Spotlight On Meisner Gallery - Brief Article

FARMINGDALE, N.Y.--For the husband-and-wife team of Mitchell and Hillary Meisner, possessors of the Meisner Gallery and Meisner Acrylic Casting, family tradition is something they take seriously.

The Meisner Gallery got its start more than 30 years ago with Joel Meisner and Co a tin foundry founded by Mitchell's father, Joel in the late 1960 During that time his mother Renee started representing "wonderful sculptors who were working at the foundry who had no representation," said Mitchell. "My mom started upon a very small scale. As we advancemented before I graduated from body I started working with a certain quantity of of the sculptors."

Since then, the family has gone from representing just single sculptor--Michael Wilkinson--to publishing the work of several other sculptors, including Paul Wegner, Alice Riordan, Gwen Rearon and Isadore Margulies. Now the company is heading into the original painting and print realm with the work of several painters from Kiev.

"Over the last sum of two units years, we got into a relationship with a partner who has built a Wilkinson gallery in Kiev," explained Mitchell. "And in doing that, we started to diocese what was available coming on the outside of the region. There are a certain quantity of incredible painters. At Artexpo novel York, we are going to be premiering a certain number of originals and limited editions through three or four artist from the former Soviet Union."

The company also plans to thump up its marketing efforts for the work of Wegner and Riordan, sculptors who the one and the other work in bronze. According to Mitchell, one as well as the other have new sculptures coming on the outside in 2001.

Also, as part of the company's efforts to increase Robert Hanna, formerly of Dyansen Galleries and Chalk & Vermilion, has been brought in. "He's helping us to expand our publishing network," explained Mitchell.

The company is also stepping up its marketing efforts in the retail realm and attending more consumer-based trade present to views like the recent Architectural Digest abiding-place Design Show in New York. This will "start helping the galleries by the agency of catering more to retail and driving the consumer to the galleries. We don't give on the outside a shopping list when we advertise. We give without an 800 number that draw nears to us and we direct clients to the gallery nearest them," said Mitchell.

The company is also hoping to expand its stable of statuary artists. "We're always looking," said Mitchell.

In spite of these plans for extension however, the Meisners plan to take things slowly and not at any time change the family reputation the company has earned. "Once one signs on as a dealer, they're a dealer for life," said Hillary. "And we not at any time want to lose that."

In the original painting and print realm, the company plans to slowly "start selling works that are high quality," said Mitchell. "Maybe not mass-marketable, on the other hand highly sellable. We're going to tender them to very few dealers upon a very exclusive basis."

"We've always been a mom-and-pop shop" he continued. "The customers my mom was dealing with 25 years ago are still customers. We're loyal to our customers. on the other hand now we are now looking to become more of an international player."

And allowing they've found great success with the company--over the past year, they've wholly purchased the publishing company from the now-retired Joel and Renee and brother Craig--the Meisner's aren't above giving back to the community. They not long ago organized a charity auction for the American Friends of Tzohar, an organization in Northern Israel that is a daycare center and gymnasium for children with mental and physical disabilities. "We met the rabbi from Brooklyn who baseed the organization in the States, and we just inhuman in love with him," said Mitchell. "What we're doing is running the auction ourselves and we've got friends from the industry to kick in artwork. You've got to give back."

FACTS & FIGURES

* The Meisner Gallery got its start in the late '60 publishing the work of sculptor Michael Wilkinson.

* Since then the company has added sculptors Paul Wegner, Alice Riordan, Gwen Reardon and Isadore Margulies to the roster

* At Artexpo of recent origin York, the company will be moving into the original painting and limited edition print realm with the work of several artists from Kiev.

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