A lot of what I do is seeing things in context. The context in which you find something has a huge effect on how you see it. Or does it? For example, this 1970s abstract shaped canvas painting was in a warehouse garage in Philadelphia leaning up against some old shutters and signs when I came across it in 2014.

At first sight I knew I had to have it. But getting it home is always another matter. I never let a six foot square, four inch thick issue like that stop me though... I hoisted it up on top of my Ford Expedition, tied it down with some twine and kept my fingers crossed as I kept a firm grip on it with my left hand and drove home. As per usual, the work was unsigned. But you already know that I love a mystery. Plus it's another opportunity to learn about a genre new to me. Such was the case. I googled a few keywords and the first works that appeared were by none other than Frank Stella. You could say that I was pretty psyched with those results. More research and a few phone calls, emails and museum visits revealed this to be the work of American artist Sidney Guberman. Turns out Mr. Stella and Mr. Guberman were roommates at Princeton during their undergrad. Stella even did a print that he titled after Mr. Guberman. Learning all of this, I figured why not reach out and see if I could speak with him. Mr. Guberman was still showing work and living in Atlanta. He was thrilled to learn that I bought his work and that it would grace the design of Patrick Hamilton in his Derby Deconstructed room at the New York City Holiday House Design Shows in 2014. You see there's more context. From a warehouse garage in Philly to the Academy Mansion in New York City. From leaning up against old shutters to being part of a gorgeously designed interior. And where is the painting now you ask? Well it's now in an Upper East Side art gallery just off Madison Avenue. That, my friends, is context. ;-) hkv