DECEMBER 2018 • $10
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Noted gallerist and publisher Ruth-Ann Thorn presides over opening of her new 4,000 sq, ft. Exclusive Collections Gallery in Solana Beach California
RUTH-ANN THORN MAKES HER MARK WITH OPENING OF NEWEST GALLERY Bella Thorn (center), Ruth-Ann Thorn celebrate opening of EC Gallery
By JAMIE ELLIN FORBES & V.B. FORBES Pert, petite and busy-looking, Ruth-Ann Thorn is an art champion for these times. A trusted expert in her field, she is passionate about artists, optimistic about the future and confidently prepared to overcome any challenge. With the opening of her 4,000 square foot Exclusive Collections Gallery in Solana Beach, California this November, the gallerist’s vision and mission — “to expose people to the power of art and the great artists of the day” — takes hold on very solid ground. “I am determined,” she states, “to bring the work of the artists I represent to the world.” This has been a banner year for Ruth-Ann and her brand. In addition to the new gallery, she has become more involved in her Native American heritage, conducting business in Indian Country by starting a new company called EC Art services to help Native American tribes Page 2 • SunStorm/Fine Art • December 2018
curate art collections for their new hotels and casinos. “What goes on the walls is a reflection of the particular tribe’s culture,” notes RuthAnn, “and it’s been a real learning curve, as well as an interesting journey. I ia a great honor to meet with Tribal Councils and historical and cultural committees with the purpose of getting everyone on the same wave length. I work with elders in their nineties and young people in their twenties with tattoos and nose rings in determining ways to view the cultural heritage of their tribe.” Business is on the rise — one new hotel needed 3,500 works and there are a few more just breaking ground. In-house framing and printing keep the costs at bay and a strong roster of artists helps Ruth-Ann stay in what she is passionate about. “My role is to find art that reflects their vision and history and act as an advocate as the tribes get more involved in art.” Additionally, Ms. Thorn is further making her
mark in the art arena and to prove this point, the Samuels family, guardians of one of the most recognizable and iconic international brands of recent history — Maker’s Mark Bourbon — has Ruth-Ann on their short-list of goto dealers. EC’s longtime gallery virtuoso, Michael Flohr, is one of their prominently featured artists. He was honored recently at a limited-seating brunch at the Maker’s Mark distillery where the San Diego-based The doors are open at Exclusive Collections Gallery, Solana Beach, California Flohr has created an original large-format painting of the Maker’s Mark bottle he would he be interested in collaborating with us, to draw inspiration by the shared values. for permanent display at the distillery’s restaurant, Star Hill “Fundamentally my grandfather’s vision was a handProvisions. made bourbon, a bourbon that would have full sensory en“It was a real joy having them in Kentucky,” commentgagement for each step of the process. That led to the more ed Bill Samuels, Jr. in an interview with Fine Art Magazine consistent, elevated taste profile he was searching for. EngagPublisher Jamie Ellin Forbes shortly after the event. After ing all the senses with your friends when they come here to the brand’s creation by Bill Samuels, Sr., its production the distillery is an inspiring way to connect with who Maker’s was overseen by his son until 2011 when he announced Mark is. Whether you’re in our tasting room surrounded by his retirement as president and CEO. His son Rob SamuDavid Schuster’s paintings that showcase each of the six deels succeeded him. “What I enjoyed most about meeting fining steps of the process, or as you walk into our place and Ruth-Ann,” adds Bill, “was that Ruth-Ann introduced me are greeted by our team under the oak and amber chandeto something that I was a little bit intimidated with before I lier created by Dale Chihuly. Or if you’re in our restaurant, saw how welcoming she and Michael were. I mean, when I Star Hill Provisions and you have all those large scale rich, had about five minutes notice that I was going to host this vibrant, warm, paintings Michael created, it just gives more reception and didn’t know anything, she took all that in meaning to who Maker’s is as we host our friends.” stride. Then I noticed a couple of the paintings were actually “Our vision here is to become the most culturally rich, done at my house where I’ve got all the old bottles.” endearing and environmentally responsible home-place of Rob picks up the story from there: “I’m a great admirer any brand in the world. So it’s the culmination of the handof Michael Flohr’s work and the large scale painting that he made art that’s inspired by the handmade bourbon. The reahas an on site here is an important part of the experience son we are here on this site isn’t just because of the beautiful at Maker’s. Many of his paintings are still on display and I little village. The reason we’re here is because of the water, love observing our guests while they’re enjoying their meal. our 14 acre lake and hundreds and hundreds of acres that It just elevates the experience here on site. I don’t know if we manage as a nature preserve in the first natural water I shared with you how I met Michael so here it is. Seven sanctuary of any distiller in America. We need to be great or eight years ago, a friend of mine told me that there was stewards of the environment because our product comes a beautiful painting in a gallery for sale in Kentucky of a from nature.” Maker’s Mark bottle. I called the gallery and bought it sight Concludes Bill: “Art enhances the experience of our unseen. Later, I wrote Michael a letter to just introduce mymany visitors. We hear it all the time from our guests and self, let him know that I’m part of the family with Maker’s our employees — how they love our collection. It’s all part and how much I love his painting. A few months later he of the process of making it a wonderful conversation generactually made the trip from California to Kentucky and I laid out our vision and a plan for the distillery. I asked if ating experience.” Page 3 • SunStorm/Fine Art • December 2018
Bill Samuels, Jr., son of the founders of Maker’s Mark Bourbon
