Donor Spotlight: Jereann Chaney
None of the work that we do at Museum Exchange would be possible without our amazing community of donors. These individuals have let their passion for art lead them on unique collecting journeys. No two stories are alike, just as no two collections are the same. That is certainly true of the esteemed Houston-based collector Jereann Chaney, one of our longstanding donors, whose story we are excited to share.
Jereann is a longtime patron of the arts and has worn many hats in support of the field over more than thirty years—from volunteer to board member. Guided by strong personal instincts and sensibilities, Jereann has built a distinctive, vanguard collection alongside her family. Works from her collection have been included in important exhibitions at leading museums such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. More recently, through Museum Exchange, she has been able to extend her reach to permanently place works at institutions such as the Portland Art Museum, Buffalo AKG Art Museum, and the Birmingham Museum of Art, among others.
Below is a selection of gifted works from Jereann’s wide-ranging collection and excerpts from a recent conversation that we had about her collecting journey:
Folkert de Jong, Human Pyramid (Scene 2), 2007, styrofoam, polyurethane foam and pigment, 98 x 86 x 59 inches. Collection of Portland Art Museum, Gift of Jereann and Holland Chaney.
AS: Can you share a bit about your background and how you started collecting? Why is art important to you?
JC: Art challenges one to view the world and relationships through different aspects and emotions, which makes it so compelling to me. My husband and I started with collecting young, vibrant artists creating edgy works, which led us first to the YBAs [Young British Artists] and then into Asian art, for this was where his business was taking us. We traveled over to China, Japan, and Hong Kong and found the art there new and exciting, which fit our vision for unique art outside of the box.
Assume Vivid Astro Focus, Untitled, 2006, neon, 132 x 36 x 24 inches. Collection of Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Gift of Jereann and Holland Chaney.
AS: How does your collecting coincide with your larger philanthropic work?
JC: Today with my participation on different boards, committees, and supporting artists’ projects, I am still looking at and intrigued by those exhibitions and prospects that are continuing to break down barriers and push the boundaries of artistic experimentation. The curiosity of younger artists has always been fascinating to me and I have not been afraid of [different] mediums: installation, photography, painting, sculpture, or new media.
AS: How did you first hear about Museum Exchange?
JC: [Former gallerist] Mark Moore introduced me to Museum Exchange and Michael Darling. Mark had helped me with a couple of gifts, but felt Museum Exchange would give me more breadth of access to different institutions as I continued to gift works.
AS: In what way has Museum Exchange most significantly supported your art giving?
JC: Museum Exchange has introduced our work to far more entities than I would have ever known. Several works went to institutions I was not familiar with and I am thrilled that these works found marvelous homes there. As I have downsized in my life and some of my works have gone into storage, I am working on finding them new homes, for I know an artist always prefers their work to be seen and not in a crate. Museum Exchange certainly broadens the scope and, even more so, as not simply museums are connected, but also entities in healthcare and education.
AS: Finally, what is a favorite work of art that you’ve collected?
JC: I really do not have a favorite. I believe a viewer gives the art its power, for each individual looks at an art piece [differently], bringing to that viewing their own personal history and imagination. Each work we have collected through the years has a special meaning and the favorites can vary depending on the time and mood and where I am personally at the moment.
We hope you enjoyed this behind the scenes look at just one of the many donors who are part of our community, and look forward to sharing more of these singular profiles with you here.
Jean Shin, Chemical Balance, 2005, prescription pill bottles, epoxy, mirror, 36 x 120 x 40 inches. Collection of Birmingham Museum of Art, Gift of Jereann and Holland Chaney.
