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Fine art collecting started out as an interest and then an avocation for the then-teenage Steve Hartman.

“I just always enjoyed art. It was something that always fascinated me and then evaluating and collecting art evolved into a passion,” recalls Hartman, owner and founder of Contessa Gallery at Legacy Village in Lyndhurst.

Now the Orange High School, University of Michigan and Wexner Leadership Development Program alum and former vice president of UBS/PaineWebber has parlayed his 19-year vocation as a dealer of fine art works and acquisition counselor to collectors, museums and institutions into a position of leadership in his field.

Contessa Gallery owner and founder Steve Hartman was recently elected president of the board of directors for the Fine Art Dealers Association. Hartman’s collector-oriented gallery at Legacy Village in Lyndhurst is just one of 37 international galleries that are FADA members, and according to a June 16 news release, Hartman aims to help shape and build the vision, renown and benefits of the organization in his new position.

“It is a very significant opportunity,” Hartman said in a statement. “I have been a participating member of the fine arts community for decades, and now I have the platform to continue to promote the highest degree of professionalism, scholarship and integrity within this industry.”

Mississippi-born Jack Spencer is a self-taught photographer known for his stark but breathtaking images of rural life in the American South and West, as well as Mexico. His photos are generally dark, sometimes almost haunted looking, as each scene or portrait is made to look old, as if a patina has developed on its surface. This is not by accident; in the darkroom, Spencer often manipulates his images by painting or adding mixed media glazes on top of the photograph. The end result looks something like a hazy dream. Spencer’s aesthetic could be likened to the magical realist writers Jorge Luis Borges and Gabriel García Márquez, whose writing inspires his images.

It’s a romantic idea, an artist born on a Mediterranean island who makes his work with found objects from the sea. Gilles Cenazandotti is such an artist. Shells are not his interest, however, and while his sculptures and collages are certainly easy on the eye, his latest works, available through Contessa Gallery, carry a powerful and useful message. 

The photographer David Drebin moved to New York and built his artistic reputation on a certain kind of image: dramatic shots of femme fatales set against glamorous urban backdrops. It’s fitting that his new show at Contessa Gallery is called “Chasing Paradise.”

Regard “Eye to Eye: Marilyn” straight on and you’ll see Marilyn Monroe. Move to either and Marilyn will smear. Walk right up to the blonde bombshell and peer through the eyeglass lenses that so change the view in this wall sculpture, one of 21 by David Datuna on view at the Contessa Gallery in Lyndhurst, and you’ll see daubs of paint, mostly red and green, that provide the background.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015 - Cleveland, OH – Contessa Gallery is pleased to be participating in the second annual Art Silicon Valley/San Francisco again this year. Art Silicon Valley/San Francisco has established its reputation for premiering the best and highest quality of 20^th and 21^st century artworks on the West Coast. The fair will run from October 8 – 11. Contessa Gallery will be displaying works by notable contemporary artists, such as; Mr. Brainwash, David Datuna and  David Drebin. They will also be displaying seminal works by Hanneke Beaumont, Jasper Johns and Thomas Scoon. This will also be the second introductory fair where Contessa Gallery will be displaying works by Gilles Cenazandotti. Cenazandotti’s Polar Bear was shown for the first time, on Contessa Gallery’s behalf, at Art Southampton 2015.

Thierry Guetta, internationally known as Mr. Brainwash, began his career in 1999 documenting the underground world of street artists. Eventually this endeavor led him to Banksy, who is arguably the most anonymous and famous street artist today. With the encouragement of Banksy, Guetta began creating his own street art. In 2008, Mr. Brainwash produced his first solo show, Life is Beautiful. This epic exhibition revolutionized the art scene in not only Los Angeles, where the show was held, but worldwide. This phenomenal show skyrocketed Mr. Brainwash’s popularity. Mr. Brainwash’s artistic evolution is documented in the Academy Award nominated film, Exit Through the Gift Shop, coincidently directed by Banksy. Known for his stylistic combination of pop and street art, Guetta creates his works by fusing together historical pop imagery with contemporary cultural iconography. After selling out an entire booth dedicated to Mr. Brainwash in two previous shows, Contessa Gallery looks forward to showing the artist’s newest works at Art Silicon Valley/San Francisco.

