Collecting with Purpose: Art, Patronage, and the Practice of Legacy
By George Wells, Founder & CEO, The Wells Group of New York
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For me, collecting began long before I could afford to collect. It started as curiosity a fascination with how artists translate lived experience into form, and how those forms, in turn, shape our collective imagination. Over time, that curiosity evolved into a practice: one that sits at the intersection of passion, responsibility, and legacy.
The Origins of a Collector
My journey began while serving as CFO at Lehmann Maupin. I was surrounded daily by artists whose work expanded how I understood value — not in balance sheets or forecasts, but in the way art measures what a culture believes is worth preserving. The first work that truly shifted my perspective was Mickalene Thomas’s Whoopi Goldberg. The portrait was powerful, humorous, layered, but beyond its surface, it carried questions about representation and visibility. It became clear that collecting could be a form of self-expression, and in some sense, an act of reclamation.
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That realization changed everything. I began to see collecting not as acquisition, but as authorship a chance to participate in the broader cultural conversation, to ensure that artists of color, queer artists, and women artists occupy the institutional and historical space they deserve.
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Building a Collection Around Story
Every collection tells a story. Mine began with works on paper, photography, and sculpture by artists such as Rashid Johnson, Nari Ward, and McArthur Binion — and expanded toward painting and mixed media as I followed narratives of identity, abstraction, and resilience.
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When I acquire a piece, I balance instinct with inquiry. Instinct draws me to a work; research gives that impulse longevity. I ask: does this artist reflect something of who I am? And does the work contribute to a larger cultural dialogue that will still matter decades from now?
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The result is a collection that functions as both personal reflection and cultural record a living archive of how art responds to visibility, memory, and power.
From Private Collection to Public Legacy
In 2020, I donated a $1 million collection to my alma mater, Morehouse College. The gift included works by artists such as Amy Sherald, Tomashi Jackson, and Mickalene Thomas, artists whose practices illuminate the fullness of Black life and creativity. The goal wasn’t simply to donate art; it was to help build an institutional foundation where future artists, curators, and historians could see themselves represented.
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That donation grew into a broader partnership through Morehouse’s Making Men of Consequence campaign and the expansion of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel, which now includes a new exhibition space dedicated to contemporary art. Integrating Morehouse’s archival legacy with living artists allows the next generation to experience art not as something distant, but as a continuation of their own story.​
​​Patronage as Participation
The act of collecting extends beyond acquisition. It’s about participation. At The Wells Group, we think of patronage the way we think of investment as stewardship. Supporting an artist’s career, underwriting a catalogue, funding a residency, or joining a museum board are ways of contributing to the infrastructure that sustains creativity.
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Collectors today have the chance to act as catalysts to bridge institutions and independent voices, to connect resources with vision, and to ensure that creative ecosystems remain resilient in uncertain times. Patronage is not just generosity; it’s cultural leadership.
Practical Lessons for New Collectors
For anyone beginning their collecting journey, I often share three principles:
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Start with intention. Ask yourself what story you want to tell about your life, your values, or your time.
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Invest in relationships. The art world runs on trust. The people who handle your framing, shipping, and conservation are as important as the galleries who sell you art.
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Treat care as part of creation. Documentation, insurance, and storage aren’t administrative burdens, they’re how you honor the work and ensure it lives beyond you.
Collecting responsibly is itself a creative act. It allows art to move from personal discovery to shared heritage.
Art as an Extension of Our Values
At its core, collecting reflects belief in artists, in community, in continuity. Through The Wells Group, I’ve come to see that the principles of finance and collecting are not so different. Both ask us to allocate resources with purpose, to balance passion with planning, and to think long-term about impact.
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When we collect art, we’re not just acquiring objects; we’re participating in history. We’re deciding what endures.
George Wells
Founder & CEO, The Wells Group of New York
Trustee, Parrish Art Museum · Co-Chair, Tate Americas Foundation · Member, Whitney Museum Artists Council