HERITAGE AUCTIONS

Frank Hettig Vice President, Modern & Contemporary Art

Capera Ryan has been in the auction business since the late 1990s. While she cut her auction teeth at Sotheby’s, Ryan—a seventh-generation Texan—has now worked for over 20 years at Christie’s, the first auction house based elsewhere to establish a presence in the state, starting in the 1980s. “There is a longstanding and deep commitment to the arts in Texas,” she says, and the state has consistently been an important market for Christie’s. The company has sold numerous major Texas collections, including the holdings of T. Boone Pickens, Edwin L. Cox, and the Bass family, and strives to honor the unique legacy of Texas collecting stories.

While Ryan grew up in Dallas (across the street from legendary art collector Ray Nasher), her family also has deep roots in Fort Worth, which makes her the ideal person to represent Christie’s in both cities. “You can’t talk about Dallas without talking about Fort Worth,” Ryan says. “Patronage of the arts in both cities is so strong.”

The support Christie’s gives to the arts in Dallas-Fort Worth is equally significant, touching nearly every visual and performing arts institution. Ryan points out that this commitment goes beyond just financial. She sits on boards, hosts events, giving time, energy, and resources. “We support the people,” explains Ryan. “You are only as strong as the community you are in.”

Capera Ryan Deputy Chairman, Americas

Charlie Caulkins joined Sotheby’s Dallas in 2018 after twelve years at Christie’s, bringing a unique combination of regional experience and a specialist acumen that has set apart her tenure. Caulkins credits the innovative approach Sotheby’s takes with much of the auction house’s success across the globe, which she says complements the Texas entrepreneurial spirit embodied by many trailblazing collectors, gallerists, and artists: “Texans like to go big or go home.”

The company, which has maintained a presence in Dallas for 40 years, invests in the arts community through its long-standing support of TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art as well as local institutions. Caulkins stays deeply involved in the community in a hands-on way, maintaining institutional memberships, sourcing loans for curators, and serving as an approachable resource for a wide range of collectors.

This spring, Caulkins is looking forward to Dallas Contemporary’s Ceramica Suro exhibition, as well as the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth’s solo exhibition of Dallas-based artist Jammie Holmes in the fall. She credits in part the strong and diverse gallery community with making the region a world-class art destination.

This month Sotheby’s will host its own exhibition at Park House, offering collectors the opportunity to purchase prints and multiples directly from Sotheby’s Buy Now platform. “Nothing replaces seeing artwork in person,” says Caulkins.