Art Collector Dealer Tony Greco, Gallery on Baum Pittsburgh

Art collection is vast, but is it the real deal?

From Peanuts to Picasso

Sunday, April 11, 2010

By Sally Kalson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

From the world of fine art and illustration, he also advertises pieces by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Henri Matisse, Joan Miro, Andrew Wyeth, Norman Rockwell, Frederic Remington, George Seurat, Jean Cocteau, Erte, Al Hirschfeld, John Lennon, Maurice Sendak and Keith Haring. Mr. Greco says he was friends with Mr. Haring in the mid-1970s, when the latter studied at the now-closed Ivy School of Art in Pittsburgh and Mr. Greco attended Pittsburgh Beauty Academy.

...

Then, in August, his wife of 20 years, Diane Flynn, opened The Gallery on Baum in a former car dealership to showcase and sell some of her husband's art collection.

...
Mrs. Schulz says the family and studio have come across purported Schulz pieces in well-known galleries that are "clearly not Sparky's work" -- "Sparky" was Mr. Schulz's nickname -- and asked that they be removed. In some cases, she says, "Tony Greco was mentioned as the source." She would not identify those gallery owners, saying they did not want to be drawn into a controversy.

...
Mr. Sokolowski, who has seen Mr. Greco's collection, says he doubts the purported Warhols he saw were genuine based on his familiarity with Mr. Warhol's work. He agrees that some authenticators may have ulterior motives but adds that it doesn't make sense to eschew all the experts.

...

Mr. Greco says his critics have an ax to grind.

"They don't want to believe someone like me could have all this great stuff," he says. "The art world is very cliquey, and I'm an outsider they can't control. They're scared of me because I have so much, they don't know where it ends. And you know what? It never ends. If I let it all out, it would depress the market overnight."

article link

follow up article here

...


The Pittsburgh Art Blog

pittsburgh galleries is reborn anew as The Pittsburgh Art Blog. the blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20, 2007.

pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh art advocate rick byerly, www.RickByerly.com.