Consulting Journal - A Fortuitous New Find for a Long-Term Client

Robert Motherwell, Blue and White on Orange No. 1

Recently, I received a notice about a private collection being offered for sale in New York. As I looked over images from the collection, several of the works reminded me of a particular client I had first worked with more than a decade ago. 

When I first met this client she was looking for one or two paintings for specific areas in her high-rise. Later, when she moved to a larger home, I helped her acquire several more pieces to fit her new space. That was a few years ago, but I had gotten to know her tastes and her existing collection quite well, and I identified a few pieces in the New York collection that I believed would be of interest to her, so I got in touch. 

Indeed, she did like the selections, and was particularly drawn to a vibrant Robert Motherwell work. After I performed my research on the piece and negotiated the price, I arranged a viewing in New York so my client and I could see the piece in person and complete the purchase. 

Building long-term relationships with clients is one of the things I love most about my work. In fact, most of my client relationships extend well beyond the initial transaction. As I get to know clients over time, I become acutely aware of their aesthetics, likes and dislikes. Then, even when I’m not actively looking on behalf of a particular client, I will automatically think of them when something that suits their taste crosses my desk. It’s as if I’m their eyes and ears in the art world.

Likewise, clients sometimes contact me again after a period of years. Perhaps they’re in the market for a new piece, or they might be ready to sell works from their collection, or simply need an appraisal. It’s always a pleasure to reconnect with clients, no matter how long it’s been, because developing relationships (consultant-client partnerships, really) is what it’s all about.