A COUPLE’S COLLECTION
San Antonio’s Dr. Harmon and Harriet Kelley share the story behind their African-American art collection By Mauri Elbel
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..hen Dr. Harmon and Harriet Kelley bought Hidden Heritage at the San Antonio Museum of Art in their first painting, they never anticipated they December 1987. would be among the top collectors of African“Harriet and I were invited to go to the exhibition, and American art just a quarter century later. we went having never seen any paintings like this that Today, the San Antonio-based couple is known for one of had been done by African-Americans––at least not of the the largest and most comprehensive collections of works degree that we saw at Hidden Heritage,” says Dr. Harmon by African-American artists––some of the paintings they Kelley, who remains a full-time practicing obstetricianown are displayed permanently in museums while others gynecologist in San Antonio. “We were completely overwhelmed. We went back multiple times and were tour nationally and abroad. quite impressed. At that first exhibition, we saw things But their impressive collection had small beginnings, an that spoke to us; things we had experienced.” interest-turned-passion that started when the couple attended an exhibition of works by black artists titled But seeing African-American art in that magnitude for
66 On The Town | January/February 2014