USArtists: Collectors' Destination

PHILADELPHIA

:This was a special year for USArtists as it coincided with the 200th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Anyone coming to town for USArtists, which ran from October 20 to 23, would surely have wanted to get over to see the landmark exhibition at PAFA and vice versa.

USArtists is hosted by PAFA's Women's Board on behalf of the academy. The 2005 presenting sponsor and preview gala host was Pitcarin Financial Group. The 56 dealers of 2005 presented a magnificent show with many excellent collecting opportunities to the gratification of buyers who came from far and wide to see the largest exhibition and sale in the country of purely American art from Colonial times to the present day.

The show reflected most major art periods and movements including a few Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century portraits by Charles Willson Peale, John Trumbull and the like, Tonalism, American Impressionism, Regionalism, the Ashcan artists, American Modernism, a bit of Abstract Expressionism, and a healthy dose of contemporary realism. Hudson River School art was well represented and so were artists who painted in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. There were wonderful Modernist pieces on the floor. Prices ranged from under $1,000 for original oils at FAN Gallery, Philadelphia, to nearly $2 million for a monumental Edward Willis Redfield at Jim's of Lambertville, Lambertville, N.J.

Arcadia Gallery, New York City, showing contemporary realism from more than a dozen artists, was busy the moment the gala opened at 5 pm on Thursday, in spite of the lighter-than-usual gala crowd. Gallery president Steve Diamant said, "One client I talked to was at a fundraiser for the U of Penn. She said she saw a lot of people that she would normally see at the USArtists gala. It was also parents weekend at Drexel." The lighter crowd made no difference for Diamant. After selling 26 paintings during the show as well as two more paintings right after the show (including David Mueller's 48- by 60-inch "Young Woman in a Black Dress" that was the centerpiece of Arcadia's display), Diamant said, "My only regret is that I didn't bring more."

Cooley Gallery of Old Lyme, Conn., brought William S. Robinson's "Connecticut Spring," a lovely example of Connecticut Impressionism. Jeff Cooley also brought several James Carroll Beckwith portraits and paintings of women, a striking painting of Gloucester by Ernest Martin Hennings (1886-1956) entitled "Morning Light, Gloucester," and a bronze by Bessie Potter Vonnoh of a young girl holding a lily that measured 29 inches high. Entitled "The Lily," Vonnoh's work captured childlike innocence.

Contacted after the show, Cooley said, "The gate wasn't especially strong, and the gala attendance wasn't as good as usual. USArtists deserves a lot of traffic every day. It was an impressive show this year. I love being part of it." They sold a little Sonntag cabinet picture and a tonal Impressionistic painting by Bruce Crane as well as works by two contemporary artists - Sean Beavers and Ralph Feyl.

Spanierman Gallery, New York City, displayed a dramatic Alfred Thompson Bricher of "Cushing Island beneath Whitehead" (Portland Harbor, Maine) circa 1879. Underneath the picture were several small gems, including a Winslow Homer, a Whistler and a Bierstadt. Good examples by George Inness, Ernest Lawson, Arthur Wesley Dow, Granville Redmond, Fern Coppedge, Andrew Wyeth, Charles Burchfield and Guy C. Wiggins rounded out the exhibition. Ralph Sessions of Spanierman reported the sale of a large winter scene with a pale blue sky by Willard Metcalf and a Modernist view of New Hope by Gertrude Freyman among other works. "We also have some museum interest in a George Sotter painting of a Pittsburgh view," continued Sessions.

Tom Veilleux of Farmington, Maine, had his "best show in 33 years of the business." He sold an Andrew Wyeth and works by Marguerite Zorach - "one for a new world record price." He sold to private buyers, including some who were new clients. "The show was really upbeat. The crowd was looking to buy. People were not just looking. There were serious collectors on the floor at the preview party and every single day of the show. Museum curators were out in full force, including a West Coast institution."

New York City dealer Lou Salerno, Questroyal Fine Art, featured a large soft winter landscape by Walter Launt Palmer painted in 1932 entitled "The Last Gleam." Salerno thought that the Palmer was "probably Olana, Church's backyard." The oil on canvas was surrounded by other choice works including two fine paintings by Albert Bierstadt, a Sanford Robinson Gifford and a Hermann Herzog. Also at Questroyal was a William Trost Richards coastal scene, a Robert Spencer and 32-by-40-inch Edward Willis Redfield painting entitled "Spring in the Harbor" in the mid-six figures. Lou's son Brent reported after the show that it was their best show in Philadelphia to date. They sold works by John Frederick Kensett, Homer Dodge Martin, George Innes and Emil Carlsen. "There was a lot of interest in our modernist pieces," said Brent.

Jim Alterman, Jim's of Lambertville, Lambertville, N.J., featured his new book New Hope for American Art. Hot-off-the-press, the books were stacked chest-deep in front of his exhibition of paintings from the New Hope area. The book is part of his mission to educate American collectors as to the untapped potential of collecting New Hope painters. He sold 150 copies during USArtists, with several clients promising to drop by the gallery later to pick up the weighty tome because it was too hefty to carry around the show. Behind the books were two huge Edward Willis Redfields priced at $1.95 million for "Birch and Sycamore" and $1.65 million for "On the Broadhead," both new to the market.

Alterman sold a Fern Coppedge, a Paulette Van Roekens, a John Wells James, a Schofield and he had a hold on a Daniel Garber. "There was a lot of interest in the two big Redfields, the Sotter night scene, Spencer, Nunnamaker and Daniel Garber," said Alterman, who made the point that there are no consignments at his gallery. "If I write a check for something, it is because I really believe in the painting. It meets a certain criteria and I don't mind owning it for a long time. I am a collector as much as a dealer."

