In this series, produced by Rochester Art Collectors, local art collectors open their private spaces to a small group of registered guests. The host collector offers an informal guided tour of their art collection. Each collector sets the best date, time, duration, maximum number of guests as well as other parameters of the program.

The overall feel of the program is informal and dress is casual. None of the works displayed are for sale. All of the works are owned by the collector(s).

The series was launched in 2021. This was the eighth program in the series.

"Total Immersion" tours are open to a limited number of Rochester Art Collectors members on a first-come basis. The exact address was only disclosed to the 20 confirmed attendees. This program, like every other offered by Rochester Art Collectors was free to attendees.

The group of confirmed participants were welcomed into a lovely late Victorian era private residence located in the City of Rochester. Guest were encouraged to casually walk through a unique art collection. Soon after the start time a guided tour that highlighted selected work from the collection was conducted.

In prior "Total Immersion" tours the host-collectors conducted each tour. In this case, our host invited several artists represented in the collection to talk about works owned by the collector and on display that day.

The artists who presented their works included Michael Powers Tarantelli, Annalisa Barron, Unique Fair, Ludmilla Begley, Richard Colon, Erica Bryant & Matt Vanderlee. A partial list of artists in the collection on display during the tour is listed at the bottom of this article.​

About the collector & the collection
​The collector has been acquiring art since living in New York City in the 1980s where the works reflected the collector's varied intellectual, aesthetic and cultural interests. After settling in Rochester the collector's discerning eye reoriented to include works created by notable artists from the region. More recently, a passionate & intense interest in the vision and ideas of underrepresented visual artists has dramatically deepened and expanded the range of this collection.

The collector enjoys commissioning new works. The most recently commissioned work - a truly remarkable portrait that recalls old master techniques and expressive qualities - will be on display. Honestly, even if we were only able to see this one new painting, the tour would be worth the time. There are numerous other works in the collection that are or the highest level and that have never been seen in a public exhibition.

In this series local art collectors open their private spaces to a small group of registered guests. The host collector offers an informal guided tour of their collection. Each collector sets the best date, time, duration, maximum number of guests as well as other parameters of the program.

​The series began in 2021. This is the seventh program in the series.

The exact address of this program in Rochester, New York was not disclosed to the public. Only registered guests received the address.

An informal tour of the collection was provided by our hosts. Questions & conversation in the context of the tour was be encouraged. A light, non-alcoholic beverage was be provided to attendees free of charge.

Due to strong interest in this tour the hosts offered two groups of ten people each the opportunity to see their art collection.

This was a "members only" program. All tickets were free of charge.

About the collection:

Our hosts' art collection is contained in a modest early 20th century two family home on the City of Rochester's eastside. The house sets on typical city lot at the end of a quiet, leafy street within walking distance of a park. The interior design is simple and neutral. There are few architectural flourishes to compete with the works on display. Large windows supply mostly indirect natural light.

These collectors (a couple married for nearly 30 years) have chosen to install a gallery-style hanging system so works may be moved in and out with some ease. Very often they will rotate out dozens of works at a time to accomodate an entirely new grouping inspired by a theme in their collection they would like to explore; as is the case with the arrangement attendees will see during the tour. More on the theme below.

The earliest works populating this collection were purchased nearly 40 years ago. All have been purchased on a tight budget. Works in the collection range from fairly traditional to more contemporary in style and approach. They tend to be small in scale. Nearly all were created after 1980 by artists associated with the Rochester region. Since the collectors have limited space only a small fraction can be displayed at any time. Works not on display are kept in a storage area using a simple DIY design. The storage design system allows them to see and access the works as well as move them in and out as needed.

What's most notable about this particular collection is how the collectors have adopted ideas & methods of experiencing works in their collection in ways more common to non-profit exhibition spaces. These collectors go to uncommon lengths to engage with the works they own and integrate them into their everyday lives.

A little bit about the art that was on display.

