Connecting People with Art : Amanda Goetze of Goetze Art & Design

Written by Terri Glazer | Photography by Ross Group Creative

“My mother jokes that I sell art out of the back of my car, but I’m really a gallery on the go,” says Amanda Goetze of her business, Goetze Art and Design. “I don’t have a brick-and-mortar situation; I will have a pop-up show or an open house occasionally, but generally I work with individuals.”

Her clients, most of whom become repeat customers, value the concierge service she provides. “Someone might approach me and say, ‘Come over to my house and let me see what you think might work.’ We talk, because art can be really intimidating to people. We look at the space and we look at their price point. Then we get a feel of what they’re interested in, what they connect with, and we go from there. I really love the matchmaking. I love that ‘aha’ when it comes together.”

New Orleans-based artist Ida Floreak is fascinated with specimens of plants and insects. The remarkable realism in her work has the ability to bring nature indoors. Her work refers to a centuries-old tradition of botanical and animal illustration but is thoroughly modern in feel. While at home in this beautiful traditional interior, her paintings add a modern touch, and the arrangement of these paintings in a graduated pyramid adds to this contemporary feel.

Goetze currently represents a variety of artists both domestic and international. She keeps a few works from each artist in her home as examples so potential clients can see their styles. If customers don’t find a connection, she goes beyond her represented artists to find the perfect match. “I really enjoy the hunt—finding an emerging talent,” she says.

Access to artists nowadays is virtually limitless, thanks to the internet, says Goetze, “The social media world has changed how artists work. They can sell directly to the consumer, but a lot of them don’t have the time to do it or the know-how to do it, so that’s what I try to do. I try to connect people with the art.”

"I really pride myself on being able to work within my clients price point. Art should be accessible; finding a piece that speaks to you doesn't need to cost a million dollars” says Goetze. Goetze started her own collection at a young age (“At my house we bought art before we bought furniture!”) and encourages others to do the same. “I love the idea of being able to tell the story of a painting as part of a family’s lore: ‘I bought that for myself when I got my first promotion.’ or ‘We found that in Charleston in a little place.’” 

This piece, The Exhibitionist, created by modern naturalist Adam Batchelor seems made for the space. It’s an incredible triptych that fits beautifully over the side board.

The wallpaper is an important feature in this dining room, and the client was reluctant to hide or detract from it. So it was crucial that the chosen artwork complemented rather than competed with the space. Batchelor’s work was a perfect choice.

This client’s home is filled with beautiful antiques and traditional spaces. This Adam Batchelor piece, Le Petit Jaune Mobil, is right at home with its traditional techniques and subject matter, but I also love Batchelor’s addition of modern elements, such as the abstract shape of the red string and the unusual posture of the bird itself. We framed it simply, letting the movement of the bird take center show.

This bedroom features a tall ceiling and is both soft and light-filled. The task was to source artwork to occupy a difficult space above the bed. The color and subject matter of this commissioned series by John Matthew Moore echoes the softness the room and provides a serene focal point of interest. By floating the work in the frame, the art appears almost suspended in the space.

Goetze’s personal story as an art lover started before she can even remember. Her mother was part of a group of artist friends who had a studio in Midtown and both her parents were avid art collectors who instilled the love in their daughter. “As a child, I was fortunate to get to enjoy art. I went to classes at the Memphis Academy of Art and I loved mixing colors. My mother used to put pictures of famous paintings on the refrigerator down at my level for me to enjoy.”

As a new college graduate, Goetze wanted to put her freshly minted art history degree from the University of Richmond to use in a Washington, DC, gallery. “I lived on someone’s couch, literally, and pounded the pavement trying to find a job,” she recalls. Eventually she left a resume in Sen. Bill Frist’s office, which led to a job offer. “I got a call later that day and they said, ‘We’ve got a great job for you operating the elevator in the US Capitol. My father said, ‘You better take that job!’ so I did.”

A chance conversation in that elevator with then-senator from Mississippi Thad Cochran led Goetze to a job in the government relations office of the Smithsonian Institution, where Cochran was a regent.

The lifelong aficionado was in heaven in a work environment where there was so much art that it couldn’t all be displayed—”There was art hanging over the copier!” she recalls. “It was the ultimate job for a 23-year-old.”

It was here that Goetze’s penchant for matching the right piece with the right person got its start. “The Smithsonian would work with officials at Capitol building to place art in congressional offices, so it could be seen by people. I would coordinate with congressional members to help them select artwork for their offices, which was really neat,” she remembers. For example, Goetze assisted a Missouri member of congress in borrowing peace pipes that were indigenous to his congressional district.

Once she moved back to Memphis, word of her “matchmaking” expertise got around. “Just on the side, people would come to my house and say, ‘I wish you’d help me find this or that,’ so I did,” Goetze says, and her business was born. In addition to helping clients select new works, she also sells art on consignment. "If you have a piece of art that you inherited or that no longer speaks to you, I try to find it a new home.  It's a great way to pass art along and turn it into someone else's heirloom."

We commissioned Charleston-based artist Katherine Dunlap to paint this work, which is inspired by a family photo (see right on shelf). The acrylic on board painting is an absolute fit, bringing personality and joy to the space.

