Distinguished gallery owner Sherry Washington makes her cache of figurative, abstract and landscape art available to seasoned collectors and novice laymen vis-à-vis making it accessible as well as affordable. Washington, a former municipal employee in Detroit, says the formula for discerning what to buy and actually making the acquisition is relatively simple — you simply have to want to. Although the astute and congenial collector has an innate and natural appreciation for art, she encourages potential patrons and collectors to jump in with both feet, and The Sherry Washington Gallery is an ideal jumping off point. –roz edward
What is good art?
A good artist — someone who strives to be the best — will get professional training. Jacob Lawrence didn’t go to school for art, but he did [study] with professionals. You should research the artist. Make sure the artist is a professional, full-time artist who makes a living at it, and that the artist has been collected. … Go to museums and art galleries and talk to professionals. Talk to the artist and ask them about what you’re looking at.
Does your gallery specialize in African American art or black artists?
No, I carry a [diversity]. To me, there’s no such thing as just “black art” or “white art.” When you look at your clothes, are they all designed by black designers? Is your home [designed] by a black architect or your car by a black engineer? … I represent contemporary art and artists like benny Andrews, Senghor Reid, Gilda Snowden, Richard Mayhew, Shirely Woodson, Norman Doza and Phil Sanders.
What were the challenges in establishing your gallery?
You have to have confidence to go into a historically white world and say, “I have artists of value. Don’t judge me by my black skin or by my hair. Judge me by who I am and what I represent. Judge me by the fact that when I present an artist, their work can stand with any work in the last thousand years.”
Why did you leave your position in city government to open an art gallery?
I was disenchanted with politics. As a female, you can only go so high. I didn’t play the game; I didn’t date any of the people that I worked for. I did my job, and I did it well.
Is good art affordable?
The people who buy are people with disposable income. Luckily, I have a payment plan and I make it affordable for people to acquire art. I know people, who if they had bought one piece of art a year, they would have a collection valued at several hundred thousand dollars now, as opposed to buying fur coats and fancy cars.