Attendees saw more than three dozen works of art created by women artists from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. (The collectors estimate that 75% or more of the works they own were made by women.) The main theme of the display, however, was one particular aspect of all the works shown. Within the main theme were subthemes that stimulated and provoked your the attendees aesthetic sensibilities. Many of the works were created within the last ten years including several by esteemed local muralists & a tattoo artist. Five of the works on display had not been seen in a public exhibition space for over 30 years.

​Written By Sarah & Brad Butler. Butler of Main Street Arts
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Reprinted with permission from Main Street Arts | Get To Know Us blog series

SARAH

Brad and I have what I think is the start of a really great art collection hanging on the walls of our home. Being the directors of an arts organization that hosts several exhibitions per year gives us the chance to see all types of work from new and familiar artists all the time. Sometimes we can’t let a piece of art leave the gallery unless it’s in our car and on its journey to our house. (Okay, maybe not sometimes…maybe often.)

We have many pieces in our collection that we’ve acquired from our Main Street Arts connections including work shown in exhibitions, work from our gallery shop artists, and pieces from former artists in residence.

Hanging in area of our stairwell is a drawing of our four-legged kids by July/August 2019 resident Geena Massaro that hangs below a Robert Marx painting that was included in his two-person exhibition in 2017. In another area, a painting of mushrooms by October/November 2018 resident Emily Tyman is paired with a painting by Jim Mott that was included in the Upstate New York Painting Invitational at Main Street Arts in 2017 and a ceramic sculpture by Autumn Hasthor, a now RIT alum, who had her BFA show Sewn Solid on the second floor of the gallery in 2018. Also included in the grouping, a ceramic sculpture by Lane Chapman (a former resident at the Flower City Arts Center) and a RoCo 6×6 featuring an elegant little glass mushroom by Sage Churchill Foster whose work is regularly featured in the gallery shop at Main Street Arts.

The mantle in our living room features a mixed media piece by July 2017 artist in residence Cathy Gordon, alongside one of own Brad’s paintings, and a vessel by Rochester artist Peter Pincus from his solo exhibition at Main Street Arts in 2014. Also on the mantle: a tiki sculpture purchased from a Hawaiian artist working on the street in Lahaina, Maui from our honeymoon in February 2008, and a Mata Ortiz vessel by Mexican artist Octavio Silveiro which we acquired on a trip to Mexico in 2017.
Main Street Arts is a wonderful resource in finding new and inspiring works to add to our personal collection, but we also love to find pieces to add when we visit other local arts organizations. Every year we attend the Flower City Pottery Invitational at the Flower City Arts Center, the Memorial Art Gallery’s Clothesline Festival and Fine Craft Show, and exhibitions at Rochester Contemporary including their 6×6 exhibition.

We’ve acquired several cups from our annual juried exhibition The Cup, The Mug at Main Street Arts, as well as from the Flower City Arts Center, The Memorial Art Gallery, trips we’ve been on, and we even have a collaborative mug from August 2018 Main Street Arts residents Maliya Travers-Crumb and Jill Grimes. In addition to cups and mugs, we’ve started adding some beautiful bowls to our “cup cabinet” including work by ceramic artists Sang Joon Park and Kaete Brittin Shaw, and glass artist Nicolas Kekic—artists we were introduced to at the 2018 and 2019 MAG Fine Craft Show. Our collection is quickly outgrowing this space and I don’t see it slowing anytime soon!

We also like finding gems from smaller galleries or artist studios. Last year we purchased this really wonderful piece by Pete Monicelli from his exhibition at Colleen Buzzard’s studio. It’s still waiting to be framed so I haven’t been able to fully appreciate its beauty as a part of the collection hanging on our walls yet, but I knew when we saw it that it would make a wonderful addition.
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We collect art because the work speaks to us in some way and reminds us of connections we have with the artists who created them—the reminders of residents who spent time with us at Main Street Arts, hot dog lunches and studio visits with Robert and Francie Marx, or a special vacation where we met the artist working on his or her craft. I wish that I could showcase each piece of art or grouping on our walls, but it’s hard to do because there is so much to say about each piece and the stories made when they are seen together in our home.

