Cultivated Counsel

A master class on making the most of the Dallas Art Fair.

Stanley Whitney, Dream Walking, 2018, oil on linen, 72 x 72 in. © Stanley Whitney. Courtesy Lisson Gallery

Clare Woods, Meeting and Parting, 2018, oil on aluminum, 59.05 x 39.4 in. © Clare Woods. Courtesy of Simon Lee Gallery, London

Thilo Heinzmann, O.T., 2018, oil, pigment on canvas behind acrylic hood, 54.5 x 58.437 x 3.375 in. © Thilo Heinzmann / ADAGP, Paris, 2018. Courtesy of the artist & Perrotin.

In April, collectors near and far will make the annual pilgrimage to the Dallas Art Fair, using the opportunity to enjoy the well-heeled likeminded scene, check in with their favorite exhibitors, and, most importantly, expand their collections with contemporary artworks. Facing nearly 100 exhibitors representing hundreds of artists can be intimidating; however, the diverse collectors on these pages—Nancy Rogers, Megan and Carson Hall, and Geoff Green—offer guidance on how best to simplify the experience, relax, and purchase wisely.

Ugo Rondinone, the logical, 2018, bluestone, stainless steel, concrete, sculpture, 61 x 23 x 15.5 in., plinth: 12 x 29 x 29 in., overall: 73 x 29 x 29 in. © Ugo Rondinone, Courtesy of Sadie Coles HQ, London

Michele Abeles, 12H, 2018, dye sublimation print, UV print on Plexi, acrylic paint, 63.87 x 48.37 x 1.5 in. © Michele Abeles. Courtesy of Sadie Coles HQ, London. Photography by Robert Glowacki.

NANCY C. ROGERS

The meticulously groomed and gracious philanthropist Nancy Rogers has “tremendous pride in Dallas.” She believes, “Cultural institutions are the lifeblood of the city and Dallas/Fort Worth has become a legitimate arts destination built by pride and teamwork.” She plays a key role in that civic pride as countless institutions and events benefit from her exceedingly generous and unwavering benefaction. “I believe in supporting cultural endeavors and institutions, especially those in my community.” She does that and more, donating sometimes anonymously to countless philanthropic endeavors.

She says her love of art collecting began through her affiliations with the Dallas Museum of Art and the Aspen Art Museum, located in the luxe ski town where she enjoys a second home with her husband Richard Rogers. “My museum involvement rewards me with an education that has developed my own collection. Museums are a great conduit for general information about artists, history, and culture.” The plentiful fundraisers have bolstered her collection with acquisitions made through the Aspen Art Museum’s ArtCrush and TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art—benefiting both amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, and the DMA—which she chaired for two years consecutively. The latter institution is one of three beneficiaries of the Dallas Art Fair. The other two, the Dallas Contemporary and the Nasher Sculpture Center, also count Nancy among their patrons.

Each year, prior to attending the Dallas Art Fair, she collaborates with her art advisor John Runyon, founder of Runyon Arts, who requests images from galleries of works by artists he considers as possibilities to add to her collection. “John will reserve some items in advance and together we navigate the fair in an efficient way. Art fairs can be overwhelming and exhausting. I find that preparation is key to my enjoyment and survival of the fair,” Nancy advises.

It’s no surprise she gravitates toward art that offers a positive narrative. “Most of the works I own and live with are inclusive and present the possibility of interpretation.” She adds, “Generally, the artwork we own offers a positive message and viewing experience.” One such exemplary work in her collection is a neon piece by Tracey Emin acquired at the Dallas Art Fair from Lehmann Maupin Gallery. Emin wears her heart on her sleeve through her multidisciplinary practice and most of her pieces are autobiographical. “The work spells the narrative ‘Just Let Me Love You’ in the artist’s cursive handwriting. It projects this beautiful message from about 15 feet off the floor in a gallery room in my home.”

For this year’s Dallas Art Fair, she looks forward to visiting with prestigious exhibitors Sadie Coles HQ and Lisson Gallery. Each is a firsttime exhibitor at the fair. “Both are world-class galleries from London and I am excited to see what they will bring to Dallas. Of course, I look forward to seeing longtime regulars of the fair, Galerie Perrotin and CANADA.”

