Boy: we’ve seen some unexpected sights in recent months!
Salmagundi (based in New York’s Greenwich Village) is one of America’s oldest art organisations. It first opened its doors in 1871 and welcomed Cranfield’s Sales Director Rachel Rowe on a glorious summer’s day in 2022 to look around the remarkable town-house mansion and view the extraordinary art collection it contains.
Behind the old oak doors lies an unexpected treasure trove of art, history, enthusiasm and passion for art.
The mansion, located on 5th Avenue, hosts hundreds of yearly art exhibitions, painting demonstrations, lectures, concerts, group meetings, classes, workshops, fellow member organization exhibitions and art auctions. The Club’s art collection has been built by generous member donations and its purchase prize awards, amassing over 1,500 works of art which span its entire history. Exhibitions of the permanent collection and current living artists are always free to the general public and non-members year round. Cranfield had the rare opportunity to browse the club’s private collection. This even included standing in the very bedrooms the likes of Norman Rockwell used to rent.
Thankfully this remarkable building has not been extensively renovated or altered over the years so it retains its wonderfully creaky staircase, a beautiful library stocked with rare editions and quirky fixtures and fittings over its four floors. The building itself is part of the sensory delight of the visit and the palettes that adorn the walls in the member’s bar, along with what are said to be the largest snooker tables in New York in the basement all demonstrate that artist members of Salmagundi know how to work, rest and play!
Cranfield also had the pleasure of meeting with Salmagundi Club’s First Vice President, Patricia Watwood, over brunch.
‘We had a delightful conversation about art, painting and printmaking. The Salmagundi Club is determined to celebrate its history without being stifled by it or allowing it to be become its defining characteristic. Salmagundi is a family of passionate current artists that happen to have a most remarkable pedigree!…
Patricia also gave us a glimpse at her upcoming first publication, “The Path Of Drawing…” which is now available for pre-order on Amazon.
The future for Salmagundi and Patricia Watwood remains as bright and Cranfield is looking forward to partnering and supporting them both in the days ahead.’