Our Summer Spotlight series continues with Susan Nelly, a longtime member of AWAD’s New York/Tri-State chapter, and the founder and director of The Villa America Fine Art. Read on to learn more about Susan, as she tells us about her business and art world journey, facilitating a major museum acquisition, and how she takes inspiration from the French Riviera.
What is the name of your business, where are you located and when did you start?
I am the Founder and Director of The Villa America Fine Art, an independent fine art advisory based in New York City. I founded the business in 2014 to provide collectors with personalized, independent guidance in acquiring, selling, and managing exceptional works of art.
What is your professional background?
My career began at Sotheby’s before continuing with Spanierman Gallery, where I specialized in American paintings, and later Bonhams Auctioneers & Appraisers. Over the past three decades, I have advised private collectors, museums, institutions, family offices, and designers on acquisitions, sales, valuations, provenance research, and collection management across the American, Impressionist, Modern, Post-War, and Contemporary markets.
What inspired you to take the leap and start your own business?
I wanted the freedom to represent my clients’ interests independently and without the limitations of gallery inventory. My goal has always been to build long-term relationships based on trust, connoisseurship, and thoughtful advice while helping collectors experience the excitement of discovering exceptional works of art—what I like to call “the thrill of the hunt.”
What does your business offer, in terms of goods and services?
The Villa America Fine Art provides private advisory services for acquisitions and sales, collection management, provenance research, valuations, market analysis, curatorial guidance, and the strategic placement of works through both private and auction channels. I also collaborate with museums, galleries, architects, interior designers, artists, and collectors on projects ranging from single acquisitions to long-term collection development.
What is your favorite part about being a Member of the Association of Women Art Dealers?
AWAD brings together an extraordinary community of accomplished women who generously share their knowledge, experience, and passion for the arts. I value the friendships, professional collaborations, and the collective commitment to supporting one another while strengthening the role of women within the art market.
What was a recent highlight for you in your work?
A recent career highlight was sourcing The Apprentice by William Merritt Chase from Debra Force Fine Art and placing it with the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Hunter’s outstanding collection—spanning the Hudson River School, American Impressionism, the Ashcan School, Early Modernism, Regionalism, and Contemporary art—aligns beautifully with the vision of The Villa America Fine Art, making this acquisition especially meaningful.
Originally exhibited at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Apprentice is an intimate and timeless work that can now be enjoyed by a broad public audience. Connecting exceptional works of art with museums and collectors where they can be preserved, appreciated, and shared is one of the most rewarding aspects of my work—and truly embodies what I call “the thrill of the hunt.”
If you could own any work of art, what would it be?
Choosing just one work of art is nearly impossible, but if I had to select a favorite, it would be Pablo Picasso’s The Bathers (1918). Beyond my admiration for Picasso’s extraordinary artistic vision, I have always been drawn to the warmth, vitality, and luminous colors of the Mediterranean. My love of the beach, the light of the Côte d’Azur, and the timeless spirit of the French Riviera beautifully reflect the inspiration behind The Villa America Fine Art.
The name Villa America was inspired by Gerald and Sara Murphy and their legendary home on the French Riviera, where artists, writers, musicians, and collectors gathered to exchange ideas and celebrate creativity. Their philosophy of friendship, beauty, curiosity, and the art of living has long inspired both my personal outlook and my business. To me, Picasso’s The Bathers captures that same joyful spirit of light, optimism, and the enduring connection between art and life.
One of the greatest privileges of being an art advisor is that, although I may never own this masterpiece, I have the opportunity to spend my life discovering, researching, and placing exceptional works of art with collectors and museums where they can be appreciated and enjoyed for generations to come. That, to me, is the true “thrill of the hunt.”
What would you recommend to any art-lovers visiting your city this summer?
New York City offers endless inspiration. I always recommend exploring both the major museums and the city’s remarkable gallery neighborhoods, where visitors can experience everything from museum-quality historical exhibitions to exciting contemporary artists. Equally important is taking time to enjoy the city’s parks, architecture, cafés, and neighborhoods—New York itself is one of the world’s great works of art.
Any fun summer plans, art-related or otherwise?
This summer has been filled with reconnecting with collectors, colleagues, and friends while continuing to grow The Villa America Fine Art. I am looking forward to several exciting new collaborations, exploring exhibitions throughout New York, and spending time by the water whenever I can. Summer always reminds me to slow down, appreciate beauty, and enjoy the journey as much as the destination.
Image courtesy of Susan Nelly
