Five Minutes With... Wendy Goldsmith
Art advisor Wendy Goldsmith shares a few of her prize pieces.
Growing up with an art dealer father, you could say art was in Wendy Goldsmith’s blood. Before she could walk, she was crawling on the floors of the world’s most prestigious auction houses in both New York and London. As a 19-year-old she joined Christie’s 19th century European art department in London and became its youngest director and auctioneer before being transferred to New York where she was made international head of 19th century European art. Goldsmith has relocated from London to the US, finding new roots in the art-world destination of Palm Beach, where she continues to run Goldsmith Art Advisory. Here she shares her day-to-day in a quick-fire Q&A.
What is your morning routine?
My 6.30 wake-up is greeted by an avalanche of texts and emails from Europe. The urgent ones get addressed right away and then I take advantage of the outdoors with either a brisk dog walk or laps in the pool. Coffee and my computer soon follow.
What are your style signifiers?
Because of the climate in Palm Beach, everyone dresses in bright colours and beautiful prints, which looks so happy and uplifting. I followed suit, with dresses by Ulla Johnson and Zimmermann, great for client lunches and dinners, and perfect for summer art fairs in Europe (for the winter art fairs, I’m always in black). Around the house, it’s the neutrals of James Perse.
What would we always find in your fridge?
Château d’Esclans Garrus Rosé.
What would you save if your house was on fire (family and pets already out)?
A Salvador Dali sculpture, Space Venus, left to me by my father.
What was the best recent trip you took?
Three days after I moved to Palm Beach, I was on a plane again (well, three planes over two days) to Al-Ula Saudi Arabia, a sublime and only recently opened to the public desert area in the northwest of the country. We stayed at Habitas, an eco-resort with tents nestled in the most magnificent formation of honeycombed rocks, along with one of the most Instagrammable swimming pools around for when the desert got that little bit too hot.
Where do you want to visit?
Tokyo and Kyoto during blossom season and Bora Bora.
Are you a town mouse or country mouse at heart?
Being able to have both is the ultimate luxury. I need the town for art and the country for sanity.
Introvert or extrovert?
An introverted extrovert.
What would you be doing if you weren’t an art advisor?
Nothing could be more rewarding than being a lifesaving doctor, whether that means a research scientist, GP or surgeon. Unfortunately, as I’m not good with the sight of blood, that idea never got any traction.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
People who overcome great adversity in early life, such as Holocaust survivors, who are still able to have families and create businesses who go on to help so many others. These extraordinary people are usually the most philanthropic and charitable as well.
What would be your ‘death row’ meal?
A Shake Shack cheeseburger, crinkly fries and vintage Krug 2008. You’ve got to go out in style.
Which artists do you currently rate?
I’m very into figurative artists. The current crop of greats includes George Rouy, Danielle McKinney and Jenna Gribbon, all modern-day John Singer Sargents in their own way.
What was the best gift you have received, and the best you have given?
My mother had a rather dreadful-sounding diagnosis recently but with the joys of modern medicine and a genius doctor, her issues were solved with a simple pill, not even an operation, which will give us plenty of more years together. This gift of time is by far the best gift I could have ever received. On the flip side, so much of my work as an art advisor involves education about artists, art history, the market and generally navigating the minefield that this world has become. I’ve watched my clients pick up on the nuances so quickly and witness the great amount of pleasure this adds to their daily lives.
This article originally appeared in Billionaire's Longevity Issue. To subscribe click here.
