We had the good fortune of connecting with Rachel Cole and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachel, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
I would say that the single most important decision I made that contributed to my success was to return to graduate school to study art history. There are so many things that go into being a good art advisor, such as having strong relationships and possessing this intangible thing that we call a “good eye.” But being able to approach my work from a scholarly perspective has given my practice so much depth and allowed me to pursue a greater number of avenues when it comes to building and managing unique, meaningful collections. Most people outside of the art world would have no reason to understand that buying art isn’t like walking into a store and taking something off a shelf, but is instead a much more thorough and nuanced process. This is where I come in, armed with lots of practical skills and the academic foundation underpinning everything.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I have two complementary businesses: Rachel Cole Art Advisory, which is established, and Romulus, which is launching soon. I opened RCAA in 2019 after working in various capacities in the art world, but I came to advising relatively early on. I love being able to find those lesser known artists that I know are right on the precipice of gaining a lot of attention, and place them in either private collections where they will have so much personal meaning for the collector, or public collections, where so many people will have the opportunity to experience them.

I wouldn’t say that getting to this stage of my career has been easy in the sense that I work very hard and dedicate myself almost entirely to art, but overall it has been a joy and a privilege to do this work. Unfortunately, the art world can feel very insular and closed-off, and as with many industries, young minority women like myself often feel like we have to work that much harder to be taken seriously. But I do believe that things are shifting, and one of the ways I am addressing the barriers in the art world is to launch Romulus, which is an art-tech platform is designed to make the logistics of art collecting – especially for new collectors – more seamless. So my response to the challenges that I’ve encountered along the way is to think productively and broadly. I want to fix what is not working well in the art world so that it can be a more inclusive, diverse, and transparent industry. I am committed to serving artists and collectors, and to bringing as many people as possible to the table, because that benefits everyone.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting me in New York, it would be a lot of art galleries and museums, long walks around the southern tip of Manhattan, a picnic in Central Park, pasta in Little Italy (Paesano’s is a must), cocktails and sunset at the South Street Seaport, steak at Harry’s, oysters at Paris Cafe, and tea at the Plaza, in no particular order.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d love to shoutout my dear friend Brigitte Mulholland, Director of Anton Kern Gallery in New York. Brigitte supported me from day one, teaching me the ins and outs of the art world, who to trust, and was always a sounding board for me. She also encouraged me to pursue my MA in Art History at Hunter College, her alma mater. She has such integrity and an incredible eye – I can’t imagine what the art world would be like without her!

Website: www.rachelcoleartadvisory.com and www.romulus.art

Instagram: @rachelcoleartadvisor @romulus.art.ig

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