A Conversation with Megan Toy
Gallery Manager of Grenning Gallery
26 Main Street Sag Harbor, NY 11963 (P.O. Box 3049) @grenning.gallery

When did you first fall in love with art? For you, what is the importance of the arts?
I first fell in love with art in a high school photography class. My teacher was very encouraging of me; he made me feel like my point of view was not only unique, but it mattered. I quickly became interested in all creative expression, but more so what motivated the expression. Why was “this” created? Why is it valuable? Or deemed worthless? And who has the power to make those claims on value and importance? A whole world was opened to me out of pure curiosity.

What does your typical day at Grenning Gallery look like? And what do you love about your job? I like to start my day at the ocean or in the woods. Connecting with nature. On Long Island, we are lucky to be able to visit the sea in minutes, from any direction. After exercise, I check emails over coffee, and get right to work. Once in the gallery, the day's plans usually get pushed to the side by a walk-in client, which is always top priority. The Best thing about the work that I do is seeing the joy an artwork can bring a collector, and knowing that the sale will encourage the artist to continue their career as an artist. Supporting living artists is so rewarding! oh and i should mention that AA is the only reason why i became successful - i never would have gotten to where i am today if i was not sober. So there are usually AA meetings scattered around my schedule.

What exhibitions or projects are you working on at the moment? How do you approach introducing new talent alongside established names in your exhibition programming? Right now, we are exhibiting “Tight Lines,” which is a fisherman-themed exhibition of 5 artists, the first exhibition for a 26-year-old painter, Rolf Hellem (who we are very excited to represent and introduce to our collectors). I am looking forward to our season’s schedule, where we will exhibit new works from Tina Orsolic Dalessio, Emily Persson, Marc Dalessio, Kelly Carmody, Ben Fenske, Hunt Slonem, Nelson Holbrook White, and Darius Yektai.

The work of art most important for me is… I know it’s cliché, but Van Gogh’s paintings give me a breath of relief every time I see one. I think it’s his robust appreciation of nature and humility.

Which artist, alive or dead, would you like to meet?
Dead, Van Gogh. Alive, Anselm Kiefer.

How do you select artists and artworks for your gallery? What qualities and criteria are you looking for? First and foremost, Skill. I’m looking for artists who have devoted themselves to mastering their craft. And second, Authenticity! You can really feel the difference between an artist laying it all out on the canvas, vs just trying to make something sellable. Most importantly, I have to like the work. If I don’t want to live with the works I’m selling, then I simply cannot sell them.

A great thing about living in Sag Harbor is, although we are 100 miles east of NYC, “out in the country” as some people say, we are lucky to thrive off of NYC residents having beach houses, or just taking weekends in Sag Harbor.

In your opinion, what role do galleries play in shaping public perception of contemporary social issues? How do you balance the educational and aesthetic aspects of an exhibition? The arts are hugely important for social impact. I wrote my thesis on Gerhard Richter and Anselm Kiefer and how their art reflected their Nazi Heritages. There are some topics that are labeled taboo or inappropriate to discuss, and sometimes Artists need to be the catalysts of these discussions. With that said, art should also serve as a respite from social chaos. A meditation of simpler pleasures, like a beautiful landscape.

How has your background influenced your work? I grew up in a working-class family, surrounded by wealth in the Hamptons. I grew up without art on our walls. I was motivated to understand why art was important, and who was in power of determining importance.

Can you describe a mentor or influential figure and the impact they had on your professional development? What advice would you give to aspiring gallery owners? What are the biggest challenges facing gallery owners today, and how do you navigate them? My mentor is my boss, Laura Grenning. She is a powerhouse businesswoman. In working for her, I’ve seen the clear difference between galleries that are operating for the artists, vs galleries that are operating for the dealer. The Grenning Gallery is open to support talented artists, and that drives our business. I’ve worked for other galleries where it’s all about the gallery owner’s needs. Placing their “friends” in exhibitions and giving huge discounts to other “friends”. These types of galleries have fast approaching expiration dates. Vanity projects never survive the test of time.

Sustainability is clearly important at Grenning Gallery. Can you share more about how your gallery integrates environmental consciousness into its everyday practices and strategic decisions? We are HUGE on sustainability. We save and reuse all packing materials, we only ship carbon-neutral, and we rarely participate in art fairs. In my opinion, the same 50 galleries are usually at every art fair, showing the same regurgitated derivative works that are, in my opinion, in poor taste.

You’ve expressed skepticism about AI’s role in art. How do you see human creativity and connection continuing to define the gallery experience in a rapidly changing technological landscape? I’m really uninterested in AI. I’m impressed by human talents and I thrive on human connections. This obsession with capitalizing on AI is immoral - It feels like society has not read enough science fiction…

Photo credit: Megan Toy

Interviewed by Mia Funk - Artist, Interviewer, and Founder of The Creative Process and One Planet Podcast. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.