When it comes to Dallas art collectors, the city’s three power couples are the default mental association of most people in the know: the Hoffmans, the Rachofskys, and the Roses. Together, they made a promised gift in 2006 of 900 artworks, valued at more than $300 million, to the Dallas Museum of Art. But they are far from the only ones in the game. Though the contributions of those others may not be on the level of that circle, many other local collectors maintain relationships with institutions, and their homes overflow with art—and there’s a new generation on the rise.
The contemporary art collection, classic to cutting-edge, of investor and philanthropist Alden Pinnell and his wife, Janelle, has grown large enough—in the hundreds of works—to warrant a personal gallery on their property, and their dedication to new art pushed them to open an exhibition space, the Power Station, in the city’s Deep Ellum neighborhood.
City Electric Supply CEO Thomas Hartland-Mackie and his wife, entrepreneur Nasiba Adilova, are constantly in pursuit of the best in contemporary art. Dianne and Mark LaRoe are also focused on emerging artists. Money manager Mark Giambrone’s vibrant holdings range from Frank Stella, Jesús Rafael Soto, and Günther Uecker to Damien Hirst and Angel Otero.
Geoff Green, a partner at GWG Capital, and his wife, Sheryl Adkins-Green, Mary Kay chief marketing officer, are developing a collection with a strong focus on African-American artists. John Sughrue, who cofounded the Dallas Art Fair in 2009, is also a notable collector.
Yet another recent addition to the city’s collecting scene is Jordan Jones, granddaughter of longtime Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who brought contemporary art commissions into the new Cowboys stadium when it opened in 2009. (Jordan’s Fort Worth–based aunt, Cowboys VP Charlotte Jones Anderson, is also a collecting force.) And keep an eye on Kaleta Blaffer Johnson, a tenth-generation Texan whose family founded the Blaffer Art Museum in Houston back in the 1970s.
“The collecting scene in Dallas has continued to strengthen as new players emerge on the scene focusing on emerging and contemporary art,” Dallas Art Fair director Kelly Cornell told ARTnews. “The philanthropic intentions behind the collections of established and emerging collectors have been instrumental in the growth of our museums. Collections are being built with intentions far larger than individual enjoyment—this is so important for our city.”
Names to Know:
Patrick Collins
Mark Giambrone
Claire and Brian Gogel
Debbie and Eric Green
Geoff Green and Sheryl Adkins-Green
Thomas Hartland-Mackie and Nasiba Adilova
Tim Headington
Kaleta Blaffer Johnson
Jordan Jones
Dianne and Mark LaRoe
Janelle and Alden Pinnell
John and Marlene Sughrue