BRAD
For me, living with original art is a personal requirement right after food and shelter. I know that my quality of life would suffer without the variety of art objects I interact with every day. Working from home during this pandemic has made this even more clear.

As I make my way downstairs at the start of each day, I am greeted by so many thought-provoking paintings, photographs, sculptures, drawings, and prints.

Any beverages I drink each day, from cups of coffee to glasses—or ceramic tea bowls—of wine, have been made by an artist I know or whose work I admire. I have favorite cups and mugs in our collection but I find such joy in using a different cup every day.

Where and how artwork is hung is important. I like to install the work in our home as I would in the gallery and enjoy bringing seemingly different kinds of art together in close proximity—this is an added benefit when you live in an old house. The walls of our own personal exhibition are always evolving. When something new is acquired, it finds its place next to pieces that we have already lived with for years.

Continuing to add new artwork to our walls will often present new ways to view the work and I will notice new things. A new way to perceive the composition, a color that stands out differently on a particular day, or a new personal meaning to the piece.
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​I know that my tendency to like certain types of artwork is informed by my own aesthetics and motivations as a painter. I like the blurred lines between my roles as a curator, collector, and artist. Sarah’s interests and background as a graphic designer play an equal role in the art we collect and I love the way we continue to influence each other’s taste in art.

Sarah Butler is a graphic designer with a BFA in graphic design from Rochester Institute of Technology and an MPS in the business of art and design from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Sarah runs the business-side of things at Main Street Arts and does all of the graphic design work for the organization. She also manages our bookstore, Sulfur Books.

In addition to being Main Street Arts Executive Director and Gallery Curator, Bradley Butler is an artist who makes atmospheric, abstract paintings. He has an MFA from Rochester Institute of Technology and is a native of the Finger Lakes region. Bradley has been with Main Street Arts before the renovations to the building were completed. He selects, curates, and hangs all of the exhibitions at Main Street Arts and is working to continually expand our program offerings.

    We are very pleased to announce Mark Harrington has become the 300th member of Rochester Art Collectors!

   It seems Mark was destined to appreciate and collect art. At the age of eight, without his parents knowledge, he rode his bike ten blocks to a local grocery store and bought a small oil painting of ducks in flight with his allowance. He gave that painting to his Mom. She kept it on her desk until she passed. It now hangs in his study in Pittsford. That was just the beginning..

   During his early school years Mark's interest in art intensified and his activities expanded to include collecting. ​In high school Mark became friends with the daughter of the curator at the McNay Art Institute. While attending a exhibition at the McNay Mark was introduced to Lita Albuquerque, whose work is in the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection. Lita and her work made a lasting impression on Mark. Their friendship blossomed. While attending college in Austin Mark began collecting art with some regularity. He made a practice of visiting student art exhibitions, purchasing work that spoke to him along the way.

​   After business school while living in New York City in 1979 Mark became acquainted with Dorothy and Herb Vogel through Tom Armstrong, then curator of the Whitney Museum. The Vogels were two of the most remarkable people Mark had the pleasure of knowing. They were a fixture on the NYC art scene. ​The Vogels introduced Mark to important art dealers and taught him the ropes. Thanks to the Vogels he met Gracie Mansion at the opening of the first gallery exhibit of “graffiti art” created by Keith Haring and Jean Michel Basquiat.

   During their lifetimes the Dorothy and Herb Vogel amassed over 4,000 minimalist and conceptual works along with a fair number of abstract expressionist works. They built their massive collection on modest civil servants’ salaries. Herb worked in the Post Office and Dorothy worked as a librarian. They lived in a small two-bedroom walkup on 86th Street in Manhattan.  Ultimately their collection was bequeathed to 50 different museums: 50 works to each of 50 museums in 50 states.

