ABOUT ANNE

PRIVATE FINE ART DEALER
   Anne at the Unveiling of the Commemorative Stamp for the late great Director, Norman Jewison.

Over Four Decades of Excellence in Art Dealing

Anne at the Unveiling of the Commemorative Stamp for the late great Director, Norman Jewison.

Anne (Libby) Fotheringham’s 20 years of owning and operating a leading art gallery and art auction service prepared her for the next 20 years as a private art dealer. Her specialty is the Canadian Group of Seven, modern art, Canadian artists from the 1920s and ‘30s, young Canadian artists, and international artists. She also assists clients with restoration, framing, deaccessioning of collections and appraisals for insurance and estate purposes.

As a young entrepreneur Anne secured her Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto and worked in the real estate and insurance fields in Canada and Finland. Anne is active in the community, having served as Vice-President of Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity, a Director of the Empire Club of Canada, the Canadiana Foundation and the Canadiana Fund which was in charge of the fine art and the decorative arts of the official residences of Canada, a position she held for 17 years. She has been a fundraiser for Bridgepoint Health Centre, Peel Memorial Hospital, the United Way, The Canadian Mental Health Association, the Rotary Club, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, the Canadian Hearing Society, Zonta Club of Toronto II, and many others. She is active in the Badminton and Racket Club of Toronto, the Toronto Hunt Club, and the Lotos Club of New York City.

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Global Art Expert

Anne is the founder of the Libby Memorial Lecture at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. Her extensive travel, meeting art gallerists and heads of art institutions and art auction houses in 63 countries has enhanced her knowledge and contacts, thus serving her clients well. Anne Fotheringham is a sought-after speaker on investing in, curating, and collecting art.

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ASK ANNE FOTHERINGHAM

  • I was exposed to art at an early age. My parents were taking me to meet artists when other children were going to hockey games. I developed a love of art as a result.

  • There are so many wonderful pieces of art all over the world. I have so many favorites, but am always in awe of what I discover.

  • The art market has evolved in so many ways. 40 years ago, a painting was a painting. Now, it is what period of the artist’s work is the painting, what season is the image, what is the size of the artwork, what is the medium, what is the condition, did the artist’s career go anywhere, is it a good example of the artist’s work etc.

    Technology has altered the market as well and is being recognized by astute buyers, as is photographic art.

  • I think a person’s tastes evolve as well. I still like the Group of Seven and their Contemporaries but have developed an appreciation for the abstract artists, surrealists etc.

    Hence, my own collection has an eclectic nature to it. I dress quite conservatively, but I wear a large amount of colour. I can get away with being a bit out there with my dress as I am an art dealer and do not have to dress for going into an office.

  • I have sold Lawren Harris large canvases which were museum quality. I also sold three Tom Thomson oil paintings which showed the different periods of his art career, which was cut short by his untimely death.

  • Provenance is an important part of selling an artwork. Hence, I only will make it known who the seller is once the piece is sold and only if I have their permission.  Otherwise, it is stated “From a Private Collection”.

  • I bid for clients at auction, again due to the confidentiality of the client. There are a number of techniques one should be familiar with to bid at auction.

    Having bid at auction for several decades, I have mastered these techniques, which are to the advantage of the client.

  • I fortunately have never dealt with art theft or forgeries, but if it were the case, it would be handed over to the RCMP for investigation. There also is a list of stolen artworks which the experts would check.

  • The biggest mistake some investors make is thinking they know more than the experts. This leads to making the wrong decisions when investing in art.

  • Someone can invest in art without having a huge wallet, but again, it is best to have a qualified art dealer to give one direction. And remember, the most important thing is to buy what you like.