Childs Gallery, Boston, had painted its walls a soft turquoise-green that set off an incredible Donald De Lue bronze with a "Pompeiian Green patina." Entitled "Poseidon," the bronze was number 6 in an edition of 12 and was cast at the Tallix Foundry in Beacon, N.Y. Poseidon's graceful energetic form stood 361/2 inches high. Childs also brought a winter skating scene by George Gunther Hartwick and a choice historic painting entitled "Portrait of Colonel John Cox," 1792, by Charles Willson Peale, founding artist of PAFA back in 1805. Gallery director D. Roger Howlett explained that Peale had served under Cox in 1776-77 as a sea captain. Also in the Childs booth, "Poplars" by Aldro Thompson Hibbard, circa 1930 and a bronze by Walker Kirtland Hancock of 1941 entitled "Bough Bender."

Godel & Co., New York City, brought a wonderful Guy C. Wiggins entitled "Washington's Arch," 1935 that measured 25 by 30 inches; a 24 by 20-inch still life of peaches by Levi Wells Prentice; William Stanley Haseltine's "Rocks at Halibut Point, Cape Ann" 1863; a couple of Andrew Wyeth water colors and a luscious pair of Seven Roesen still lifes of fruit and flowers in oval format.

From Los Angeles, dealer Lawrence Cantor came with a rare collection of Hovsep Pushman paintings of women in jewel-tone colors as well as at least three Guy C. Wiggins paintings and four Johann Berthelsen paintings. Cantor confided that "I am becoming known as the go-to guy for Berthelsen." Also at his display was a lively Paul Lewis Clemens (1911-1992) oil on canvas entitled "The Barker at the Carnival," 261/4 by 361/4 inches.

Reynolds Beal's (American, 1866-1951), "The Lobsterman," 1918, oil on canvas, 30 by 48 inches, was hung in the booth of Quester Gallery, Greenwich and Stonington Conn.

Jason Murison, director of PPOW Gallery, New York City, was pleased with the response of the Philly crowd to their solo exhibition for Bo Bartlett. Bartlett, who now lives in Maine and Seattle, paints other-worldly calm paintings of beautiful people with shoreline-marine environments. They are larger than life meditations of oil on linen that have a timeless quality. "We did well down there," said Murison after the show. "Philadelphia is always good for Bo Bartlett. It was his hometown for more than 20 years. Patrons, supporters, neighbors, people who have known him, came to the show."

PPOW sold Bartlett's oil on linen painting entitled "Star Gazer" for $32,000. Measuring 56 by 44 inches, Bartlett painted it this year. It is notable that a midcareer retrospective of Bartlett, a PAFA alum, finished a museum tour last year at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Museum.

Dealers Ernest and Carol Kramer, Ernest S. Kramer Fine Arts Prints, Wellesley, Mass., sold a Grant Wood and a Whistler among other things, but were perplexed at their overall results. "Last year was our best year ever [at USArtists]. This year didn't come close. We sent out 45 complimentary tickets and only a handful showed up. All of our sales were to new people," said Carol. "There's no rhyme or reason," added Ernest.

Quester Gallery, Greenwich and Stonington, Conn., specializes in historic and contemporary marine and shoreline theme art. Quester displayed a fabulous Reynolds Beal 1918 painting of a lobsterman pulling up traps. Totally immersed in his work, the lobsterman seems oblivious to the sailing vessel passing behind him. Michael Florio, gallery director, said "I think that is one of the top five Beals out there. Painted after WWI when he had a studio in Noank - on the coast of Connecticut right next to Mystic. There was a large Portuguese fishing community in Noank and you can tell it is Portuguese boat by the color of the vessel." They displayed a huge blue-glazed ceramic lobster under the Beal painting, a unique sculpture by Betsey Rice and one of only four lobsters she has ever done.

Levis Benton Fine Art, Ossining, N.Y., had a dynamic booth full of modernism and colorful abstractions from the Twentieth Century. One knockout piece was the large silver-colored aluminum sculpture, a unique cast, entitled "Adam" by Albert Wein. Jim Levis reported very strong sales, including opening night. "We met several new clients. We know that the value of the show - and the real opportunity - is that while the show showcases certain works of art, it develops relationships with clients that will be active and important all year long." He had clients fly in from Phoenix to USArtists.

The Women's Board was gracious and thorough in their presentation of this year's USArtists. The show's various committees (there are several) exemplify commitment to volunteerism. "I feel that the show gets better and better each year -attendance and interest is greater than in the past. We are drawing audiences from across the United States and this year even had a group from Bermuda that attended the preview gala," stated USArtists co-chair Patricia P. Kermes, who has chaired the event in years past. Her co-chair this year was Anne E. McCollum. Julia DeMoss and Mimi Snyder will co-chair the event next year.

One nice thing about buying from the dealers at USArtists is that collectors do not have to fret about ubiquitous auction house disclaimers, usually in fine print. The dealers are friendly, knowledgeable, willing to educate and reliant on developing good relations with their clients that can extend over a lifetime. Dealers and galleries can become an important part of the provenance of fine art, their good names and discerning eyes often adding luster to the value of a piece of art.

Reflecting what many dealers and patrons feel about USArtists, Steve Diamant said, "I scour every single inch of that show. People know over the years that they can expect a certain level of quality at USArtists. They know that if they hop on a plane or a train that they will see quality works of art, whether from deceased or living artists, and they won't be disappointed."