Living art
July 30, 2024
There’s a story behind each marvelous piece in this collector’s home with mountain views.
by Cathy Martin | photographs by Dustin and Susie Peck
This longtime collector purchased his first piece of art during his junior year of high school, and he was hooked.
“I was on the library committee, and we opened an art gallery,” he recalls. “We hung a show, and there was a piece I was really attracted to. The artist and I worked out the terms… That’s what started it.”
That teenager growing up in western North Carolina likely had no idea his first purchase — a drawing by Tucker Cooke for about $25 — would lead to the museum-caliber collection he’s amassed in the decades since.
The collector, who splits his time between Charlotte and his mountain home, started out acquiring works mostly by N.C.-based artists. Those artists include Phillip Moose, Herb Cohen, Elizabeth Bradford, Lee Hall and several pieces by Maud Gatewood, founding head of the art department at UNC Charlotte.
“We have great artists in this state,” he says, acknowledging a regional bias that exists against artists working virtually anywhere outside New York.
While North Carolina artists make up the core of the collection, it has grown to include national and internationally acclaimed artists like Oklahoma-born and New York-based Summer Wheat and Kehinde Wiley, the portrait artist best known for his painting of former President Barack Obama that hangs in the National Portrait Gallery.
Left: The painting over the sofa, “October Calling,” is by Yanceyville native Maud Gatewood. The sculpture, far left, is by ceramic artist Viola Frey. In the hallway to the right, a glimpse of a painting by Lee Hall and a serpentine-like sculpture by ceramicist Michael Sherrill. Right: At the end of a corridor, a painting by Kehinde Wiley (“The Reluctant Messiah,” 2002) commands attention. The painting to the right is “Composite 91-14” by Ida Kohlmeyer. The painting on the left, “Straw Field Spring,” is by Maud Gatewood.
His first exposure to art and collecting came from his mother, who collected glass and introduced him to Penland School of Craft in Mitchell County.
“From there, I started with ceramics and then 2D fine art. So it’s been an evolution. I learned. So as I learn, I expand.”
At his mountain home, views of the Blue Ridge Mountains are rivaled by the magnificent artworks lining the walls along with an extensive craft collection, many by artists with Penland connections.
Completed in 2020, the 5,000-square-foot home was designed by Charlotte architects John Fryday and Michael Doyne to fit into its historic neighborhood. On the main level, quarter-sawn white oak paneling adds warmth, while expansive windows and decking across the back of the home offer unobstructed mountain views. “The idea was this whole room — the living room, dining room and kitchen — could function as separate spaces, but also as a single space,” the homeowner says.
Of course, having plenty of space to display art was key. “The house was not designed around the art, but it was designed so that art could be used,” the collector says.
The homeowner also enjoys cooking, so he worked with Beth Merrill of Charlotte-based Donlon & Merrill Designs on creating a spacious kitchen with a vaulted ceiling, two prep areas, a combi-steam oven, induction cooktop, dual dishwashers and plenty of cabinets.
Downstairs, there’s a fitness room, office and guest bedrooms, and a large sitting area with a stone fireplace provides another space for relaxing.
Left: A ceramic and glass figure is a collaboration between Cristina Cordova, a Penland artist known for her figurative sculptures, and glass artist Pablo Soto. The counter stools are made of walnut burlwood by Kentucky wood artist Wyatt Severs. Right: The light fixture over the dining table was designed by glass artist Pablo Soto.
Even many of the home’s furnishings — lamps, a coffee table, the dining-room fixture and the kitchen counter stools — are handcrafted works of art. “I ran out of flat space,” the homeowner laughs.
Despite the value of the works, this collector doesn’t really consider the investment potential when purchasing art. Over the years, he’s only sold one piece, to a friend. In fact, his long-term plan is to eventually give it away — several museums have already expressed interest.
“I want other people who may not necessarily be able to have the same things that I have to be able to enjoy it and be exposed to it and have the opportunity to see it,” he says.
He also dismisses the notion that the art market is only for seasoned collectors with a deep knowledge of the art business. “Understanding art is not something that’s intimidating,” he says “You buy what you like.”
Top right: In the powder room, the sink basin by metal artist Julia Woodman sits atop a wood base by Brent Skidmore from Asheville. The mirror is by Becky Gray. A painting by Charlotte artist Christopher Clamp is displayed above a sculpture by John Skau. Bottom right: A fellow collector introduced the homeowner to the work of Summer Wheat. “Sand Castles,” a 16-foot painting on wire mesh, depicts women from various eras at work and at play.
But perhaps what’s most meaningful about the collection are the relationships he’s formed through the years.
“Most of my works come with a story. I know the artist. There’s a relationship developed, so it’s what I call living art. Not all of it, but most of it is,” he says.
“It’s a fun journey, it really is — it’s the people that I’ve met along the way.” SP
Featured Image: The live-edge table in the living room was designed by George Nakashima, a renowned Japanese American furniture-maker and architect who was a leader in the American arts and crafts movement. Nakashima selected the slab and designed the piece but died before it was complete. His daughter, Mira Nakashima, finished it. The sculptures on the mantel are by North Carolina ceramicist Michael Sherrill. The lamps are by Tom Suomalainen of Walnut Cove, and the collage is by Isaac Payne.
