Path to Art Advisory: Wendy Cromwell
Wendy Cromwell is the founder of Cromwell Art LLC. She is an art industry veteran with over 25 years experience as an art advisor, appraiser, former Contemporary art auction specialist, art market spokesperson, art historian, lecturer and writer. Her deep market knowledge and connections afford top level access to works of art at all price points, from emerging art to blue-chip. Wendy’s breadth of experience, art historical perspective, and transactional expertise make her an invaluable resource to both individuals and families who want to collect art with strategic guidance.
The headshot taken when Wendy founded Cromwell Art in 2002
What was your first “art world” job?
I was the Art Administrator at Shearson Lehman Brothers. I managed the corporate art collection, created acquisition budgets, acquired new pieces, appraised the art, as well as framed, shipped and installed it throughout the offices.
What's one lesson you learned that has stayed with you?
In a diverse corporate environment, I saw first-hand how people from all walks of life reacted to challenging art and realized I could demystify it, no matter what background the individual came from. Everyone has the capacity for art appreciation even if they don’t know it. That was an incredibly empowering lesson.
Where did you first hear about art advising?
When I was a sophomore at Smith College, I applied for an internship to assist an art advisor, Janice Oresman, who had corporate clients. Janice was a passionate lover of prints, an elegant person, and a detail-oriented professional. She became my mentor, and is still my role model. In fact, it was Janice who first told me about APAA, where she was a founding member.
Who did you look up to when you were first considering art advising?
As a Contemporary art specialist at Sotheby’s in the ‘90s, I looked up to a new generation of art advisors who were working with private collectors as a bull market began to take shape. I observed how, as ambassadors for their clients, they captured market opportunities to build great collections that could not be repeated at those prices today.
What drew you to art advising over other art world careers?
Before I discovered art advising, I had interned at the Met in the Costume Institute. And I had also interned at Leo Castelli Gallery, when Leo was still in charge. As amazing as those experiences were, they felt narrow. I had an insatiable curiosity to see everything and do everything, not be pigeonholed into a period or one group of artists. Art advising allows me to participate at galleries, art fairs, auctions, museum shows and biennials—it all goes into educating my eye and helping my collectors make informed decisions.
A group photo from a panel Wendy participated in at Herrick, the law firm, with a few art world colleagues
A photo of Wendy that was published in Sotheby's catalogs circa 1997-2000
What advice would you give your younger self just starting out on the path to art advising?
Get to work! Early experiences build on themselves and teach you about your own skills. If you love people, can multitask, enjoy sales and are a self-starter, art advising might be a great choice for you. But many roads can lead to this path, in fact, a variety of work experiences can make you a better advisor!
