Finding A Focus

“In order to be excellent, one has to know what to give up.”  That phrase was one of the best pieces of advice that I ever received as a museum director.  It helped me shape the mission and vision of several museums and it also helped guide me in developing the collection strategies for those museums. 

Almost all of the major collectors that I have known, sooner or later, in their collecting efforts learned to focus their attention and resources on particular genres, time periods, styles, or artists.  They discovered that in order to build an excellent collection, they had to decide to limit and refine their choices.  By doing so, they also developed a very sophisticated eye in terms of deciding which works of art should be added to their collections. 

The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Indianapolis, IN

Harrison Eiteljorg developed a love of the American Southwest while traveling through the region in search of coal deposits during World War II.  Later he turned that interest into the focus of his collecting efforts.  The museum that bears his name in Indianapolis has one of the finest collections of art by the founders of the Taos Society of Artists and other significant Southwestern artists in the country.  Like many other collectors, Harrison learned to focus his attention on a specific area of art.  

The Twins by E. M. Hennings was purchased
 by Harrison Eiteljorg shortly before the
museum opened.  Photo courtesy of
The Eiteljorg Museum

Long before, Eiteljorg began collecting; Sid Richardson in Fort Worth (often in competition with his good friend, Amon Carter) developed a passion for the works of two western artists, Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell.  Today, his collection can be seen in a handsome gallery in downtown Fort Worth and includes some of the best work by both artists.  Both Eiteljorg and Richardson had the means to buy a wide range of American Art, but they focused on those artists and genres that spoke to them personally.  The museums that house their collections show just how skillful they were in developing a collecting focus.

Most people do not have the financial resources to build collections centered on the works of the two most famous artists of the American West, or the Taos founders.  However, anybody can develop a clear collecting focus that will fit within any budget constraints.  Whether one has a few hundred dollars to spend on art or several thousand, narrowing one’s attention to focus on well defined areas of interest will most often result in the selection of the very best work of art at the best price.  Even though you may not have designs on building a collection (I have found that many collectors didn’t know they had a collection until they began to run out of space in which to house it), I think you will find developing a focus for your art buying efforts will make your purchases more rewarding and give you an even greater appreciation for the work itself.

How then, does one get started?  One need only take a quick perusal at the various magazines that feature the art of the American West to see just how much art is available and just how varied that art is---and American Western Art is just one small slice of American Art in general.  Figuring just what area to specialize in could seem to be a daunting task at first glance.  However, my guess is that you probably already have something of a focus perhaps without actually identifying one.  You know which artists, subjects, and styles appeal to you and you may have even gravitated toward a particular time period.  The next step is to take those general interests and hone in on them.

Visions of the West gallery, Rockwell Museum of
Western Art, Corning, NY.  photo courtesy of
the museum.

Leaf through those magazines with your particular interests in mind.  Take a look at books that focus on western art, both historic and contemporary.  The internet has also become a great resource for looking at art and will most likely be an even greater resource in the future as more and more artists, galleries, and museums adapt to iPad and computer tablet technology.  Of course, there is no substitute for seeing the art in person.  While the area where you live may not have a wealth of galleries or museums to choose from, you can maximize your opportunities with a few trips to key western art centers, such as Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico;  Scottsdale and Sedona, Arizona; or Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  Each of those areas will provide a host of galleries and museums to immerse oneself in.  Naturally, if you are interested in a particular artist, you will need to do an internet search to see which galleries handle that artist’s works.  You can also do an advance search on different subjects and styles that you may have an interest in.   The more art that you look at, either in person or in a book or magazine, the better you will be able to make the all important decision as to just what to buy.

Day of the Deer Dance, Frijole Canyon, NM by Gustave Baumann,
colored woodblock print, 19.75"x21.5" Prints such as
this one are often far less expensive to purchase than oil
paintings of the same era and offer a great opportunity for collectors.

Think of developing a focus for your collecting efforts as your own personal art GPS—it tells you where you are at the moment and gives you a direction or map to follow in the future.  For example, let’s say that like Harrison Eiteljorg you have a love and fascination for the art and history of the American Southwest, but unlike Harrison, you do not have the means to buy paintings by Victor Higgins, Ernest Blumenschein, or W. Herbert Dunton.  Does that mean that you have to choose another area in which to focus? -- Not at all.  New Mexico and the Southwest have been fertile grounds for the development of artistic talent for several decades and many of those artists’ works are available for a fraction of the cost of works by the Taos founders.  Some of those artists, like Gene Kloss or Gustave Baumann, produced beautiful prints and etchings of Southwestern subjects that are highly collectible, but sell for not nearly as much as an original oil by Joseph Sharp or E. Martin Hennings.   Artist Ila McAfee spent several decades in Taos and produced a large body of work.  Some of her subjects are very similar to those earlier Taos masters and are available at far lower prices.

Frederic Remington's painting,An Arizona Cowboy, shown here
from the collection of the Rockwell
Museum of Western Art in Corning,
NY, was reproduced as part of a set of
chromolithographs in 1901.  Vintage prints
from that edition are highly sought
after by collectors. photo courtesy of
The Rockwell Museum of Western
Art.

Old Ramon by Frederic Remington,
chromolithograph, 1901

A little research and persistence can also go a long way in establishing an affordable focus for historic western art.  Even Sid Richardson might be taken aback by the prices that major oil paintings by Remington and Russell are fetching on the market today, however, a vintage set of Remington’s “A Bunch of Buckskins,” a series of lithographs produced in the early years of the 20^th century, show the artist’s skill at capturing the personalities of western characters, but  a single vintage print from this series can be purchased for as little as $1,500 to $2,000 (beware, however, of modern reproductions, which are not lithographs).   The point is that there is a price range for whatever focus you develop.  If you have an initial interest in art that depicts the life of the cowboy you can, through study and observation, research the subject by looking at art on the internet, and most importantly visiting galleries, artist’s studios, and museums to develop a thorough knowledge of that aspect of western art.  These efforts will greatly enhance your ability to build a collection, either large or small, that you will enjoy and be proud of.

A great advantage of developing a collecting focus is that not only will it expand your knowledge of art; it can also be a lot of fun.  Visiting galleries, attending museum sales exhibitions like the ones held at the Eiteljorg Museum, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, or the Autry National Center (incidentally many of these museums are now offering sales that feature smaller works at more affordable prices that are geared toward the beginning collector), and getting to know artists personally, are great ways to spend one’s time.

 

April's Gift, Near the James River, oil on canvas by Nancy Bush
36"x40"

These activities can pay off in the development of a collection that has a definite focus and direction.  For example, one of my museum colleagues in recent years has narrowed her collecting passion to Texas landscapes by living Texas artists.  As a museum professional, she helped guide the collecting decisions of major museums and was responsible for the acquisition of several significant pieces.  However, she said that discovering the work of such contemporary artists as Nancy Bush, Lindy Severns, and other Texas painters, has been no less enjoyable.  Another colleague began buying historical maps of the West many years ago, and has now amassed an important museum quality collection.  By sticking to a particular area in which he developed expertise, he was able to build a collection that would be welcomed by many museums.

First Rain by Lindy Cook Severns, soft pastel on Wallis
Museum Paper, 36"x24"

Once you have established a definite direction for your collection, the game is on and you will find the pursuit rewarding and possibly even exhilarating.  In our next few posts, we will take a closer look at the nuts and bolts of building a collection from working with galleries and auction houses to developing relationships with artists and museums.  Collecting western art can be likened to embarking on a grand, adventurous journey, but to make the most of that journey, it helps to have a road map in hand.  Happy hunting!