She encourages clients to consider more than just the aesthetic value of artworks they purchase. “It’s important to think of art as an investment. Tastes change. A piece of art doesn’t have to be the heirloom forever. Of course, you want to love it, but it is truly an investment you enjoy, as well.”

Winter Wonderland Party

Written by and Photographys courtesy of Jim Norton

What could be better than a beautiful birthday dinner for a beautiful friend with a pretty table and delicious food? Not much if you ask me! Recently, I hosted one of these dinners for our sweet friend, Singer/Songwriter Kelly Lang. From my table to the food I wanted everything to be perfect and that included the guest list! Laughter flowed all evening with stories from Kelly’s husband, Country Music Legend TG Sheppard, along with Priscilla Presley, Jack and Leighanne Soden, Pat Kerr Trigrett, Dr. Jonathan Ellichman and his wife Nicole, Dianne Norton, and Robert Walden.  

Guests arrived around 7:00pm and were escorted back to the bar to start the party off with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.  About an hour into the party I asked guests to follow me to the dining room to be seated for dinner! With it being winter and pretty chill here in Tennessee I wanted my table to reflect that. I decided on a Winter Wonderland themed table with tall crystal trees, flocked evergreen, and touches of soft purples to bring in a little color. One of my favorite touches of the evening were the menu cards I made for each guest. Easy to make and definitely beautiful, I purchased the glitter card stock at a local craft store and cut it to the desired size. I printed the menu on a pearlized paper, cut it a tad smaller that the glittered piece and glue it on top. To finish, I attached elegant snowflake stickers to add color and depth. Time consuming? A little. But well worth it as every lady at the table asked if they could take theirs home. 

To start the evening I served a guest favorite, my Filet of Halibut atop Cream Cheese Grits with Country Ham topped with Wild Mushroom Marsala Broth. One of the guests, who has eaten at restaurants around the world, said he had never had a better halibut course. Next, I served a delicious Mixed Greens Salad with Granny Smith Apples, Dried Cranberries, Red Onion, Candied Pecans, and Goat Cheese topped with my homemade Sweet Blush Vinaigrette. For the entree I made Prosciutto and Sage Wrapped Pork Tenderlion with Buttered Shallots, Creamy Mushroom Risotto, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Applewood Smoked Bacon. Needless to say, I don’t like for my guests to go home hungry! 

Dessert was the showstopper for me! For the birthday girl I didn’t want to do anything expected. So, instead of a traditional birthday cake I had a little fun! I made each guest a hollow white chocolate ball, about four inches in diameter, and embellished it with edible flowers I dusted in pink and yellow edible dusting powder. To top them off I used melted white chocolate as glue and attached beautiful dragonflies made of edible wafer paper...the birthday girl loves dragonflies. Hidden under each embellished ball I placed a tower of decadent carrot cake with cream cheese icing. Once a dessert had been placed in front of each guest I circled the table with my hot butterscotch glaze, pouring a liberal amount over each ball causing them to melt and reveal the hidden dessert beneath. 

We finished the evening with a delicious port to accompany the dessert as Kelly opened her birthday gifts. It was the perfect evening and I think everyone had a wonderful time. Especially me as I love nothing more than having guests around my dining table. 

An Enlightened Home

Written by Terri Glazer | Photography by Annabella Charles

Years of planning result in a light-filled home in which beauty and practicality mesh seamlessly.

“Less is more” are words interior designer Cindy McCord takes to heart in her work. That mantra is evident in her own home year round, and particularly when it comes to decking the halls for the holidays.

The owner of this East Memphis home says she has always been inspired by natural light. “It’s just uplifting,” she explains. That love played heavily into the plan when the couple turned to David Anderson, a Memphis architect who specializes in custom homes, to create the house where they are raising their family.

Lots of light was at the top of the must-haves they gave Anderson—a long list compiled over time and with much thought. “There was an existing home here that my husband had originally lived in, and we were living next door. We planned for probably seven years, just kind of dreaming and planning and sketching out ideas and making wish lists,” the homeowner recalls. “Then finally, we decided to take the plunge. We bulldozed the house that was here. [Construction] took about a year and a half to complete, start to finish.” Lockwood Griffin of Griffin Homes was the builder. 

 “We wanted so many windows in the home. David has this knack for windows,” says the homeowner. “He really delivered on just where to put the windows so light would filter in but we’d still have privacy.”

“We’re living in this house. We want it to be nice and neat and have a charm to it without the pressure of perfection.” 

— Home Owner

Nowhere is the emphasis on windows more evident than in the home’s dining area. Situated at the front of the house, adjacent to the open kitchen, a double-height set of windows backs a banquette that spans the entire length of the space. The windows continue around the corner to the room’s west wall, allowing even more light to flood in. 

Every aspect of the dining room, from its size and scale to the furnishings, is the product of careful consideration. “When we built the house we knew we didn’t want an enormous footprint on everything so we tried to consolidate and work with David on making the most of a space without it being so grand. Palladio built the long bench and we decided that since we were having a banquette, it would be easier when we’re having multiple guests over, as they’re sitting on the banquette, to have a table that would split for the ease of getting in and out. 

