Reel Urban News Exclusive
By Michael Reel
Teresa Mack, a real estate broker and manager in Los Angeles, often brings potential buyers to View Park, an enclave that boasts homes built in the 1950s. “It’s one of the most desired styles of homes on the market,” explains Mack. “Those buyers who purchase a home like this want the authenticity preserved.”
But one multi-million dollar dream home represented by Mack elicits a gasp from clients as they enter the master suite. On its walls is a three-dimensional tapestry of bonsai trees that extends to the floor. The masterpiece was created by renowned artist Keith Collins over 40 years ago. Collins grew up in and still resides in View Park.
“It’s a tapestry,” Collins explains in an exclusive interview with Reel Urban News. “The concept is free-form and it allows the wall to become a part of the piece. It’s all handmade from pieces of carpet. A mosaic or a puzzle.”
Mack is well-versed in the real estate of View Park. “There is no other home, and I’ve sold hundreds of homes in this neighborhood, that I’ve seen that have this kind of installation in it. Everybody comes in and the first thing they remark on is Collins’ work. And I always try to remind them, ‘I’m selling the house, not the art.’
“Collins’ work is unique, authentic to the time period and it’s reflective of an artist who is from this area.”
Keith Collins’ work has earned worldwide acclaim. The visual artist specializes in large-scale fine art tapestries, oil paintings, and industrial assemblage sculptures, art that takes disparate elements that become works of art in Collins’ hands.
Collins’ art and tapestry installations can be found in more than 75 homes in Southern California as well as galleries and private collections around the world. “I have artwork in museums in Japan, Bern, Switzerland, various parts of Europe, South America as well as Canada.”
Corporate America also clamors for Collins’ work. “I do a lot of commercial work as well,” says Collins. “I paint also; I do oil paintings. The creative process and the creative field are wide open. I like texture. Everything I have has some degree of texture.”
Because of the uniqueness and exclusivity of Collins’ artwork, the majority of his clients learn of the visual artist by word of mouth. But in the 1970s, early in his career, Collins’ goal was to capture the attention of three potential buyers. “I wanted Michael Jackson, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan as clients,” Collins reveals. “I got two out of three.
“I spent a lot of personal time with Michael Jackson in the ’80s and he commissioned probably 13 to 14 pieces. It got to the point where he said, ‘Whatever you do, I’ll buy it.’ I did some work for Magic too.”
While showing the View Park home, Ms. Mack recalled how she introduced a potential buyer to Collins and they were able to gain perspective of the art installation contained within the home. “I was lucky enough to find Keith and ask him to consult with the potential buyers on how they might preserve the artwork while still being able to update the house to current standards.
“Anybody who spends several million dollars on a home is going to want some of the newest things on their floor and walls. But at the same time, there is a balance that allows you to preserve the art history, authenticity and value of what was put here by the family that preceded them.”
Collins continued to assist Mack by providing clients with additional details about the tapestry’s background.
“We had an opportunity for him to talk to other potential buyers,” says Mack, “and it was wonderful because he was really able to convey to them the essence, the value, and really the uniqueness of both the house, the neighborhood, and the art installation within the house.”
“I get emotional about my work and about this home,” adds Collins. “As I reflect back, I was standing in this very room speaking to the original homeowners about the concept. It’s a very emotional time for me. But I enjoy emotions. I bring it and it’s good.”
Following our time with the artist at the property, Collins invited Reel Urban News to his home where each room has become a gallery showcasing his art, artifacts, assemblage, and large-scale tapestries.
Our exclusive tour began just off the main entrance where a brightly colored large-scale tapestry dominated the room.
“The subject matter is Jean-Michel Basquiat, an African American artist who died at 27 years old,” Collins explains. “His most recent piece sold for 125 million dollars in the United States.
“What I did was combine a portrait of him that was photographed by James Van Der Zee, a very famous African American artist out of the Harlem Renaissance period. The piece is 7 feet wide and 10 feet tall. It’s made from wool as well as man-made fibers.”
While taking us from room to room Collins explained that he has had to rebuild the home from the ground up. “This house was burnt down to the ground in 2008.”
A father of five, four daughters and one son, Collins proudly described his family’s love for one another. “They’ve been very instrumental and very supportive of me and my art as I have been of them.”
Collins, a self-described collector, is also comfortable being called a curator. “A curator is not only someone who appreciates the art but someone that supports the art and has a high degree of appreciation for art and artifacts as well as manages collections and things of that sort.”
As our tour of the artist’s home continued, we were left aghast by the quality and volume of the work. Vintage lamps, furniture, oil paintings, photographs, hand-crafted rugs, carpets and tapestries lined the walkways, hung on the walls and covered the floors. Each demanded the attention of a first-time visitor’s eye.
Collins explains that he was inspired by many outstanding artists who paved the way before him. “One of my favorite artists is Ernie Barnes. He was my mentor. Ernie Barnes did the Good Times television show; his art ‘Sugar Shack’ was shown on the show. He was also an incredible painter.”
As we approached the end of our visit, Collins described one of the lessons he learned from Barnes. “I spent a lot of time with him and he taught me about presentation. He said, ‘’It’s not really just about the art, it’s about the presentation. The unveiling of things.'”
“This is a tapestry of my father, Dr. James Douglas Collins. I’ve never cried when I made a piece before but when I worked on this and my Mom’s I did. They passed two weeks apart.
“My father was a radiologist professor and he also invented many medical processes like the dye they put through veins to find out what’s wrong with you. He was a specialist in that area.
“He went to Meharry Medical College. You could only go to Meharry or Howard Medical School if you were a black person. So he’s very precious to me and I’m honored to have a father like this.
Turning to the tapestry of his mother, Collins explained her influence on the development of his talent. “Again, the tears when I worked on this piece. My Mom is the most supportive individual person in my life. When I was a child she supported all of my little arts and crafts. She inspired me, Mrs. Cecilia Edith Collins. I’m very partial. She’s the best Mom and grandmother.”
We closed our video interview with Collins, who spoke exclusively with Michael Reel of Reel Urban News, by noting his distinctive signature on his artwork.
“When I put my name on something it’s something I’m proud of,” says Collins. “When I’m signing something, I feel it.”
