H&G: The Home Museum

Collectors of fine art find something priceless in each piece they acquire, but that doesn’t mean they have to be millionaires to participate in the hobby. There is a world of quality pieces to be found for a relatively modest amount of money.

That is the rule followed by Edmond collector Randel Shadid, owner of Shadid Fine Art, located at 19 N. Broadway. The public gallery, which consists mostly of 100 consignment pieces, boasts original art with no prints in sight. However, Shadid’s private collection contains more than 400 pieces – quadruple his gallery size.
In Shadid’s collection, you’ll find the southwestern landscapes of Kenny McKenna, the cool weirdness of Jim Vogel, the abstract beauty of Dick Evans, the elegant portraits of Dan Gerhartz and the stunning landscapes of Louisa McElwain. He also collects wildlife paintings, bronze pieces, figurative art and Native American Pueblo pottery.

“I’m not looking to spend $100,000 on one painting, even if I could,” says Shadid. “I’d rather spend that money on several paintings by up-and-coming artists and people whose work I like.”

He searches for art by painters he likes, often via the Internet, instead of tracking down individual paintings. As a lawyer, Shadid likes to keep landscapes in his office because of their calming, meditative properties. His mind can travel to distant, serene places without leaving his office.

Shadid recently purchased a piece called “My Constituents” by Jim Vogel. As his current favorite, it depicts men standing around looking like they’re solving the world’s problems. “I can relate to that because of my political days in Edmond,” he says.

He caught the collecting bug from his wife, and gallery co-owner, Dana Shadid. “She’s the one who got me afflicted,” he says. The inception of their collection was a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico more than 15 years ago. “When we travel, we like to buy art,” he says. “Every time we look at it, it’s a very pleasant reminder of a good experience.”

Dana is also an avid collector, and her tastes tend toward figurative pieces, but she and her husband almost always agree on art. “We like the same things 97 percent of the time,” Randel says.

Elaine and Greg Dean have owned the Dean-Lively Gallery at 14 S. Broadway in Edmond for 18 years, where they carry a mixture of originals and reproductions from national and local artists. “We do Native American, contemporary, western, and impressionistic — a broad variety,” said Elaine. “It’s like someone who collects sports memorabilia or glassware. It’s a true love.”

According to Elaine, art is individually-based, so everyone has their own taste and goals when researching or shopping. “When people come into the gallery, they normally come in looking for a larger piece for the dining room, fireplace area or above a couch — places we call ‘focal areas.’ Places the eye catches first,” she said.
Greg sees the difference between a true art collector and one who purchases to fit their home’s ambience. “If a person is really an art collector,” he says, “They’re not into, so much, the style. It’s about color, it’s about composition. They do it because each piece really speaks to them.”

FrameMaster, located at 3226 S. Boulevard, features a dozen local artists in its gallery. Most are originals, but some are limited editions. Styles include abstract, western, fused glass, and photography.

“We love to support our local art community,” says Robin Sanders, FrameMaster associate. “Clients often call us when they are moving into a new home, so we can safely transfer their artwork and hang it to the client’s specifications.”

She says businesses frequently request secure installation for pieces that hang in public areas too. FrameMaster brings all the necessary hardware, ladders and scaffolding, to each installation.

“Conservation framing is necessary to preserve artwork, period,” Sanders says. “For pieces on paper, this includes non-acidic mats, conservation glass, and conservation backing. For pieces on canvas, it is important to have an archival barrier between the canvas and the frame itself.”

With the help of these local galleries, almost everyone can begin their own home collections by purchasing great art within their price range, and having it well-preserved for many years to come.

Shadid says those who want to start an art collection should visit a variety of galleries with a price point in mind and see what’s available. “The more you’re around galleries, the more your tastes change — wildlife, abstract pieces — when you see it, you know you like it. To me, that’s the only reason to buy art,” Shadid says. “If I don’t like it, I don’t buy it, because I plan to live with it for the rest of my life.”