Ron and Lisa Brill were already experienced collectors when they acquired their second home in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Collections of fiber, turned wood, photography and studio glass familiarized them with the art world and with working with each other. “We’re 99.9 percent together when we buy something,” Ron says. “It’s something we love to do together.”
Their Colorado home now houses a large collection of Western art as well as pieces from their earlier collections in their home in Atlanta.
In the media room is a commissioned diptych, 2004, oil on canvas, by John Moyers. Above the mantel is They Came from Afar, 2000, oil, by Roy Andersen (1930-2019). On the mantel is Waiting for Remuda, 2004, bronze, by Joe Beeler (1931-2006). His Mountain Chief, bronze, is on the hearth. On the table behind the sofa is Swing, mixed media/glass and steel, by Sally Rogers.
The paintings in the breakfast area are, top to bottom, Murphy 1, 1999, oil on canvas, by Carolyn Murphy and Miles and Miles, 2001, oil on canvas, by Gary Niblett. On the cabinet are, left to right, The Sentinel, 2002, bronze, by Joe Beeler (1931-2006) and Dinosaur, 1999, blown glass, by Lino Tagliapietra. On the table is a glass pâte de verre vessel by Deanna Clayton.They happened upon Claggett/Rey Gallery in nearby Edwards, Colorado, where they fell in love with a landscape by Wayne Wolfe and immediately bought it, beginning a long relationship with Bill Rey at the gallery and a growing collection of works of the West. There are multiple pieces by Wolfe and by members of Cowboy Artists of America (CAA) including paintings and sculpture by its co-founder, Joe Beeler (1931-2006).
Acquiring their Wolfe at first sight was followed a few years later by seeing a painting Beeler was working on when they visited his Sedona, Arizona, studio. Beeler explained the story behind the painting, Up to No Good, which showed the notorious outlaws known as the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang. They knew they had to have the painting for their collection when it was finished.
In the stairway are, left to right, View from Antelope Flats, 2000, by Gordon Snidow and Return from the Gathering, 2001, oil on canvas, by R.S. Riddick.
In the principal bedroom are, left to right, Praying Moon, 2002, oil on canvas, by John Moyers, and Sunrise on the Double RL, oil on canvas, by Wayne Wolfe. On the table is an Antique Music Box with Auld Lang Syne, circa 1880, by Gilbert Bahl.
The couple frequent galleries to acquire works, not only to support them but to get to know their owners and, through them, the artists. Ron’s first and only experience with buying at auction by phone didn’t work out. “I wanted to bid on a Howard Terpning, but the bidding went so quickly, I didn’t know what was happening and I lost out.”
They had already been acquiring kaleidoscopes when they saw their first studio glass at a gallery in Miami and were intrigued. Returning home to Atlanta, they found the Vespermann-Cooper Gallery and its stable of studio glass artists. “We started going to the gallery every month to see their new shows and to buy a new piece,” Ron recalls. “If an artist began a new series, we bought a piece.”
The paintings in the stairway are, left to right, Walkin the Walk, 2006, gouache and watercolor, by Gordon Snidow; Moose at Vermillion Lakes, 1999, oil, by Wayne Wolfe; and, beneath it, his Along Brush Creek, 1999, oil; and, on the far right, Bitterroot Cottonwoods, oil, by James Reynolds. On the late-18th century French Provincial walnut dough bin is Ready to Ride, 2005, bronze, by Joe Beeler (1931-2006).
“We were intrigued by dichroic glass,” Lisa explains. “The colors change no matter how you look at it. It reminded us of the kaleidoscopes.” Ron says, “One of the first pieces we purchased looked like an aquarium with fish in it, and I used to be a scuba diver. Today, we have over 300 pieces of glass.”
Their collecting in depth took a different turn when, knowing their interest in Western art, Bill Rey suggested they commission pieces by members of Cowboy Artists of America. The couple were immediately attracted to the idea and, stipulating only the size of the works, they put out calls to “artists whose work we loved,” Lisa explains. “Then other artists began to contact us.” The works now grace a hall in their Beaver Creek home. Since part of the collectors’ joy is getting to know the artists, they had a party for the CAA artists to see their work installed in their home.
Fall’s Tapestry, 2008, oil, by Jim Norton, hangs above the cabinet and Bear Tracks, 1993, bronze, by Dave McGary (1958-2013), is in the foreground.
Another commission acknowledged their 35th wedding anniversary. They had admired John Moyers’ paintings of individual figures and had a long wood-paneled wall in their media room that needed something important on it. They asked Moyers to come up with something that told a story. He did some drawings and presented the concept of two paintings on the subject of courting and love. “We were blown away,” Ron remarks.
In a guest room are, left to right, Autumn Idyll, 2001, oil on canvas, by Robert Peters, and High Country Adobe, 2000, oil on canvas, by Walt Gonske.
In the garden is 5 Bear Group, 1999, bronze, commissioned from Dan Ostermiller.
I often ask collectors if they “trade up”—sell an early work by an artist to purchase something new or, perhaps, more important. If the Brills see something new they buy it and still keep the earlier piece because they loved it when they bought it—and they still do.
“When we first started buying,” Ron says, “$5,000 was a lot for us. Then 8 wasn’t that much different from 5 and then the next were 15 to 20. We started rationalizing that the art was really an investment but really knew that we buy it because we love it and not to make money. We have been blessed to be able to do this.”
In the dressing room is Moving the Ranch Horses, 2000, oil on canvas, by Richard Thomas. On the far wall is Collectors Series Chow Wagon, 2001, oil on canvas. On the shelf is Little Good Voice Elk, study, bronze, by Dave McGary (1958-2013).
Their children grew up among the collections and have begun collections of their own, primarily photography. Deciding on the eventual disposition of the collections, the Brills have decided to bequeath their Western art to the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Georgia. They have a long-standing respect for the museum and its director, Seth Hopkins.
“Over the years,” Ron says, “we’ve met a lot of collectors and artists, people we wouldn’t have met otherwise. We’ve loved every minute of it and love every piece.”
On the table are, left to right, Crow Warrior, 2000, bronze, by Joe Beeler (1931-2006); Water Vessel in Garnet, 2007, blown glass, by Nathan Youngblood (Santa Clara Pueblo); Suspended Artifacts, 1994-95, blown glass, by William Morris; and Yellow & Black Geometric Kiva Jar, 2006, hand-etched through multi-colored clay slips, by Marvin Blackmore (Navajo (Diné)).
“Each piece is hand-picked,” Lisa adds. “They’re part of our lives. When we go out West, it’s exciting to open the door. It’s like going to visit an old friend. We have the same feeling coming home to Atlanta. It’s the art that makes our house a home.” —
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