Jonathan Travis, a realtor and art collector who has helped drive the migration of New York galleries to Tribeca, discusses his collecting habits in an interview with The Art Newspaper. Travis, a partner at Redwood Property Group, has found Tribeca homes for around 40 galleries and co-founded the Wolf Hill artist residency in Chappaqua, New York, with Ethan Rafii. He shares details about his first purchase (a Nicole Eisenman painting), his most recent acquisition (a Masanori Tomita painting), and his strong gut reactions when buying art in person. He also mentions works in his collection by artists such as Sasha Gordon, Jenna Gribbon, and Arcmanoro Niles, and expresses excitement for the Salvador Dalí show at Di Donna and the May auctions.
This interview matters because it offers insight into the collecting psychology of a key figure behind the Tribeca gallery boom, a major shift in New York's art geography over the past decade. Travis's role as both a real estate broker and a collector highlights the intersection of property development and the art market, while his candid comments about decision-making, regret, and art fairs provide a rare, personal perspective on contemporary collecting. The piece also underscores the growing importance of artist residencies like Wolf Hill in supporting emerging talent.