The Parisian Heist: A Novel About Art, Ambition, and the Power of a Good Story.
Most people know Vincent van Gogh as one of history’s greatest artists. Far fewer know the story of Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, the woman largely responsible for preserving and promoting his legacy after his death.
After 30 years in the field, I’ve seen it all. Here are a few key reasons why art values can change so dramatically:
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending ISA’s annual appraisal conference in Phoenix, Arizona. These conferences are always invaluable—offering timely market insights, opportunities to deepen expertise in specialty areas, and, perhaps most importantly, the chance to reconnect with inspiring colleagues and friends from across the country and around the world. Before the conference began, however, we checked off a few bucket-list destinations: Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon, and Sedona.
Flagstaff, once a major stop along historic Route 66, retains much of its nostalgic charm. The town center is dotted with vintage motels and an excellent selection of restaurants, making it a delightful place to linger. And then there is the Grand Canyon. If you’ve never been, it deserves a top spot on your bucket list. While photos may capture fragments of its grandeur, they cannot convey the immense scale, dramatic depth, and stunning array of colors experienced in person. We spent the day hiking from one breathtaking overlook to the next, each turn revealing yet another unforgettable “wow” moment.
After returning to Flagstaff for another memorable meal, we headed south toward Phoenix the following day, detouring for a quick visit in Sedona. Taking Highway 89A through Oak Creek Canyon proved to be a highlight of the trip—an extraordinarily scenic drive filled with winding switchbacks, towering pines, and rugged mountains. On a bright, clear day, the journey is nothing short of spectacular. The road opens into Sedona’s iconic landscape of sweeping red rock formations, glowing in shades of rust and crimson.
One day was far too short for Sedona, but we managed to explore a few standout destinations. Our top recommendations from this brief visit include Garlands Navajo Rugs for exceptional Native American rugs and jewelry; Exposures Gallery, an expansive contemporary art gallery featuring outdoor sculpture and more than 20,000 square feet of exhibition space (ask for James Vale, he's a stellar art consultant!); and the Sedona Arts Center, which showcases the work of local Arizona artists. From Sedona, it was on to Phoenix to begin the conference.
Brad Denham, Trish Perrin, Christine Steiner, Esq.
Mindy Besaw, Ph.D
The conference opened with an engaging presentation by Tash Perrin, Deputy Chairman of Christie’s Auctions, who shared insights on “Market Trends and What’s Moving Now.” Christine Steiner, Esq., an attorney specializing in art law, emphasized the important collaboration between attorneys and appraisers in addressing clients’ legal and valuation needs. Mindy Besaw, Ph.D.—current Director of the Eskenazi Museum of American Art at Indiana University and former Curator of American Art at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art—spoke about Knowing the West, a traveling exhibition that expands the traditional narrative of Western art by including makers and materials long overlooked. A compelling panel discussion on the contemporary Native American art market followed, along with a presentation by legendary pottery dealer Charles King, who addressed trends in collecting Native American pottery and methods for authenticating artists.
An event of this caliber would not be possible without the generous support of its sponsors. Special thanks to the vital sponsors of ISA: Bradford’s Auction Gallery, WorthPoint, Chubb, Museum Exchange, ArtDai, Doyle Auctions, John Moran Auctions, American Estate Buyers, Freeman’s Auctions, Rago/Wright Auctions, and Heritage Auctions.
We had only one day remaining in the Phoenix area after the conference and chose two memorable adventures: a visit to Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s western home nestled in the hills near Phoenix, and a Segway tour of Scottsdale. As anyone who has spent time in Scottsdale can attest, a relaxed week is the ideal pace for taking in the town. However, if time is limited, a Segway tour offers a fun and efficient way to get an overview. A few of the public sculptures we encountered along the way are shown here.
As any proud native Texan will admit, mid-summer in our area is not for the faint of heart. This summer, we decided to beat the heat by escaping to Montana and Wyoming. We started with a visit to our dear friend Scott Ellis, who has a lovely place on Flathead Lake in Polson, MT. The restorative impact of gorgeous mountain landscapes and temperatures in the 60-70s is hard to match. From Polson, we headed to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks. I’m posting a few pictures here to give a hint of the astounding beauty that God created. But these images cannot do justice to being there. Feeling the cool wind, hearing the rushing water of waterfalls, and seeing the weird phenomena found in these parks—geysers, boiling mud pits, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone—are experiences that must be felt firsthand. The majesty of it all must be experienced in person.
Diehl Gallery and Horizon Fine Art
After several blessed days in nature, we headed to Jackson, WY for a taste of art. Jackson has something for all tastes and budgets. The historic square has a lovely park surrounded by shops and galleries, as well as a wide array of restaurants. The galleries at the square mostly handle the expected western landscapes, wildlife, and cowboy pictures and sculptures, with digital copies abounding. However, a few blocks off the square, I found three galleries with a much better selection of original works in a variety of genres. I highly recommend these three galleries if you get a chance to come to Jackson: Heritage Fine Art Gallery, Diehl Gallery, and Jackson Hole Art Auction. These three are at the juncture of King and Broadway Streets and should be on your must-see list.
Horizon Fine Art is capably run by its proprietor, Barbara Nowak, a 40+ year resident of Jackson. The collection features painters, sculptors, and ceramic artists from across America. Most of the artists put a contemporary twist on traditional subject matter. A few of my favorites are depicted here.
B. Shawn Cox starts with old wallpaper as a substrate for his bright, graphic portraits of cowboys and cowgirls. The visual interplay of the printed wallpaper patterns with the painted imagery is quite engaging. Susan Abbott uses fauvist-bright color graphic landscapes, while Kevin Courter takes a more painterly approach to his dramatic landscapes. The collection of wheel-thrown, saggar-fired porcelain vessels by talented ceramist Suzanne Hill was my personal favorite. Saggar firing is somewhat similar to raku firing; the pieces are fired to bisque stage, covered in a slip, and re-fired in large pots (saggars), with various combustible minerals and materials added in, producing a multi-color, painterly outer surface. After firing, Hill burnishes the surfaces to create a smooth, semi-gloss finish.
Next door is Diehl Gallery. Their collection focuses on contemporary artists. Some of my favorites on view were the bright collage works by Jason Rohlf, the sculptural interpretations of animals made by Wendy Klemperer from salvaged steel, and the cut-out/collage works by Chris Maynard made from bird feathers. Maynard uses natural-color feathers from various birds and precision-cuts shapes from them, using both the voids and the silhouetted positives mounted on light ground paper to create his images. The closer one examines these pieces, the more amazed one becomes with Maynard’s skill using this unusual medium.
My next stop was at Jackson Hole Art Auction on Broadway. The timing for this visit turned out to be perfect! Jackson Hole Art Auction’s big fall auction will occur on September 13th and all the lots were on view in the gallery. So, I got an in-person preview of the sale. Jackson Hole specializes in historic and current western art. This sale will include over 400 lots. Several favorites are shown here, and I would strongly recommend you go to their website to get registered for the sale.
On the way south, we overnighted in Colorado Springs, CO, and visited Garden of the Gods. Wow! The park is free, and the views are spectacular. This trip was a wonderful combination of enjoying pleasant, mild temperatures, experiencing God’s magnificent creations, and getting to see some great art along the way.
I hope you enjoy this short travelogue!