David Datuna experienced a breakthrough year in 2014. His unique piece, Portrait of America was exhibited at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery to record attendance at the museum. It is a part of his series Viewpoint of Billions. Datuna’s groundbreaking work incorporated the use of Google Glass. This wearable technology allowed the viewers to interact with images embedded within the artwork. The viewers’ reactions were recorded as they explored Portrait of America. Their exchanges streamed worldwide via the web. Datuna’s success continued with Contessa Gallery’s presentation of Nostalgia for Warhol at Art Miami 2014. The transformative portraits of Marilyn Monroe are part of the artist’s Golden Triangle series. Thematically linking to our time and culture, this recurring triumvirate explores past, present and future. Marked by the documentary debut of Datuna: Portrait of America, 2015 is proving to be another great year for David. The film has been accepted into and will be shown at many prestigious film festivals throughout the world over the next year.

Further highlighting Datuna’s great success, this year at Art Miami New York Contessa Gallery world premiered Datuna’s latest experimentation: mixed media wall sculptures that include Swarovski crystals into the complex web of eyeglasses that are laid over his portraits and flags. Contessa Gallery will be displaying and premiering for the first time new themed works of Hollywood, Music and Sex in the signature style of the artist at Art Silicon Valley/San Francisco. These pieces are certain to be a crowd favorite.

David Drebin is one of the most successful and highly collected photographers working today. Contessa Gallery is world premiering his upcoming book, Chasing Paradise¸ at a solo show for the artist at their gallery on October 2, 2015. This show launches the kickoff of a series of book signings and solo shows throughout the world for the artist. Contessa Gallery’s 2012 exhibition, David Drebin Photographs, was Drebin’s third one-man show at the gallery. It also celebrated the exclusive U.S. release of his newest book, Beautiful Disasters. Drebin’s work was featured alongside photography giants including Arbus, Avedon and Meisel in the exhibition, Fashion!. It was one of the most comprehensive exhibitions of fashion photography ever hosted (Fotografiska Museet in Stockholm, 2010-2011). Contessa Gallery will feature Drebin’s most recent works in photography, lightboxes and neon light installations at Art Silicon Valley/San Francisco. These different mediums broach the secret thoughts of the femme fatales who inhabit the elusive world Drebin creates in his dramatic photographs. At Art Silicon Valley/San Francisco, Contessa Gallery will have signed copies of his upcoming book, Chasing Paradise.

About Contessa Gallery

Founded in 1999, Contessa Gallery offers artworks of exceedingly high quality as well as art acquisition counsel to collectors, museums and institutions. Areas of expertise include pre-20^th century, Modern and Contemporary sculpture, paintings, photography and works on paper. While many galleries focus primarily on artist representation and promotion, Contessa Gallery is collector focused. The gallery’s mission is to assist clients in developing collections that have deep personal meaning. Contessa Gallery encourages its clients to view their collections as a legacy that can be passed down through generations or to art institutions.

The gallery continues to expand its clientele and reputation through its participation in prestigious art fairs, such as; Art Miami, The American International Fine Art Fair (AIFAF) and The Armory Show – Modern. At the philanthropic level, Contessa Gallery aims to make a difference in the community through the contribution of time, expertise, sponsorship and educational programming for museums and organizations dedicated to the arts.

For more detailed information about Contessa Gallery and its endeavors, please visit our website at www.contessagallery.com. You can also contact Steve Hartman directly at 216-956-2825 or via his email: art@contessagallery.com. For high-resolution images of the above-mentioned works, please contact Anna Kasparek at 216-382-7800 or via email: rebecca@contessagallery.com.

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Less than a week after the July Fourth fireworks have faded over Shinnecock Bay, Cleveland-based Contessa Gallery will bring renewed energy to Long Island, New York, with a vibrant booth at Art Southampton. Featuring works by a multitude of artists, both domestic and international, Contessa’s exhibition focuses on two conceptually distinct approaches to art-making: one a sedate examination of material, emotion, and technique, the other an exuberant celebration of kitsch and Americana.  

