The Art of Tradition
One family discovers that collecting original artwork is about more than decoration
By Julianne Garnett
Jon Gerson’s interest in handmade art started when he was young by attending craft shows with his mother. She helped him understand the difference between mass-produced pottery and pieces shaped by hand and to notice the careful craftsmanship in wood furniture and textiles.
“She was the genesis for my love of handcrafted art,” says Gerson.
Those early lessons stuck with him. As a teenager, Gerson started collecting art himself. When he got his first home, he continued collecting. And when he married Susan and had his son Eliot, it became something the whole family did together. Today, their Kensington home displays a diverse collection spanning stained glass, sculptures, fiber art, and paintings, many of which came from Strathmore’s Drawing for Art event.
The Gerson family has been attending Drawing for Art since it started in the early 1990s. Artists donate original pieces, which get raffled off to attendees for just the cost of the ticket—around $100. It’s a way for art lovers to get high-quality works at an accessible price while supporting Strathmore’s visual art programs.
“Drawing for Art is for a great cause,” says Gerson. “We have almost always come home with something that’s a good match for our collection.”
Their selection process has become a ritual. Weeks before each event, family members visit Strathmore’s Mansion to preview the works, each ranking favorites according to personal taste. With such diverse preferences, they often buy multiple tickets to avoid “heated negotiation,” Gerson laughs.
As their collection has grown, wall space is now at a premium; they’ve shifted toward stained glass pieces and sculptures that can be displayed on existing furniture. “One of us would really have to make the case for a 2-D wall piece,” Gerson jokes.
Some pieces have ended up in other homes, too. In 2010, knowing that Strathmore founder Eliot Pfanstiehl’s family really wanted a metal music scale wall piece, the Gersons chose it specifically as a gift when their number was drawn early. Gerson had worked at Strathmore in its early days as one of the original employees, so he and Pfanstiehl were longtime friends and colleagues.
Certain works hold special meaning. A 3-D pottery mask by polymer artist Carol Zilliacus has been his son Eliot’s favorite since childhood. A Chinese brush painting by Nellie Chao connects to the family’s previous admiration for the artist’s work.
For Gerson, collecting art is still about creativity and family connection, just like those early craft fair trips with his mother. He’s passed the tradition down to Eliot, now in his early 30s, who’s started bringing the important people in his life to Drawing for Art. “Drawing for Art provides texture and color,” Gerson reflects, “along with the opportunity for people in our community to connect with one another.”