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Halima Taha  

Authority on Collecting African American Art

Halima Taha is recognized throughout the U.S. as an authority on collecting African American art and arts management. For more than twenty years, she continues to contribute to the field as an appraiser, art advisor, educator and speaker. Author of the best selling book, "Collecting African American Art: Works on Paper and Canvas" (Crown, 1/99 and Verve Editions 1/05) and "Three Decades of American Printmaking: the Brandywine Collection" (Hudson Hills Press, 10/04). Ms. Taha is a highly sought media personality and consultant. She was featured in USA Today and has appeared on many shows including Fox News, Good Day New York and PBS, where her highly acclaimed book was featured as a choice membership incentive. Her experience includes her leadership as an arts advocate and spokesperson, lecturer, former Managing Director and Art Gallery Owner, specializing in 20th Century art and photography.

Her consulting expertise keeps her in demand and includes fine art appraising, private and corporate art collections development, visual and performing artist's management, institutional public program planning and arts and education curriculum development. Former member of the faculty of the College of New Rochelle, she is listed in the Annual Yearbook of Experts, Authorities and Spokespersons.

Ms. Taha earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Sarah Lawrence College, New York University and Shepperton University. She earned her degrees in the Liberal Arts, Arts Management & Cultural Policy and Art History. She has a Certificate in Appraisal Studies and Decorative Art from New York University and a certificate in the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. She serves on state and local art panels and juries, and actively lectures for university, civic and cultural organizations nationwide. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Alliance of African American Artists and the Visual Arts Foundation. She is also a member of ArtTable, Inc., the National Association of Female Executives, the College Art Association, the African American Museum Association and the Appraisers Association of America. She is also a New York State Council on the Arts recipient for screen writing.

Popular Topics:

Collecting African American Art

Perhaps the most popular of Ms. Taha's lectures is Collecting African American Art, a direct off shoot of her best selling book "Collecting African American Art: Works on Paper and Canvas" (Crown, 1999 and Verve Editions, 2005) in its oral presentation form. Ms. Taha uses Collecting African American Art as a case study for any person interested in becoming a collector, for those wishing to expand their collections, or for those with sizable collections looking to optimize their investments. Because the African American art market is today's most rapidly expanding and popular market, Ms. Taha's long time involvement and expertise in this area is also quite useful to audiences. All facets of collecting, protecting, buying and selling art are discussed in this presentation, including how to protect you from forgeries and price gougers. Most importantly, Ms. Taha encourages prospective collectors to remain connected with the beauty of the work they acquire as opposed to merely viewing the pieces solely as property - in this way, she suggests collecting becomes both financially and personally rewarding.

Self Management Tools for Visual Artists

This presentation fills the void in most fine art curriculums that emphasize art history and studio courses for their students without providing a bridge between art making and its relationship to the business of art and the art of business. Ms. Taha takes this last concept further by targeting museum studies, art administration and fine arts majors in high school and college by exposing them to the collective activity of the art world - artists, dealers, auction houses, critics, curators, academia and collectors - as a means of guiding artists toward proactive strategies to insure successful careers as professional fine artists. In addition, Ms. Taha provides invaluable information to artists about the how to of being a practicing artist, how to market oneself, how to conduct studio visits and gallery interviews, sales and exhibition options, how to locate funding sources, and how to relate to the academic side of the art world. For those who wish to fold their artistic talent and training into more commercial areas of art those options are discussed, while those who wish to produce works of art for their living will find practical information and inspiration. Whereas most artists are discouraged from pursuing their talent as a career for fear of financial destitution, Ms. Taha's message is clar and resounding, "Yes! You can do it, and here is how you can do it!"

Appraising African American Art This presentation focuses on art as a commodity and asset addressing the following questions: What constitutes an appraisal? How does the appraiser determine value? What are the differences and similarities in the appraisal process for American art in general and African American art in particular? Why can the same work of art have many different appraised values and how are these values used? How do appraisers handle items outside of their area of specialization? What can the collector do to prepare for an appraisal? What are the various distinctions within the marketplace under the umbrella of African American art and how does that impact the appraisal? The importance of record keeping and understanding the various stages in a collection's well being and fiscal care through a professional appraisal.  Ms. Taha provides practical and motivational information for collectors, art enthusiasts, artists and arts professionals.

Protecting and Preserving Your Collection

Risk management does not only refer to insurance and traditional investment portfolios.  The conscientious and appropriate care of original works of art require a check list as part of a strategic plan to effectively protect and preserve your collection. This presentation addresses the issues of physical care, framing, insurance, security and conservation. Audiences are invited to reconsider and discover innovative ways of being more responsible for the material historicism of art that resides on the walls and floors of their offices and homes.

Tailor made presentations are also available to meet the needs of audiences.

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