The dilemma that families and friends face upon an artist’s death is how to handle the collection of artwork, papers and memorabilia left behind. An immediate disposal of the art at auctions results in the dispersion of works in a haphazard manner, lowering their value as artwork floods onto the market.
Furthermore, the opportunity for a careful examination of the artist by a professional in the field is forfeited. Bert Gallery has taken an interest in managing multiple artists’ estates in order to preserve artistic legacies of merit. The successes of an artist may vary in the art world and are subject to fickle art trends. The role of the gallery is to ride out those ups and downs and support quality work that may not have altered art history, but reflects important aspects of an art period or regional trends.
Current artist estates managed by the gallery include:
- Grace Albee (1890 - 1985), 20th century printmaker
- Henry Newell Cady (1849 - 1935), late 19th century marine painter
- Edgar Corbridge (1910 - 1988), 20th century precisionist water colorist
- James. D. Herbert (1896-1970), early 20th century figurative painter
- Gordon Peers (1909 -1988), 20th century painter
- Florence Leif (1913 - 1968), 20th century painter
- Edna Martin (1896 - 1996) late 20th century printmaker