An experienced collector, her home is brimming with fine examples of today’s blue chip artists from large-scale works by Jonas Wood and Laura Owens acquired through the live auction at TWO x TWO (both were the artist honorees the two years she chaired the event) to Takashi Murakami, who just had a retrospective at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, and she offers sound guidance for beginning collectors: “Seek advice from an advisor, museum professional, or seasoned collector.” Aside from the actual art purchases, Nancy takes advantage of the opportunity for learning and connecting with interesting people. “What gives me the most pleasure are the friendships formed and the common goals we share on the journey to make Dallas better.”

Sarah Lucas, Red Sky Bha, 2018, c-print, site size: 58 x 44 in., frame size: 59.88 x 45.13 x 2.38 in., edition of 3 + 1 A/P. © Sarah ah Lucas. Courtesy of Sadie Coles HQ, London

John Henderson, Type, 2016, copper, electrotype, 24 x 18 in. Courtesy of the artist & Perrotin

24 x 18 in. Courtesy of the artist & Perrotin; Paola Pivi, The eyes of high, 2018, cast iron, engine, Struthio camelus feathers, 54.5 x 58.44 x 3.38 in.

Jim Lambie, Metal Box (Delhi), 2018, aluminum and polished steel sheets, gloss paint, 24.63 x 24.63 x 6.25 in. © Jim Lambie. Courtesy Sadie Coles HQ, London.

GEOFF GREEN

Collector Geoff Green seated in front of three collage paintings by Deborah Roberts. Courtesy of Luce Gallery. Represented by Erin Cluley Gallery.

Follow the Fund. Geoff Green and his wife, Sheryl Adkins-Green, use this as part of their strategy when navigating the Dallas Art Fair. The fund referred to is the Dallas Art Fair Foundation Acquisition Program. It uses grant money from the foundation and private donations to acquire work for the permanent collection of the Dallas Museum of Art. While the fund has tripled since its inception in 2016, Geoff emphasizes that the DMA is still on a relatively limited budget, though one that it will stretch as far as it can. Using the $150,000 allotted last year, the museum added seven pieces to its collection. The museum staff charged with making these acquisitions, Geoff suggests, do so in a thoughtful manner as opposed to an emotional whim. With deep connections in the art world, he sees the museum buying the work of truly up-and-coming artists.

Among the artists whose work the Greens have purchased at the Dallas Art Fair are Derek Fordjour and Deborah Roberts. The couple has watched the careers of both artists soar. Geoff says of the fair, “You can get the work of people who are really going places. I’ve met with both of these artists and that’s what makes it so special.” In the case of Roberts, the couple eventually visited her Austin studio, where they added some of her earliest work to their collection. In addition, they have commissioned new pieces from her. Since first discovering Roberts’ work, they have been delighted to see it turn up in publications such as The New York Times Magazine. While they enjoy having these works on paper in their home, Geoff says, “When you see it in print, it’s a validation.”

Derek Fordjour, Sunset on York Boulevard, 2018, acrylic, charcoal, oil pastel on newspaper mounted on canvas, 60 x 42 in. Courtesy of Luce Gallery

Hugo McCloud, Untitled - Consumption stacks, pink, 2018, plastic merchandise bags on wood panel, 73 x 49 in. Courtesy of Luce Gallery

Stephen McKenna, Palm Tree Pillar, 2013, oil on canvas, 70.9 x 47.2 in. Image courtesy of Stephen McKenna Estate and Kerlin Gallery, Dublin.

Anne Lindberg, the reaching sun, 2017, graphite and colored pencil on mat board, 40 x 216 in. Image courtesy the artist and Carrie Secrist Gallery.

The Greens are also inspired by the diversity of artists on view at the Dallas Art Fair. The majority of the artists in their collection are African American. They are therefore especially appreciative that they can grow their collection of artists of color locally. Geoff is encouraged that these artists are represented by major galleries, an indication of their bright futures.

Works acquired over two decades of travel and a decade spent visiting the fair form the core of the Greens’ collection. They began buying art on frequent visits to Montreal, which is where they discovered the work of Sébastian Maltais. Though they own several of his paintings, their large encaustic portrait of Billie Holiday is an acquisition that resonates strongly for them.

The couple relocated from New York to Dallas about ten years ago. They immediately jumped into the local art world, with Sheryl serving on the DMA Board and Geoff’s current involvement on the board of the Dallas Contemporary. “It opened up a whole new world to us,” Geoff says. That world encompasses the galleries they enjoy frequenting. Locally, this includes Erin Cluley Gallery, Talley Dunn Gallery, and Cris Worley Fine Arts. They also look forward to the art fair return of Luis de Jesus Gallery from Los Angeles as well as international stalwarts such as Beatriz Esguerra Art, Luce Gallery, and Pippy Houldsworth Gallery. While they are drawn to the international nature of the fair, they also appreciate how manageable it is on many levels. “The neat thing is that the Dallas Art Fair provides an entrée for anyone to afford,” Geoff explains.