That “light-filled-and-not-enormous” aesthetic continues into the adjacent kitchen. Explains the homeowner, “With the floor plan being so open, the area kind of turns into one big living space. I didn’t want it to read so much as kitchen.” To that end, she decided to forego wall cabinets and  selected a refrigerator that didn’t require a front vent. Even the barstools that border the kitchen island are upholstered, for a “softer look,” she says. Although the white fabric on the seats looks refined, it’s also easy to clean, a must with seven-year-old twin sons in the family.

Despite the absence of upper cabinets, this kitchen offers plenty of storage, from drawers in the oversized island, to the sizeable pantry just behind it, a feature the homeowner describes as a happy coincidence. “When we were working with David on revisions, we were, again, trying to keep the footprint from being so large. We had to make a change in the powder room and it ended up enlarging my pantry. I was so glad because I went from a little broom closet to this pantry that has storage, a nook for keeping track of lists and even a little dog food spot.” The clever addition of barn doors allows the owners to close off the pantry when entertaining, transforming the area from a utilitarian necessity to a passthrough leading guests to the powder room. “We wanted to have seating enough for friends and family,” says the homeowner, “but we also knew this room would be lived in. The kids are going to have their pillow fights in here so it’s all furniture we can use.” Pieces range from a coffee table the family had in their previous residence and a well-loved leather chair to a new sofa, chairs and accessories selected specifically for the room. 

Along with an abundance of light, a sense of tranquility permeates the house, thanks in part to the neutral color palette that runs throughout. The oak floors are finished with a simple classic gray stain, the walls are washed in a soft white, and the furnishings range from light-toned woods to soothing beiges, grays and taupes. “I like a calm in my life. I didn’t want to have too much going on everywhere and I wanted things to flow nicely,” says the homeowner. “We’re living in this house. We want it to be nice and neat and have a charm to it without the pressure of perfection.” 

The downstairs master suite is a serene retreat. A tall ceiling in the bedroom creates a roomy feel which the homeowner loves, although she admits her favorite touch is out of plain sight. Flanking the room’s window alcove, full-length drapes hide a wall-mounted TV when it’s not in use. The curtains can open to let in the natural light the couple so loves or close completely for privacy. Elegant, yet completely livable, the master bath exudes a spa-like feel with a free-standing soaking tub and clean white fixtures dressed up with gold accents. 

A generous guest suite completes the home’s first floor, but upstairs is the domain of the children. At the top of the staircase a rec room holds all the toys two busy boys could need, plus a TV and a cozy window seat—the perfect spot to read a book. Originally conceived as attic space, the room came to be as part of the effort to minimize wasted space. “Basically all the hallways. That’s why we have this little area outside the boys’ bedrooms,” says the homeowner.

Brilliantly designed with twins in mind, the two children’s bedrooms are almost identical and each has its own bath. The wall that separates them is more aperture than barrier, a large cased opening with barn doors. Says their mother, “With twin boys, we didn’t know. Right now they love sharing a bedroom, but maybe one day they’ll want separate bedrooms, but would still want that feeling of being together. Or if they had sleepovers, it’s an area that could have the feel of a suite. They can close the barn doors for privacy, or if we have extra family come in it can serve as a second guest room.”

Just outside the boys’ bedrooms and open to the downstairs, a study loft holds two desks for homework, topped by built-in bookcases laden with family treasures. “Things that were my husband’s parents’. Things that were his. It’s sweet to have a little spot where you can put those mementoes.” And, spoken like a true mom, she adds, “With it being in the loft area I can still kind of hear what’s going on. I can take a peek up and make sure they’re at their desks.”

When it came to their home’s exterior and outdoor living, the owners applied the same detailed thought process that went into the inside spaces. “With a new construction home, we didn’t want it to look brand new; that’s why we chose reclaimed brick. We debated on every single detail about it...how far apart we spaced the bricks to the color of the mortar. We put samples up and looked at new brick that was supposed to look like old brick. We were lucky to find this old, old brick that helped give the house that instant patina and charm.”

Even the fence was the subject of careful planning. “We didn’t want it to feel like a barrier, but just something to help contain two little boys and a dog. We wanted it to feel homey.”

Out back, a cozy covered porch and an inviting pool promise sun-filled days and family memories waiting to be made. Like the rest of the home, the T-shaped pool design was intentional, with children and their safety in mind. “I really wanted a shallow end that the kids could play in,” says the homeowner. “I always pictured a basketball or volleyball game going on in the shallow end.”

Even the detached garage is well thought out and useful for the entire family. In addition to room for two cars, the garage has plenty of storage and even a “kids’ garage” for the boys’ bikes and gear. Above, a studio space provides room for the homeowner to create art, a passion she put on the back burner while her children were younger. And, of course, it has great natural crosslight, she admits. “It has windows on the front and back walls, so it’s a great space.”

With a degree in graphic design and a love for fine art in general, it’s no wonder that the homeowner fell in love with the design process—”the options and the studying and research and building a layout of just want you want.” Through deliberate planning and with expert professionals carrying out that plan, she created an inspired and light-filled nest where her family can thrive.