    Harrington says, "The Vogels taught me the importance of getting to know the artist and seeing their work  progress over time. Most importantly, they stressed that if a work moved me, and it was the first thing I saw in my mind when I woke up, go buy it on the spot." As with the Vogels, I never have and never will sell any piece I buy. Investment value is unimportant to me. What matters is how my heart and soul respond. Herb said he never wanted to build a collection, it just happened. He taught me to think of each piece as a friend that lived with me.

By Jeanne Beck
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Reprinted with permission from Owl Light News | Copyright 2018

  ​   To some people, the words “collector” or “art collection” seem like they describe those with great wealth who pay thousands and thousands of dollars to purchase art. But that’s much like thinking everyone who enjoys a game of basketball at the YMCA is an NBA player.

   Anyone can develop an interest in and appreciation for original works and start to build a collection slowly, over time.

​ Lauren Behelfer is definitely one who fits that category. A third generation jeweler in the family-owned Crown Jewelers in Downtown Canandaigua, Lauren works daily with color and design. In addition, she has always appreciated the visual arts, from the art classes she took in high school to her ongoing interest in photography.

   About 15 years ago she visited the Waterfront Art Festival, where she purchased a lithograph print. Lauren says. “It was a framed, signed and numbered print of a tree and I love trees.”

   However, with a busy life and career, Lauren didn’t purchase any other art works for a long time. “I’m not a person who goes to galleries or art openings,” Lauren explains.

   Then three years ago Crown Jewelers displayed works by one of the participating artist competitors in Canandaigua’s Plein Arts Competition & Festival. When she went to that first Preview Party & Awards Ceremony, she fell in love with a painting by Elena Babak. The artist had painted a scene of cows in a pasture with the sun rising behind them.  “The light and the scene spoke to me.  Plus I loved how the parts looked a little blurry close up but when you backed away the images truly started to look realistic.”

   Lauren returned to the festival for the second time last year. She decided she would only purchase a painting if it truly felt special to her.  And sure enough, a painting by Beth Bathe of a “creepy old house” in Naples, reputed to be haunted, captured her imagination. She bought it immediately. “I only buy when something really moves me and I am certain I will want to look at it for a long period of time.”

   This year, Lauren returned a third time to the 7th Annual Plein Air Festival Preview Party & Awards ceremony. Waiting in the long buffet line, she had the opportunity to chat with two artists. She talked to them about how the competition went for them this year as well as about the scenes they chose to paint.

   One of the artists was Yung Hong Zong, a watercolorist from Portland, Oregon. This was his third year attending the Plein Arts Competition & Festival.  She loved his painting of Grimes Glen and found out during their conversation that he had wanted to paint the scene the prior year, but ran out of time. This year he made sure he went to the creek early enough in the week to complete the painting. Lauren bought it right away.

   Lauren enjoys talking with artists before she makes a purchase.  Three years in a row the artists have told her the paintings she has felt most drawn to are their favorites as well.  She acts quickly when she sees one that feels special to her. She saw people walking around the festival display making notes in their catalogues but she took the “he who hesitates, loses” approach and made her decisions quickly.

   She will go to next year’s Plein Air Festival again. “These artists have such amazing talent. I may not call myself a collector, but I do appreciate beauty.”

   Even though Lauren doesn’t spend all her time searching out art works to purchase, she is building a growing collection of original art works that are meaningful to her. It gives her great happiness to look at them.  “I can see and enjoy all three every night because they’re all in my living room.”

   Even if Lauren never decides to consider herself a collector, she is purchasing original works of art, supporting the work and creativity of others – and filling that need we all have inside for beauty.

​ Jeanne Beck is a mixed media artist and owner of Jeanne Beck Art Gallery & Studio, 154 Mill St., Canandaigua, NY. The gallery features periodic regional guest artists, classes and workshops as well as original works. Open Wed 12-4:30, Thurs-Sat., 10-4:30. 585-704-6419.