COLLECTOR PROFILE Meet Stephanie McGuckin

How and when were you introduced to the idea of collecting art?

I was born in Philadelphia and have lived in the Philadelphia suburbs for most of my life. I was visiting San Diego for the weekend. I had a friend who was here on business for two weeks, so I flew out to meet her. We were staying in the Gaslamp Quarter, and one morning I got up and was walking down the street and saw Henry Asencio’s Eternity painting hanging in the window of the gallery. It just stopped me in my tracks.

Had you collected art before or was that your first encounter?

That was my first experience connecting with a painting or any piece of art that literally had me speechless. I’ve always been interested in art and eventually wanted to collect it, but I’d never seriously thought, “Wow. I’d like to own that.”

It was early in the morning, the gallery was closed, and I had just happened to walk by. I was on the phone with somebody and basically hung up on them. I said, “I’m going to have to call you back.” I stood there, staring at the painting for a good ten minutes, and thought “I have to come back to find out who this artist is.”

I went back that night and met Tony [Wagner]. I asked how much it cost. At the time, I had just paid a whole lot of money for a surgery for my cat. Financially, I just wasn’t in the place. Tony is a cat lover, an animal lover in general. He understood and so for the next two years, he kept me in the loop. He would call or shoot me an email, “Hey, I just wanted to let you know we are down to this many in the collection, so if now is the right time in your life.” It was never from the perspective of trying to sell me something. He just knew how much I loved that piece of art.

The last time before I bought it, Henry was in town. I had tried to come out for one of Henry’s shows before, but the timing never worked. Finally, they were down to their last two. The series of 195 had sold out, but there were still two printers proofs left. After that they would all be gone. Tony said, “I know you’ve wanted that painting.” It was finally the right time! There were ten printers proofs in all. I have number 9.

What do you think is the most rewarding part of collecting and what have you gotten out of it?

I’ve listened to collectors and curators speak about the pieces they own and what they speak of is having an emotional connection or the type of connection you can’t really describe. For me, I had only heard of it. I had never actually experienced that type of emotional response to a painting or work of art. I’ve been through some of life’s trials and tribulations and looking at Henry’s piece, Eternity, to me, it made sense. I just got it. Whatever he was trying to convey, for me it was beauty amongst chaos.

The piece hangs above my bed. I look at it every single day and have never felt a moment of buyer’s remorse or thought, “Hmm, maybe I should have spent that money on something else!” I love it. I could be down to my last penny and would never think of selling it.

18 OFF THE EASEL MAGAZINE – SUMMER 2013