Collector Spotlight: Art That Feeds The Soul
C.H. and her dog in front of a culinary-themed gallery wall including artwork by UGallery artists Kristine Kainer, Susan Sjoberg, Tami Cardnella, and John Kilduff.
C.H. and her husband have always been art admirers. For years, before renovating their house, they would hang framed posters of famous paintings by Matisse and other famous artists on their walls. But, upon remodeling, they decided to replace the posters with original art.
The first painting they purchased was an impressionist oil painting by UGallery artist Michele Giulvezan-Tanner entitled, Repose. It is a painting with deep colors, a subtle trail of triangles, and a system of blurring that, stylistically, positions the reclining male figure on the brink of abstraction.
“The jewel tones in the background were warm and engaging and it made us feel good,” says C.H. on Repose.
C.H. sitting by her UGallery paintings Horizon by Faith Taylor (left), Repose by Michele Giulvezan-Tanner (center), Breakthrough by Faith Taylor (right)
They displayed the painting on the wall of the master bedroom. The room, which occupies most of the top floor of their Victorian house, is large, combining a bedroom, sitting room, and study.
On either side of Repose, C.H. and her husband decided to display two large-scale abstract paintings and created a statement wall with the three paintings.
“Neither of [the abstract paintings] had a truly identifiable subject like a person, but each one was rich in colors and created a focal point that made us feel relaxed,” says C.H.
Once they hung the three paintings, C.H. noticed that the three areas no longer felt like separate spaces. As the intricacies of the three paintings harmonized with each other, the sense of unity and balance grounded the entire room.
Painting by Ina Shtukar
Their zest for collecting made its way around all the walls on the top floor, then, through the hallway, down the stairs, and through the rest of the living spaces – the wall space populating with paintings as it passed.
“We were hooked,” says C.H.
Painting by Jeannine Emmett
Of all the pieces that C.H. and her husband have collected, they say that their favorite is a painting called Late Night Coffee Shop by Robert Holewinski.
“It’s simply a painting of a man drinking a cup of coffee. His eyes are downcast looking into the cup. His eyes and the lines and shadows on his face are simply amazing,” says C.H. “We want to know that person and his story.”
Late Night Coffee Shop by Robert Holewinski
As collectors, C.H. and her husband, notice the intellectually stimulating patterns that repeat through the formal qualities of their painting that can create harmony within a single composition and among those of their entire collection.
“Sometimes we will see a small element, such as a horizontal line or an accent color in one piece, that is repeated in another,” says C.H. “Grouped together, they just make sense to us.”
C.H.'s gallery wall.
Their collection expresses their personal tastes, passions, and values. In their kitchen area, they have crafted a gallery wall all having a food theme. In addition to its situation nearby the kitchen, both C.H. and her husband consider themselves foodies and work in the food industry.
The first thing they think about when purchasing a piece is the emotions. They try to find “something that arrests us at a glance and makes us feel something deeply,” says C.H. “Then we consider how it looks in the particular space.”
To aspiring collectors the offer the following advice: “don’t collect art to impress someone else. Collect pieces that feed your soul,” said C.H.
At Your Service by Rick Hamilton
Special thanks to C.H. and her family for sharing their collection of art!