Blog Post

Collector conversations: Nate H.

  • By Tina Ehrlich
  • 09 Apr, 2020
New artwork arrived to the gallery last week from Kristi Kohut and it’s just what we needed—the bright, happy colors are a joy to look at in this challenging season. We love Kristi’s bold color choices—and so do our clients. We circled back with a collector who recently purchased a Kristi Kohut original and we asked him why he was drawn to the particular piece. Meet Nate H. from here locally in Des Moines, Iowa! He continues to grow his original art collection—recently purchasing a couple Elisa Sheehan Kintsugi eggshells, as well.
Kristi Kohut, Nate's home
Kristi Kohut installed in Nate's stairway
LL: Why is it important, to you, to have art in your space?
NH: For me, having my home filled with art is necessary to provide the space with personality, to tell a story, and to make it feel like a true representation of me.
Kristi Kohut, artwork for sale
Butterfly Blooming, 38 x 38", Mixed media, $3775 ($377.50/mo), Available at the gallery
LL: What drew you to Kristi Kohut's artwork?
NH: The very first Instagram sale Liz Lidgett Gallery and Design put on featured four Kristi Kohut prints and that was my introduction to her work. I bought all four prints and have them hung together (below). Kristi often utilizes bright colors and I love the vibrant nature of her work. I tend to keep my wall colors very neutral so that the art pops. I recently moved and had a tall blank wall that was screaming for a large, special piece. I purchased Kristi’s piece Making You Smile (above); it is the perfect piece, the colors jump off the wall and it really does make me smile. This piece receives the most comments and compliments from friends and family.
Kristi Kohut prints, Nate's home
Kristi Kohut prints installed in Nate's home
LL: What types of art do you most enjoy?
NH: I am very appreciative of the art I have that is representative of family and travels. I have a beaded tapestry of the Taj Mahal that my grandfather brought back from India that I had framed when I inherited it. I also have a beautiful large gold and copper platter that my grandparents brought back from a trip from Mexico that I have always hung on the wall since I inherited it. Both my grandparents and parents have made it a tradition to purchase art as a souvenir when traveling, and I have followed in their footsteps. I am also a fan of art that uses bright color to evoke positive feelings.
Kristi Kohut, artwork for sale
Symphonic World Sculpture #5, 11 x 11", Mixed media, $789, Available at the gallery
LL: When did you start collecting original artwork?
NH: I started collecting original pieces as soon as I purchased my first home when I was 22. I was very lucky to have inherited pieces from my grandparents. I also received a cool sculpture my uncle that he purchased from an artist in Orange County, CA that was built from scrap metals—it is very unique and something I still proudly display in my home.
Kristi Kohut, artwork for sale
Symphonic World #2, 40 x 40" round, Mixed media, $3995 ($399.50/mo), Available at the gallery
LL: What would be in your ideal art collection? Or, what artists are on your collector’s “wish list”?
NH: In just the last year, since Liz Lidgett Gallery and Design opened a physical location in the East Village, I have bought pieces from Kristi along Ashley Mary, Elisha Sheehan and Olivia Valentine. My ideal collection will continue be represented by a multitude of artists and be of various mediums. I have an appreciation for sculptural pieces and would like to start including more in my collection. I have my eyes set on a couple of Betsy Enzensberger pieces; they are so fun and unexpected! I hope to have Logan Ledford and Angela Chrusciaki Blehm represented in my collection in the next year; I love how textural Logan’s pieces are and as with other artists, I am drawn to the colorful nature of both Logan and Angela’s work.
Tina Ehrlich, author
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