Art Enthusiast, Thomas Pierce On How To Start Your Own Collection
THIS JOURNAL BELONGS TO
CALEB CHURCH
Defining The Mastery of Collecting Art
How one of entertainment’s most impactful, yet elusive tastemakers chooses art.
6 MINS READ TIME
Thomas Pierce is one of the most impactful, yet elusive tastemakers to grace art and entertainment. He owns and boldly leads his media consultancy, Pierce Media Associates (PMA), founded on the strong backbone of his experience across a spectrum of skills and industries. Most notably, within media, art, and entertainment.
PMA has risen to be an influential and innovative institution, helping brands create culturally-relevant and highly impactful endeavors. The invisible hand of his influence is responsible for acts like placing Cartier jewelry on Rihanna, Anne Hathaway, and Sandra Bullock.
Thomas’s introduction to art began at 4 AM in Paris during New York Fashion Week in 2013. He encountered an artist by the name of Andreas Giles from Argentina painting in the back artist’s studio of his friend's home in Le Marais. The surreal scene of Giles smoking in one hand and throwing paint with the other created the atmosphere. However, the vibrant, buoyant, playful energy that the softly mixed colors and his bold technique created fascinated Thomas.
From the way that Thomas spoke of Giles’ work so passionately, Giles recognized an asset he couldn’t pass up. In turn, he offered to teach Pierce the ins and outs of contemporary art dealing if he agreed to represent Giles as his private dealer. This allowed Thomas to leave the then prestigious Peggy Siegal Company where he fostered brand relationships for the firm’s film premieres as the Sponsorship Director; dodging the Epstein debacle. Thomas was thrilled to represent Giles in a role that would allow him to work in both London and New York.
In London, Pierce found himself surrounded by those who preferred weekend exhibitions to “boozy brunches”, and with a new client in the space, he had to dive in. He began going to auction houses, visits to artist’s studios, and galleries all over the world finding any way to dig in.
Following the occurrence of recent events that have forced us to spend more time at home, how important, then, have our spaces become?
A lot of us have taken a new interest in investing in self expression through our surroundings. Collecting art is one way to do so. What better mind is there to shed light on the subject than that of an art dealer?
The answers from my conversation with Thomas Pierce extends below.
CC: When collecting for your home, how do you start to uncover what speaks to you?
TP: When you’re starting a collection you should start with pieces that embody your personal interests. That’s always the best place to start. Figure out what you're drawn to by attending art shows and exhibitions. It’s always great to have many works presented at once and let your eyes guide you. When I walk clients through an art fair to buy, I always try to let them lead with their eyes. Once I understand what they gravitate towards, I can then lead them to artists I believe they should invest in, who are on the rise, emerging, or about to break. Art is so personal, and you have to live with it every day and the work defines your visual style for you. I always say pick the art than the furniture.
CC: Did you buy your first piece of art before or after you become a dealer?
TP: Way before. My first piece of art, I still own. It is a Marylin Monroe portrait carved out of one piece of wood with minimal acrylics. I bought it at the Fairfax flea market when I got my first apartment here in West Hollywood. I think Marylin always looks good on a wall. It’s been hanging in every one of my apartments since I purchased it back in 2004.
CC: Tell me more about how you select new artwork?
TP: I like to find artists with values aligned with mine. Often, you can find work that tells a story, and I like to uncover the artist's DNA in their work. What are they passionate about? What’s their purpose for sharing? Who are they? What do they ultimately stand for? As an artist, I think it’s important to understand who you are and what you want to leave behind. What is your legacy and what change can you make through your art? That’s important. I also like to look at the quality of the framing and the materials that are used. It’s all about the vision and overall technique. I ask myself if they are the best at the technique at hand or if I have seen better approaches or applications.
Lastly, is this their best piece, or is this the piece I’m most drawn to? That’s key.
CC: How do you make sure that the art in your home tells a cohesive story?
TP: Art sometimes acts as trophies, and those trophies tell a story. Some collections speak to the collector’s travels or triumphs. The cohesiveness just somehow always comes together. Homes are artwork within themselves and the home is often the hub for the collection, and somehow they always seem to match. For example, if you have a Mediterranean villa, most likely you enjoy landscapes, renaissance, prewar, watercolors, and nature, and if you have a glasshouse, you probably opt for contemporary pop art, sculptures, and dimension.
CC: How do you decide where it goes?
TP: I move my work around a lot. People come over and they’re always like “That’s new! That’s new!”, and I’m like “No, I just moved it”. Though, sometimes there are new pieces. If you’re an avid collector or have a bunch of things, it’s kind of nice to switch up space or the energy of a room. So for me, it’s always kind of moving. I think for any collector or any home positioning to have the best lighting, especially natural light is a great guide spot. Like I said I always say pick the art than the furniture.
CC: Some people may say you need a million-dollar piece before you call yourself a collector. How do you define being an art collector?
TP: “Art Collector” to me isn't a title with a clear definition. Collectors come in so many forms, and art is so subjective. I think a collector is someone who appreciates art and supports artists. I often find myself at dinners hosted for collectors to engage with artists, and 9 times out of 10, the collector is something greater or more interesting than just being a collector.