Wednesday, July 1, 2015, Cleveland, OH – Contessa Gallery is pleased to be participating in Art Southampton again this year. Art Southampton, now in its 4^th season, has established its reputation for premiering the best and highest quality of 20th- and 21st-century artworks in the Hamptons. The fair will run from July 9^th – 13^th. Contessa Gallery will be displaying works by notable contemporary artists Mr. Brainwash, David Datuna, and David Drebin, seminal works by Hanneke Beaumont, Jasper Johns, and Thomas Scoon, as well as introducing the works of Gilles Cenazandotti to the United States.

Thierry Guetta, internationally known as Mr. Brainwash, followed and documented street artists on film beginning in 1999, ultimately filming the most famous street artist: Banksy. At the encouragement of Banksy, Guetta began creating his own street art and had his first solo show as Mr. Brainwash in 2008. Mr. Brainwash’s artistic evolution is documented in the Banksy-directed and Oscar-nominated film, Exit Through the Gift Shop. Known for his Pop Art feel and street-art style, Guetta creates his works by fusing historical pop figures and imagery with current cultural iconography. After selling out an entire booth dedicated to Mr. Brainwash in two previous shows, Contessa Gallery looks forward to showing the artist’s newest works at Art Southampton.

Last year was a watershed year for David Datuna. The artists Portrait of America, part of his Viewpoint of Billions series, showed at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. This groundbreaking work utilized wearable technology allowing the viewers to interact with images embedded within the artwork. As the viewers explored the works visually, their reactions were recorded, archived, and streamed worldwide through the web. Datuna’s success continued with Contessa Gallery’s presentation of Nostalgia for Warhol at Art Miami 2014. This group of transformative portraits of Marilyn Monroe are part of the artist’s Golden Triangle series. This recurring triumvirate in Datuna's reportage explores past, present and future, thematically linking to our time and culture. 2015 is proving to be another great year for David Datuna, as it is marked by the movie premier of Datuna: Portrait of America, a documentary film on the artist. Highlighting the artist’s great success, this year at Art Miami New York Contessa Gallery premiered Datuna’s latest endeavor: new wall sculptures which incorporate Swarovski crystals into the complex web of eyeglasses laid over his portraits and flags. Contessa Gallery will be showcasing these Swarovski crystal wall sculptures at Art Southampton, which are certain to be a crowd favorite.

David Drebin is one of the most successful and highly collected photographers working today. Contessa Gallery’s 2012 exhibition, David Drebin Photographs, was Drebin’s third one-man show at the gallery and celebrated the exclusive U.S. release of his newest book,Beautiful Disasters. His work was featured alongside photography giants including Penn, Avedon, and Meisel in Fashion!, one of the most comprehensive exhibitions of fashion photography ever mounted (Fotografiska Museet in Stockholm). Contessa Gallery will feature Drebin’s most recent works in photography, lightboxes, and Neon light installations at Art Southampton, which illuminate the secret thoughts of the Femme Fatales who inhabit the elusive world of his dramatic photographs.

About Contessa Gallery

Founded in 1999, Contessa Gallery offers artworks of exceedingly high quality as well as art acquisition counsel to collectors, museums, and institutions. Areas of expertise encompass pre-twentieth century, Modern and Contemporary sculpture, paintings, photography, and works on paper. While many galleries focus primarily upon artist representation and promotion, Contessa Gallery is collector oriented. The Gallery’s mission is to assist clients in developing collections that have deep personal meaning. Contessa Gallery encourages its clients to view their collections as a legacy to be passed down through generations of family or on to museums.

The gallery continues to expand its clientele and reputation through its participation in prestigious art fairs such as Art Miami, The American International Fine Art Fair (AIFAF), and The Armory Show – Modern. At the philanthropic level, Contessa Gallery seeks to make a difference in the community through the contribution of time, expertise, sponsorship, and educational programming for museums and arts organizations.

For more detailed information about the gallery, artists, exhibition history, art fair schedule, and philanthropic support, please visit our website:www.contessagallery.com or contact Steve Hartman at 216.956.2825 or via email:art@contessagallery.com.

For high-res images of the above mentioned works please contact Rebecca Roman at 216.382.7800 or via email: rebecca@contessagallery.com.

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Watch the exclusive video interview with Steve Hartman owner/founder of Contessa Gallery. Our authors Guy-Vincent and George Kozmon, have been taking in the sights at this year’s Art Miami New York.