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We chatted with collector and artist Betz Bernhard and her husband Hugh Davisabout their intuitive approach to collecting art, and their comically differing opinionsabout the pieces they collect. Their two dogs greeted us with cheerful energyat their beautiful home in Kirkland, and we got a taste oftheir curated contemporary art style.
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Hugh Davis and Betz Bernhard in their living room surrounded by their art collection.
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Q & A
Q: Where did you grow up?A: Betz: I grew up on Long Island, about an hour outside New York City.My parents lived in a house that my father built looking over the Long Island Sound.They traveled a lot and collected art for as long as I can remember,so I grew up with a lot of cool stuff around the around.Q: How does your own art practice influence what you collect?A: Betz: I think it’s intuitive. Just as making my art is intuitive so is collecting.When I see a piece I know immediately whether or not I feel something about it.It’s extremely intuitive. So in that sense making art and collecting are very related. -
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Q: Tell us about a significant piece in your collection.A: Betz: When I first came to Seattle one of my first friend’s was the artistJoe Max Emminger and he would come over and talk about art.In fact, Jo was just beginning to paint and I remember going to his houseand looking at some of his early paintings and I remember looking atone painting in particular that now hangs in our hallway and thinking“Wow, Jo has made a very big leap in his work and it’s beautiful”.Q: What philosophy would you pass on to a new collector?A: Betz: Just go with your gut. Buy art that makes your soul sing.Q: What is on your wishlist to collect next?A: Betz: Actually we recently bought a piece by Terry Terrell whichhad been on both Hugh and I’s wishlist for quite a while. So right nowI don’t have any one thing in mind, but I know I’ll see a show,and something will just hit me.Q: How did you and Hugh first meet?A: Betz: It’s a funny story because Hugh and I first met in the personals.After I got divorced I had a hard time meeting people, so I put a personal adin the Seattle weekly and I ran it for about year.Hugh: Her personal said she was an artist and that was something I wasspecifically looking for. I wanted a relationship in which discussing art andaesthetic issues was not forbidden. We don’t argue very much, but we doargue about art. And it’s important that those issues matter to both of us,even if we disagree.Betz: We argue really heatedly about art.Hugh: There have been artists that I was interested in and sometimes for yearsin advance of actually buying a piece, I would be trying to decide between acouple of pieces that were available and having Betz’s different perspectivealways enabled me to make the best choice.
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IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH (center) one of three in the series entitled ORWELLIAN STEEL
by Holly Ballard Martz installed at ZINC contemporary
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“‘Ignorance Is Strength’ combines truth and beauty
in a perfect meme for the current administration.
When I saw it – the piece touched me so deeply – I wanted
this piece and I wanted to support Holly Ballard Martz
and her message by collecting it.”
– Betz Bernhard
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IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH by Holly Ballard Martz installed in the Davis / Bernhard home.
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Betz’s collector philosophy:
“Just go with your gut. Buy art that makes your soul sing.”
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Collectors choice
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OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE
In direct response to the imbalance in the art world,
ZINC contemporary is committed to the mission of
making female artists VISIBLE AND SUCCESSFUL, while
making art collecting an experience of curiosity,
connection and fun!
