Jay and Mary Linda Strotkamp

Laguna Beach, CA

What kind of artwork do you collect? The majority of our collection is contemporary representational paintings with a focus on American plein-air artists. We also collect bronze sculptures.

How would you describe your approach to collecting? A shared passion for a work of art is our focal point in collecting. We look for subject matter, design elements, and technique.

Jay and Mary Linda Strotkamp

How many pieces have you acquired over the years? There are about 150 pieces. The majority are oil paintings with a small percentage being sculptures.

How long have you been collecting? The collection began in 1986, but it has expanded significantly since our marriage in 2000.

How did you get started? As an art student, Mary Linda was introduced to the works of a group of young artists at the Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts in Chicago, which was then headed by Richard Schmid. Mary Linda started collecting their art. When we settled in Laguna Beach, our focus broadened to include plein-air and landscape artists throughout the country.

What was the first piece you purchased? Our first joint purchase was a Laguna Beach seascape by Saim Caglayan, from whom we purchased our home in Laguna Beach. The home was once the headquarters for the Laguna Plein Air Artists Association. Saim was co-founder and served as president.

What’s your most recent acquisition? A landscape by Kim Lordier, which we saw at a show at Debra Huse Gallery on Balboa Island. That painting was featured on the June 2011 cover of Southwest Art.

What’s on your wish list for the future? There are many. Nancy Guzik, Quang Ho, Jeremy Lipking, Daniel Keys, Clyde Aspevig, and Albert Handell, to name a few.