SPOTLIGHT
Jack Shear, Photographer, Collector, Curator, and Executive Director of the Ellsworth Kelly Studio (#72 on UAW Map)
Can you tell us a little bit about what you do? And how long you’ve been in your current position. I have been involved in art, the art world, and collecting since I was a teenager in Los Angeles. I have always been decisive on what I like, and I initially started by collecting photography since I was most familiar with the medium. Over time I had the good fortune of training my eye by seeing exhibitions and visiting galleries and museums around the world. All of this close looking has developed my eye in a way that has contributed to my love of drawings and building my collection.
Use three words to describe yourself: Enthusiastic, generous, Taoist
What brought you to the Hudson Valley/Catskill Mountains? I moved to the Hudson Valley in 1984 to work and live with Ellsworth Kelly.
What do you love about collecting? My drawings collection includes works from the 15th through the 21st centuries. By having an eclectic collection it allows me to use my eye to make connections across space and time. When I curate my collection I focus on creating juxtapositions that surprise or challenge the viewer. I also purposefully do not include wall labels because I want the viewer to focus only on the drawings.
What exciting things do you have planned for UAW? At 11am on Saturday, July 19 I will be in conversation with my Spencertown neighbor, Jennifer Tonkovich, Curator at the Morgan Library & Museum. We will talk candidly about collecting and the inspiration behind what I buy, how I curate, and why I love drawings. After the conversation the studio will open to the public for timed viewings of PAIRINGS: Drawings from the Jack Shear Collection. You can sign up for the conversation and the viewings HERE .
Best place near you to get:
Breakfast?: Dan’s Diner in Spencertown
Lunch?: Fiesta in Chatham
Dinner?: Bimi’s in Chatham
What’s your favorite local store? Boxwood and American Pie in Chatham
What’s your favorite art/creative space to visit? Museum of Modern Art, New York
What is one tip for people experiencing UAW for the first time? Bring an umbrella - and don’t speed on the Taconic Parkway.
What is a fun fact about you that might surprise people? I have one tattoo and I can’t tell you where it is.
Now for the speed round! Pick one or the other:
Valley or mountains? Valley
Car or train? Car
Walk or hike? Walk
Sun or snow? Snow
Indoors or outdoors? Indoors
Diner or restaurant? Restaurant
Market or shop? Market
Clear or clouds? Clouds
Sunglasses or hat? Neither
Abstract or realist? Both
Contemporary or modern? Modern
Sculpture or painting? Neither, Drawings
IRL or digital? In real life
Look or listen? Look
See or feel? Both