Sponsored Post | Golden Age of American Makers: The Barbara and Ed Okun Collection at Santa Fe Art Auction

The Barbara and Ed Okun Collection of Ethnography, Art and American Craft is being auctioned this Saturday (May 1, 2021) by Santa Fe Art Auction. While this post features a choice sampling of ceramic works, the event also features artists in fiber (Dorothy Gill Barnes, Kay Sekimachi), wood (David Ellsworth, Tommy Simpson) and beadwork (Joyce Scott, Carol Sarkisian). One can view all 306 works in the SFAA catalog through Saturday. 

Noted art collectors Barbara and Ed Okun played a national role in the evolution of American art from the 1970’s through to the early 2000’s. At various times they had galleries in St Louis and Santa Fe advancing their art influence nationwide, supporting artists and building private collections.  Throughout their lives they worked on various Museum Boards across the country and were and were significant supporters of the American Craft Museum at the now Museum of Arts and Design in New York. 

Setting roots in the late 1990’s in the place they visited and loved for years, Santa Fe became home and the couple immediately became part of the inner art circles of the town. Building a 6000 square foot majestic home designed by acclaimed architect Charles F. Johnson that overlooked 8 1/2 acres of the New Mexican Badlands, their highly varied collection of art and craft caressed the architecture in an unforgettable installation. 

The auction being held May 1 will include all of the areas of their collecting: Ethnographic, Folk and Outsider Art, Fine Art and American Craft including Fiber, Wood and a emphasis on Ceramic Art from the 1970’s to the early 2000’s.

A partial list of the artists in the ceramics portion:  

Dan Anderson, Clayton Bailey, Robert Brady, Regis Brodie, David Crane, Malcolm Davis, Harris Deller, Barbara Diduk, Eddie Dominguez, Christine Federighi, Ken Ferguson, Kathryn Finnerty, Julia Galloway, David Gilhooly, Andrea Gill, John Glick, William Gordy Jr, Erik Gronborg, Peter Hayes, Ken Hendry, Jason Hess, Chuck Hindes, Peter Horsley, Kwon Soon Hyung, Randy Johnston, Saddiq Kahn, Margaret Bohls, Karen Karnes, Takeichi Kawai, Eva Kwong, Matt Long, James Lovera, Phillip Maberry, James Makins, Enmanuel Maldonado, Joe Mariscal, Roberta Marks, Nancee Meeker, Ron Meyers, Mineo Mizuno, Andy Nasisse, Jeff Oestreich, Jane Peiser, Mark Pharis, Don Pilcher, Elsa Rady, Don Reitz, Jim Romberg, Emily Rossheim, Ted Saupe, Bonnie Seeman, David Shaner, Michael Simon, Sandy Simon, Kevin Snipes, Rudy Staffel, John Stephenson, Akio Takamori, Tip Toland, Robert Turner, Tom Turner, Peter Vandenberg, Jason Walker, Robert Winokur, and Betty Woodman. 

View all 306 works in the SFAA catalog