above: The showroom: Robert Indiana, Hope, 2009 (red sculpture); Gene Davis, Flamingo 3, 1970 (painting); Lin Emery, Off Shoot, circa. 2015 (steel sculpture) – Photographs: courtesy of Taylor Graham Gallery
In 1989, Abby Taylor and fellow fine art curator Vincent Vallarino first collaborated to open a streetscape gallery on the Avenue. About two years ago, after long tenures operating independent and still-flourishing Manhattan galleries, they returned to town with a shared second-floor space where sweeping walls are appointed with a mix of collection-worthy 19th- and early 20th-century American and European art, along with some thoughtfully curated sculpture and photography.
For Abby, this artful venture marks the next phase in her evolution as dealer and curator. The granddaughter of Russian artist Simka Simkovich, a WPA (Works Progress Administration) muralist and American scene painter, and daughter of noted private art dealer Donald R. Purdy, Abby learned the fine art trade under his studied mentorship.
Today, she is a leader in the collection of specific art movements, including the Post War and New York School markets, and is known for identifying artists whose works are increasing in value. In the abstract space, she takes a similar approach to curation, seeking out the work of artists who went out of vogue but are beginning to experience a new fanbase and increasing value. Her clients include museums, collectors and interior designers.
Abby is a secondary market dealer, meaning she owns much of what she sells, including the estates of many noteworthy artists. On our visit, the works of the late American painter Jane Piper, known for her abstract still lifes, brought juicy pops of color to the walls.
In Abby’s original Greenwich gallery, impromptu sales to locals who wandered in off the street were a mainstay. “You would have a couple stroll in, sit down for a chat and leave with three pieces,” she says.
Yet the digital age has transformed the art market so much that Abby says despite all the amazing art hanging in her light-filled space, calling it a “gallery” almost feels antiquated. “I don’t view it as a gallery. I think of us more as a platform,” she says.
That’s because 80 percent of Abby’s current sales are to a far-flung international clientele who often make purchases sight unseen. These contemporary art consumers, she explains, are often collectors interested in acquiring the works of a specific creator or artistic movement that she or Vallarino curate.
“Technology and the way we access information has changed everything we do,” she says. “It’s just as important for me to be doing great video, providing detailed shots and provenance online as it is to hang things on our walls. But if someone really wants to see something in person, they may fly in to do that. We are moving forward with the world markets, and our entire approach is a reflection of that.”
While the nature of fine art acquisition has changed, Abby invites the curious to venture upstairs to explore. “We love it when people come up,” she says. “And we hope they will.”
Art Smarts
Interested in finding great art pieces for your home? Abby offers these tips.
GET CREATIVE
While Abby supports a client’s desire to have art pair well with their design aesthetic, art doesn’t need to perfectly coordinate with a home’s interior to work. “Art can be an interesting surprise that makes a statement,” she says.
DISCOVER WHAT MOVES YOU
Explore art online and download images of pieces that you find especially appealing, she advises. “Show me those, and I can figure things out from there.”
STUDY UP
Once you’ve identified artists you love, do some homework to learn more about curators, pricing and projected investment values.
THEN, GO BACK TO THE EXPERTS
“Though I strongly encourage personal research, it’s important to seek out people with real expertise in the artists or movement that interest you. We can add so much subtext to the conversation and give perspective.”
EXPLORE
Abby recently worked with clients who owned paintings of an artist she represents. When they asked for more, she realized it was the artist’s style that interested her buyers most. So she sent examples of similar works by other creators. “This couple didn’t necessarily set out to build a collection of one artist. So, they were open to other options, and they bought a piece from a different artist. That can be an interesting way to build a collection too.”
Taylor/Graham Gallery and Vallarino Fine Art are located at 166 Greenwich Avenue.
taylorandgraham.com and vallarinonfineart.com.
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