Forward

My own love affair with art began at a very young

age. While I could write since the age of 4, my drawing

abilities have always left much to be desired. That's one of

the reasons I admire and respect artists so much. Not only

do they create beauty from within, they are able to do it in

such a visual manner.

As a teenager, I totally fell for works by Renoir and

Magritte. I collected posters, postcards and books, but

lessons in school were more focused on art history or

lessons in how to paint. No one spoke about the

contemporary art scene or how to build a collection.

My whole world opened up when I began to gallery

hop with a dear friend. I was able to meet the actual artists

who were creating these contemporary treasures. What a

blessing to be able to shake the hands and get inside the

minds of these new Masters who now walk among us. I've

learned their toils and troubles, their sadness and their

successes. I shared a brownie with LeRoy Neiman, and

visited Chemiakin's studio at his invitation. I could only

imagine what it must have been like to walk among the

great artists in history, to share stories and break bread with

them. In the end, however, it is the art ­ the creation ­ that

remains and speaks to the soul for generations.

With such a vast world of passion and expression at

our fingertips, many potential collectors view the art world

from the outside and find it shrouded in mystery. The

purpose of this exercise is to welcome you to the inside ­

right where you belong.