6 THE ART OBSERVER June 2007 Profile of an Art Collector BRIAN HANSTEIN  lives and works in Philadelphia, U.S.A, where he was born and bred. He is a lawyer specialising in class action litigation and, for the past ten years, has worked for Swartz Campbell LLC. He has many hobbies including art; fly fish- ing; swimming; running; English literature and reading essays. He travels to England several times a year and usually tries to collect some art whilst he is here. He is a regular visitor to the Wendy Levy Gallery and agreed to answer some questions about the work he collects. When did you start collecting original art? I started collecting in 1999. The first paint- ing I bought was by an American painter called Peter Chinni. It is a painting titled “The Harlot” and is dated 1954. What kind of paintings do you prefer? I like oils and I prefer them to be painted on wood, panel or board rather than canvas because I like the sturdiness and strength of the solid base. I also like the texture that is achieved by painting on these materials. Do you collect more work by English artists or American artists? I collect more work by English artists but I do attend the Pensylvanian Academy of Fine Arts Students Annual Exhibition and usually buy two or three pieces each year. What is it about the work of English artists that attracts you? I particularly like the painters from the northwest, I like the distinctive architecture in this area, the red brick buildings that are in abundance here. I like the contrast between dry and wet brick and the effect it gives. I really like Manchester, I always enjoy the bus journey from Oxford Road all the way to Didsbury Village because you see a cross section of northern English architecture, from a Neo Gothic university building through to the classic red brick Victorian hospital to the 20th century halls of residence and converted terraced houses that are now Indian restaurants, through to semi-detached villa type residential buildings, through to Didsbury Village which seems to have taken all those elements and put them all together for upper middle class life. I admire the pride the artists have in their own towns and I really like the people here. If I were to tell other people where to go to collect art I would say “go to Manchester because people appreciate the local art and are passionate about it”. BRIAN HANSTEIN ANSWERS A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS ART COLLECTING There is obviously an effort by the museums and galleries in the north west to reach out to the public in the way they show and promote northern artists. Who are the English artists whose work you have collected? Gina Ward, John Pegg, Ian Jarman, Richard Clare, Martin Murrey, Liam Spencer, Stacey Manton - I would really like to collect more of Stacey’s work, and my latest purchase is a painting by Helen Clapcott. She really has what I think is a “renaissance artist” quality about both the style and the ultimate effect of her work... the way it looks and the way it depicts the landscape. If you could only keep one painting which would it be? Without a doubt it would be the THREE paintings by Liam Spencer and the FOURTH would be an oil painting on wood which is quite small, it measures 6” x 10” and I believe it is 17th century. The writing on the back is in latin.  It is called Painting of a woman in a Wimple and I bought it in 2002. We are very grateful to Mr Brian Hanstein for having agreed to feature in the fourth issue of our newspaper and we look forward to his next visit. Car Park at Sunset by Liam Spencer Brian Hanstein with the painting by Helen Clapcott Lambrusco Drinkers Nr Whitworth House by Stacey Manton Man on underground vent nr Gare du Nord, Paris by Stacey Manton Painting of a Woman in a Wimple