Ruth-Ann finds it “fascinating and humbling to think that we live in the same period as some of the great masters who will define our era,” she stated in a recentcoast-to-coast interview. “I call it history in the making! Who else gets to do this? Sometimes I think we take it for granted that we are surrounded by such great talent. My plan is to give people an in-depth look at what it takes for artists to devote their lives to making something of significance that will last forever, actually pulling ideas out of their soul.” Born into creativity, Ruth-Ann exudes an aura of sophistication and charm that is powered by Spirit — Great and Holy. Her passion for Who and what she represents has placed her at the pinnacle of her profession after three decades in her chosen field. She has come a long way from her initial involvement in the art business in 1988 when she was working in Hawaii at a restaurant and was “really hating it,” she recalls, adding, “I was frustrated with thinking about what to do with my life. So one night I prayed, ‘whatever it is you have for me God, I’m ready.’ A friend of mine told me about an art gallery that was hiring and since I grew up in and around the arts in an artistic community in Portland, Oregon, I thought I would check it out.” Ruth-Ann, who had no experience at all in the business side of art, landed the job “on the spot” and what follows is a success story that is just beginning to peak. A couple of serious recessions paved the way for victory. “I cut my teeth in art working for one of the most prestigious galleries of the 1980s, Images International of Hawaii. The company was known for representing Otsuka and other Asian artists. They operated retail locations in Hawaii and Los Angeles. I learned a lot working there which set a foundation for the future. When the recession hit in the 1990s, my employer went out of business. At that point I Page 4 • SunStorm/Fine Art • December 2018
“Art enhances the experience of our many visitors. We hear that all the time from our guests.” – Bill Samuels, Jr., Maker’s Mark
Artist Michael Flohr, at Maker’s Mark reception in his honor
The table is set for a
party at the Maker’s Mark
had a decision to Flohr. We had great make, I could either success in our gallery go work for another with them.” This creart gallery in Calated the opportunity ifornia or start my to develop Crown own company. I Thorn Publishing chose the latter. The and ten years later beginnings of Exover 100 galleries clusive Collections world wide were repgallery were difficult resenting the work. because I didn’t have Another wona business plan or derful artist in the a college degree so EC stable, of many, I wasn’t able to get is Ruth-Ann’s eleven funding from the year-old daughter bank.” Ruth-Ann Bella. Her collection, started out selling “My quote is ‘great art is forever… and forever is a long time!’” “Bella’s Hearts” was art in the meeting begun under the tu– Ruth-Ann Thorn rooms of hotels with telage of her granda loaded U-haul trailer full of art. Then she would set up the mother Gloria Lee and they have been collected and shown show and invite all her collectors on black and white cards to acclaim for a few years now. “Bella is a unique individual to save on costs. “Those,” she recalls, “were very humble bewho marches to the beat of her own drum,” states her proud ginnings.” mother. “She has a very strong moral compass as to the way In 1998 Ruth-Ann and her mother Gloria Lee, herself things should be.” Her compassionate, colorful and strong an accomplished and well-respected artist, opened a gallery representations bring out the warmth and kindness of her in La Jolla, California. “Working seven days a week someown tender heart. times 14 hours days, we struck gold with two very talented With the opening of EC Gallery, Ruth-Ann is going back artists right out of art school, Henry Asencio and Michael to her roots, consolidating after spending the past several Page 5 • SunStorm/Fine Art • December 2018
Outdoors at 21 Museum Hotel in Louisville
years opening and closing locations in Laguna Beach, Beverly Hills, Las Vegas and Breckenridge, Colorado. “I was hoping to keep market share for the artists that I published and in the beginning it went really well. But over time, I realized I was losing my passion and it was quickly becoming a management business. The truth is, I enjoy working with people and sharing art more than I do running a big business. My passion for the arts is intact, stronger than ever. I feel art is very important to society and my ability to match people with an artist’s work brings a tremendous amount of satisfaction. I can’t do that when I’m busy managing the bottom line. It takes the joy out of it.” While those galleries were successful enough, RuthAnn’s interactions with transient buyers in tourist towns was antithetical to her view that the “only way to foster art is to act as a catalyst between artist and patron by pouring all we can into an artist’s career. The new gallery will allow me to develop and maintain relationships with clients who believe in the artists as much as I do and who want to see how much beauty the artist can create.” The result is not only tangible but emotional with historical value. “My quote is ‘great art is forever… And forever is a long time!’ I hope my contribution of bringing artists to the awareness of people will count for something.” Founded on the premise that “art is a discovery for everyone,” EC gallery, nestled in a seaside community 30 minutes from downtown San Diego is in a quietly bustling beach locale, reminiscent, says Ruth-Ann, of how “Malibu used to be. The Cedros Design District is a destination where people come to shop, have a nice meal, visit a winery or the Belly Up Tavern, among other places — and there’s lots of hip-hop money rolling around.” Ruth-Ann’s all-enPage 6 • SunStorm/Fine Art • December 2018
Ruth-Ann Thorn and staff of Exclusive Collections Gallery
compassing philosophy has brought her tremendous success with a loyal customer base that continues to grow. In the future Ruth-Ann plans to develop a YouTube station where she will go to various cities and film and document what is going on. “Art is everywhere but people pass it by. My goal is to raise the awareness level.” She is “positively very ready for the next chapter. No matter what, the Lord and the Spirit — God — is always with me. Things that seem like failure are a blessing, making me more excited, less fearful.” With aplomb and dignity, beyond question, Ruth-Ann Thorn is a force majeur in today’s rough and tumble environment known as the Art World, a trusted beacon of light in an arena in which beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Dale Chihuly, “The Spirit of the Maker” hand-blown glass, on permanent view at the historic Maker’s Mark distillery rickhouse in the barrel room, 36’ x 6’ overhead canopy of form, color and light and consists of 750 hand-blown elements in blue, green, amber and signature Maker’s Mark red hues. Page 7 • SunStorm/Fine Art • December 2018