First blog—Collector’s Muze

Art Hedge is the Living with Art blog of eclectic collector Aeon. An accidental, intuitive collector who over decades of speaking with artists, both domestic and internationally, refined the passion that created the “coffee table book-blog” of one lay-collectors’ experiences, point of view. The images and stories hopefully spark a dialogue on Art’s innate ability to deliver happiness, meaning, and, most important, perspective.

Dwight’s Mona Lisa

Dwight Baird calls La Mujer con Zapatos Rojos his Mona Lisa. La Mujer, the “appellation”, in the door greats my family, friends and guests faithfully as they return home. It has found a permanent, good home. Good in the sense of treasured, loved, protected, but more so the affirmation of the artist’s gifts, dialogue (hidden motifs discovered years after, artist as “usurper”, etc.) after the “adoption”. It typifies my acquisition journey, accidental finds of Artist and Art at a street fair in Norwalk, CT. The skillful artist, a sensitive (white) Canadian painting the Cuban scene with sensibility, honesty, and the pursuit of perfection. Our occasional dinner conversations over the years, like the majority of my artist encounters globally, enriched me. The collection is simply, unique and eclectic. Also, enigmatic, art for its own sake, art as politics, as with Dwight’s dilemma, who has a right to telling stories? Art as Live.

Oh, it never occurred to me of another bias of my collecting, vibrant yet understated, harmonious, structured color, until a realtor while checking number of stitches on our beloved Egyptian rug looked up around the room and exclaimed, “you love color”!

“Generations”, African American Masters

So, “You are a Collector!”

By chance a supplier, friend, colleague asked me to introduce her artist at the Center for Contemporary Art (CCP) in Norwalk, CT. My response, I don’t know; she quipped, just some few words. Not shy I introduced Ann Tanksley, then unknown to me, sat through her talk, and proceed to avariciously consume half of the unique monotype prints on display. Her use of shapes, color, movement, and deceptively “childlike” looking elements, yet masterful details, moved me. Can I buy the plates, too? After a suspicious, almost contempt-full look, Ann replied, “Why would I do that?” Not sure how I recovered, but after conversations with her, and when Master Printer Anthony (Tony) Kirk brought my night’s bounty and invoice a soft but firm voice exclaimed, so “you are a collector!”.

Though untrained in Art History, and not having stayed at a Holiday Inn recently, for me Ann Tanksley’s work is a bridge (both generational and stylistic) between the Harlem Renaissance and the current generation of African American Art. I have placed her with her contemporary Al Loving and followed by TAFA, Ghanaian artist, in his own words the “divine drummer trying to materialize the transient, the spiritual, to search the soul of our hopes, fears and visions”. A drummer, keeper of the “collective consciousness” and perhaps pain of the relative monetary, if not intrinsic, value of his works versus his broader peers.

“Think About it - Form follows Function”

Today, I still don’t really understand the debate about form following function, the somewhat forced on me liberal broadening of my economics and political science education. However, what I got was that form is important to beauty, harmony, and life. A lesson gained from my college advisor’s musing… You know “Aon” you have proven you can do technical stuff; I would like you to consider taking... the History of Art, the Reformation, Religion (they are doing innovative interpretations now a days), whatever! Come back to me when you have thought about it.” I will admit I fought against the privilege and pontification of people with a room of their own, until I looked around the streets of NYC, Brooklyn, and the then newer buildings had function, lacked form, and were ugly; did not last… torn down or rehabilitated.

For me, it’s all about expression, the conversations with Artists and collectors, and yes getting a deal, possessing something original, unique, valuable in of itself, but potentially deserving of a major museum or auction sale… the crude arbiter of value.

I have been collecting for over 3 decades, over 500 works, works on paper, canvas, fabric, gourds, etc. across 50 plus countries; the commonality has been being moved, buying what I liked, and getting a great deal (I think).

“Haiti”, Artist unknown (My first piece)

You never know what you’ll find on the world’s streets, from Brooklyn to Zimbabwe. “My First” piece acquired in 1984, it caught my eye, leaping out from the Haitian street vendor’s stall. Labor Day Parade in Brooklyn, long I stood, analyzed, until I coughed up the courage to spend the less than “Six Hamiltons” to buy two pieces! Today both are still with me, yet holding different places in my mind’s share.

I created this “Coffee Table Art Blog” to introduce my-to-date journey and personal dialogue with art, art works collected globally, on the streets, in boutique galleries and at Art Shows. Works that are integral parts of our home and heart, with many stories. My purpose is to share some stories, and start a dialogue with current and future accidental collectors. What do you think?