May 1, 2017

Meet Kay Bragg of Lagerquist Gallery in Buckhead

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kay Bragg.

Kay, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Gallery was founded in 1970 by my mother Evelyn Lagerquist. I introduced her to an artist I met while attending Ole Miss. She began representing his work and one artist led to many. We still represent Dale Rayburn, our first artist. I joined the gallery in 1977 and have now taken over the day to day responsibilities of the gallery. We moved from our longtime location on Paces Ferry Place in 2016 to our new location on Miami Circle in Buckhead.

Has it been a smooth road?
In general, the art market mirrors the volatility of the economy/stock market. In lean years, the disposable income for most clients shrinks and so do art sales. We are very fortunate to have been in business for over 47 years and have a very loyal client and collector base that has helped us weather the political and economic ups and downs.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
We specialize in representing emerging and well established artists. We have made our name as a gallery that will work with all clients to try and fill in any gaps in a seasoned collection as well as help introduce the novice to the joy of collecting. We do on site consultations and commission work when needed.

We are most proud of the reputation we have within the gallery business. Our proven record of longevity, honesty and client service is well known.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I would recommend the art business to anyone if they have the wherewithal to handle the financial demands for the first several years. Starting from zero is very difficult. Atlanta has exploded with “art galleries” some good some not so good and the market has become saturated.

Unfortunately, most young people now do not learn about fine art in schools in order to appreciate the gallery experience. Local leaders should openly support and encourage the arts across the board. The Arts not only employ artists but many other people who depend on galleries for a living (installers, designers, shipping and pack services etc.) We are a small industry that brings visitors and collectors from all over who leave tax money here in the city.

Most all large companies that have moved to Atlanta are interested in what Atlanta can offer their employees culturally. The Arts are a very important component in Atlanta’s growth.

Pricing: