Sessions Spotlight – 2023 ASA Personal Property Appraisal Symposium

ASA’s 2023 Personal Property Appraisal Symposium is set to take place April 30-May 2, 2023 at the Kimpton Canary Hotel in Santa Barbara, CA. The event is tailored to personal property appraisers and allied professionals who’ll gain insights into key markets, benefit from scholarly sessions, connect with fellow experts—all while exploring the art, culture and beauty of the Central Coast.

Below is a spotlight of the event’s sessions.

SESSION HIGHLIGHTS

 Art In California and the Missions

• Dr. Pamela Jill Huckins | Associate Professor, Liberal Arts, University of Arizona Global Campus

This session will offer a quick view of the long historical breadth of art production and appreciation in the land that is presently known as the State of California, USA. Under consideration will be pre-Hispanic indigenous arts, their materials, techniques, and uses, as well as their importance today for cultural knowledge and as collectible works of art. Also considered will be paintings, sculptures, and vestments imported to the Spanish missions during the colonial era. The fate of these valuable objects and their demand in contemporary art markets will also be addressed.

Understanding the Market for 20th Century California Fine Art Photography: A Case Study of Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Dorothea Lange and Edward Weston

• Michael Dawson | Appraiser, Fine Art Photography and Rare Book Dealer, Dawson’s Book Shop/Michael Dawson Gallery

Art photography dealer and expert, Michael Dawson will discuss four California photographers of the 20th century who have a global audience. Dawson will provide an overview of key photographs by Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Dorothea Lange and Edward Weston discussing how photographs of the same image from different eras significantly affect the value of the object. Dawson will discuss variations in signatures, stamps, photographic papers, and aesthetic approaches by each photographer and how these influence value. Within the context of each photographer’s work, Dawson will discuss the issue of post humous printing and how it has positively or negatively affected their market.

The Golden Coast of California: Art & Design of the West

• Morgana Blackwelder | Senior Vice President, John Moran Auctioneers & Appraisers

Post gold rush, art was made as a marketing tool for settling in the west. As the fifth largest economy, California has a history of self-promotion from Thomas Hill to the Automobile Club.

Come Alive: A History of Corita Kent

• Olivian Cha | Collections Curator, Corita Art Center

Corita Art Center Collections Curator, Olivian Cha, presents a brief biographical history of the artist, educator, social justice advocate, and former sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary order, Corita Kent. Cha will also elaborate on the unique qualities of Kent’s silkscreen prints, from the varied signatures and her inconsistent approach to edition numbers. Additional information will include the commercial representation of Corita’s work and the Corita Art Center’s approach to licensing and merchandise collaborations.

The Limitless World of Limited Editions: California Fine Art Publishers

• Debra Burchett-Lere | Executive Director/President of the Sam Francis Foundation

California has been a haven for printmaking since the early 1900s, with an increased focus and international attention to printmaking facilities in the region during the 1960s to present day. As a former director of Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles during the 1980s, and curator of the Litho Shop, Santa Monica in the early 1990s, Debra Burchett-Lere will highlight some of the exciting print studios over the decades. This presentation will address some of these publishers that continue to expand the limitless creative processes and explore why artists continue to be engaged in this medium.

How Big is Big? Managing Large and Complex Assignments

• Frances Zeman, M.A., FASA | President, Appraisal Resource Associates
• Stephanie Boris | Principal, Art Collection + Estate Services
• Analee McClellan, ASA | Sole Manager, Acanthus Appraisals & Consultation Svcs., LLC
• Andrea Roth, ASA| CEO, Roth Fine Art Appraisals

The services we provide can be as complex for a single property as they can be for thousands of objects. While every assignment is unique, there are common elements. Panel members will share their approaches to complex and large assignments. Presentation topics will include identifying the scope of work for the assignment, managing client expectations beginning with clear communications and the agreement, competence and determining experts and team members involved, inspections, handling changing scope of work elements, to delivering the final report.

Mexican American, Chicano/a, Latinx and What Comes Next

• Patrick H. Ela, ASA | Principal, Comprehensive Art Services, LLC
• Dr. Susana Smith Bautista | Associate VP and Chief Curator, AltaMed Art Collection
• Angel Diaz | Curator, California Ethnic Multi-Cultural Archives, University of California
• Maria Esther Fernandez | Artistic Director of the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Arts and Culture, Riverside Art Museum
• Rafael Barrientos Martinez | Curator, AltaMed Art Collection, AltaMed
• Dr. Denise Sandoval | Professor, Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies, California State University, Northridge

The panel discussion will present an overview of the rapid development of political, social, and artistic recognition of Hispanic artists in California. It will focus on the past 50 years, particularly on those of Mexican Heritage. Of the 39% of Californians who are Hispanic or nearly 15 Million people, the majority are of Mexican descent. 26 major colleges and universities in California from Stanford and UC Berkeley to Scrips, UC Riverside, and San Diego State University, have Chicano Studies Programs or similar Ethnic studies programs. On top of that, 20 Community colleges in California have similar programs. This rich and diverse society is informed, vibrant, and growing. Their graduates have been a growing presence in the workforce for decades. The panel will discuss the impact that Mexican-American based-movements have had on art, cultural and lifestyle changes in California, and how they have influenced or are influencing markets both now and in the future from Fine art and automobiles to literature and more.

Billing and Fee Policies for the Professional Appraiser

• Rick L. Schwartz, Esq., CPA | Partner, Schwartz & Schwartz, APC

This presentation will assist you in becoming a more competent biller as a professional appraiser. The speaker’s session will include: (a) reviewing the components from your fee agreement that should be included in your bill; (b) discussing the contents of a well-prepared invoice; (c) itemizing best billing practices; and (d) reviewing the psychological aspects of billing from the both client’s and appraiser’s perspectives. Keep in mind that the most financially successive professional appraisers are not necessarily the smartest appraisers, but, instead are the appraisers who provide their clients with the best and complete invoices for their professional services.

Three Branches, Two Years: Understanding Legislative, Regulatory, ad Legal Developments

• John D. Russell | Strategic Partnership Officer, ASA

Now that we’ve settled into the 118th Congress, this session will dive into how the current composition of the House and Senate will affect both legislative and regulatory priorities, along with how the judiciary could inform developments in the personal property world. This session will cover recent cases, proposed legislation, and regulations to be on the lookout for in the coming weeks and months.

Auction House Mergers and Outlook for Collecting

• Leslie Wright | Chairman, North America, Bonhams

This session will cover recent consolidation of auction houses, growth, and the outlook for the market and collecting.

Optional Post-Event Tour Day

Private tours of Mission Santa Barbara, considered the “Queen of the California Missions”, the collections of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, downtown Santa Barbara gallery visits, the Santa Barbara Courthouse with its historic murals, and closing with a private reception in the courtyard of the Santa Barbara Historical Society.

Event sponsors include: John Moran Auctioneers & Appraisers, Sullivan Goss Gallery and John V. Henley, LLC.

Early registration discounts available through February 28, 2023.

Register online at bit.ly/PPAS23 or by calling (800) 272-8258.