Another part of their strategy is to get to the fair early. They regularly attend the Patron Preview, where they are among the first to see the art and can visit with other patrons. Finally, Geoff recommends, “Find something that speaks to you. If you really like it, buy it.”

MEGAN & CARSON HALL

For those who work in the art world, the Dallas Art Fair’s springtime return promises the dual possibilities of cultivating new collectors while simultaneously growing personal collections. Such is the case for art advisor Carson Hall and his wife, Megan. Art is bred into Carson’s DNA. The son of Ron Hall, an international art dealer, Carson grew up attending art fairs and, beginning in high school, working in the booth alongside his father. Native Texans, Carson and Megan met as students at Texas Christian University. Megan enthusiastically embraced collecting as their relationship grew.

“Carson brought some paintings into the relationship. Once we got married, we started collecting together,” she says. Their first acquisition, Seascape I, is a work on paper by Roy Lichtenstein. They were drawn to it for different reasons. Carson explains that his early loves were the midcentury movements, notably Pop Art, Abstract Expressionism, and Color Field painting. The Lichtenstein, published in 1965, includes the artist’s distinctive Ben-Day dots, appealing to that Pop aesthetic. After bringing it home, he relates, “Megan said, ‘What is this?’” Her love of the beach, however, made it a work they could both admire. Ultimately, she asks, “What can we live with that makes us happy?” She adds, “I cannot live in a museum. The work has to be easy and livable.”

Anne Lindberg, Parallel 43, 2014, graphite and colored pencil on mat board, 80 x 60 in. Acquired from Carrie Secrist Gallery

Merlin James, Untitled, 1985, charcoal on paper, 11.6 x 16.5 in. Acquired from Kerlin Gallery.

Since then, they have amassed a collection reflecting venerated midcentury artists. Pieces by Color Field painters including Helen Frankenthaler, Kenneth Noland, and Adolph Gottlieb hang alongside the work of Abstract Expressionist icons such as Jasper Johns and Willem de Kooning as well as legendary Pop artist Andy Warhol. But the collection hardly ends with these 20thcentury luminaries. The Halls have developed relationships with and collected the work of living artists such as Teresita Fernandez, Bridget Riley, and John Holt Smith. They enjoy incorporating contemporary artwork among the midcentury masters. “It’s been fun to pepper in up-and-coming artists,” Carson says. Through the past decade, they have made several acquisitions at the Dallas Art Fair from a geographic spectrum of galleries. Locally, they acquired their Sam Reveles from Talley Dunn Gallery. Anne Lindberg’s work came from Chicago’s Carrie Secrist Gallery. And they look forward to the return of international gallerists Simon Lee Gallery and Kerlin Gallery, representing Gary Simmons and Merlin James, respectively. (The Halls also own artwork by both of these artists.) In addition to making professional connections, the couple treasures the relationships they have forged over years that have blossomed into true friendships.

Megan and Carson Hall. Behind from left: Helen Frankenthaler, Mexican Dance, 1988, oil on canvas, 85.25 x 43.50 in., signed lower right; Sam Reveles, Cill Rialaig 1, 2013, gouache on paper, 21.25 x 40.87 in., acquired from Talley Dunn Gallery; Kenneth Noland, Circles, 1958, oil, sand, powdered glass, and textured silica magna, 24 x 24 in., signed and dated verso: Kenneth Noland ’58.

But the greatest pleasure of collecting, they agree, is the ability to share the work with their two young children. “When you’re around it, you appreciate it more,” Megan notes.

The Halls are invested in the local art community in myriad ways. In 2015, they were tapped to revive the DMA Forum, an educational group for new collectors at the Dallas Museum of Art. In addition, they currently serve on the Director’s Council of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth as well as on the Dallas Art Fair’s Host Committee.

Both agree that the best way to approach the fair is to take time going through it and to ask questions. They encourage new collectors to get to know the galleries and, if possible, to meet the artists. This deliberate strategy is one Carson follows for every acquisition he makes, whether it is for a client or his family. Most importantly, he advises, “Research the artists. Do your homework. Make sure it’s something you really think you’ll love.”

BY NANCY COHEN ISRAEL AND TERRI PROVENCAL