, among many others.
Our free public talks and events have included collaborations with institutions such as the British Museum, The Courtauld, Sotheby’s, Christie’s and the Ashmolean Museum, supported by partners including The Burlington Magazine, The Drawing Foundation and Arcarta.
TROIS CRAYOns
MEET THE FOUNDERS
Alesa Boyle is an American who has worked in the London art market since 2017. Gallery Director and Head of Research at Stephen Ongpin Fine Art, Alesa is the Chief Visionary Officer for Trois Crayons. She leads on the development of future editions of their Drawings Hub and wider projects.
Tom Nevile is a British researcher who specializes in 17th century Flemish and Italian drawings. Head of Research at Day & Faber, Tom heads the educational and academic arm of Trois Crayons, serving as Editor of the monthly newsletter and project lead for the Trois Crayons Museum Forum.
Sebastien Paraskevas is a Swiss CEO, investor and art collector with a passion for drawings. Director of Trois Crayons, after a first career in manufacturing Sebastien is enthusiastic about bringing new business models to the art world, with a particular focus on pre-contemporary art.
THE TROIS CRAYONS MODel
Trois Crayons aims to refresh the market for drawings through their Drawings Hub which brings together and celebrates master works on paper across regions and centuries.
In contrast with the traditional art fair model, there are no gallery booths in the Hub and the hang is curated by the Trois Crayons team in a way which best presents the work itself, its neighbouring pieces and the exhibition as a whole.
A further break from tradition, the Trois Crayons model allows participants the ability to exhibit without the need to be present every day of the event. We do this through having a dedicated TC team always on hand to assist guests and visitors, and through the artwork labels we use in the space which include all contact information for each gallery. Through these methods, we provide dealers with the flexibility to utilize the space as they wish, whether that may be for personal tours and visits with their most esteemed clients, or coffee with new clients and collectors.
TROIS CRAYONS ACADEMIC PROGRAM
Alongside its annual selling exhibition, Trois Crayons hosts a year-round programme of public talks, gallery visits, and behind-the-scenes events, in partnership with leading Museums and institutions, designed to bring new and established audiences into conversation around drawing.
Our recent public events programme, curated to accompany our summer 2025 exhibition Tracing Time, included on-site talks and panels, an off-site exhibition tour with the British Museum, an auction preview at Sotheby’s, and an exclusive print room visit at the Courtauld Gallery. Hosted by curators, artists, art historians, and writers, the talks and panels ranged from close studies of figures such as John Constable and Watteau to forward-looking discussions on the relevance of collecting drawings in the digital age.
This core commitment to the awareness, accessibility, and visibility of drawings extends into our monthly newsletter, which features interviews with leading curators in the field, and the Trois Crayons Museum Forum, a newly launched digital platform fostering international collaboration around the study and identification of pre-modern drawings in public collections.
We look forward to bringing our talks and events programme to Texas too, through new partnerships and public-facing events.
TROIS CRAYONS X TEXAS
Trois Crayons is excited to invite galleries across Texas to collaborate on a regional tour of curated pop-up Drawing Hubs. Following the success of our annual exhibition at Frieze No.9 Cork Street London, this tour brings our flexible, booth-free art fair model designed to spotlight works on paper and foster cross- continental connections to the US.
FORMAT
5-day pop-up exhibitions hosted by local galleries (Wed–Sun)
Optional co-exhibiting opportunities for host galleries
Opening receptions, public talks and industry panels
BENEFITS
Direct access to the European drawings market via Trois Crayons’ network of dealers and collectors
Elevated visibility through Instagram (16k+ followers) and our monthly newsletter
Professional media coverage and event documentation
Opportunities to engage with major institutions and museum professionals
An extended programme of lectures and talks led by industry experts and academics
About Lillian Agar Marteau
Chief Manager, Texas
Lillian Agar Marteau was born and raised in Midland, Texas and has spent the past six years living in Paris, France, where she runs a gallery with her husband, Agar Marteau Fine Art, specialising in works on paper. With a background in antiquities and drawings, she brings deep expertise and longstanding connections throughout Texas. Lillian serves as the primary point of contact for the Trois Crayons Texas programme.
Contact Email: lillian@troiscrayons.art
Contact Phone (US): +1 432 254 5757
Contact Phone (FR): +33 06 82 76 35 83
Dealer TESTIMONIALS
“Loved the concept and the team! It was a pleasure to participate, and nice to have an important event in London at that time of year.”
“Thank you for organising a much-needed drawings fair in London. The Trois Crayons team were exceptionally professional and efficient throughout.”
“The content produced for social media including photography and videography were really great and the event was well promoted as well as the profiles on the individual galleries participating.”