Thirty years ago, building contractor Steven Oliver didn’t give a second thought about art. But since 1985, he and his wife Nancy have assembled at their Sonoma County ranch one of the most ambitious private collections of site-specific sculpture in the United States. In the Spark episode “The Fine Art of Collecting,” get a personal tour of their collection.
When Oliver and his wife became frustrated at the increasing commercialization of art, they decided to take a more proactive approach to encouraging “art for art’s sake” and commissioned art that could neither be moved nor sold. Their first piece was done by artist Judith Shea, and almost 20 years later the Olivers have commissioned 18 more works from some of the world’s most respected artists. However, not just a collector of art, Oliver takes an integral role in the artistic creation process and helping artists create pieces that otherwise would not have been possible.
When Oliver comissioned artist Bruce Nauman to build a quarter-mile-long staircase from the ranch to his home, it took Oliver and his construction crew five months just to pour the concrete for the 289 steps, then Nauman uniquely tailored each step’s height to the hillside. In order to create the pieces “Snake Eyes” and “Box Cars” with artist Richard Serra, Oliver hired Jorgenson Forge of Seattle to accommodate Serra’s exact specifications, as it was one of the only facilities in the world to handle steel blocks of such massive proportions.
In his quest to engender and nurture the growth of art, Oliver forms close, meaningful friendships with the artists he works with. Rather than dealing with a gallery dealer, a museum director or a curator, artists opt to work with Oliver for a more “earthy experience.” As artist and Oliver-collaborator Roger Berry puts it, “A lot of collecting is collecting and then standing in front of the thing you colllected. In Steve’s case, he’s standing behind it. He’s embracing it.”
Oliver also personally gives weekend tours to visitors throughout the spring and fall months. Touring the Oliver Ranch and seeing one-of-a-kind works is no cheap ticket, but all the proceeds go to nonprofit arts organizations such as SFMOMA. Contact your local Bay Area visual arts organization to set up a tour.
Artists with site-specific work on the Oliver Ranch include Terry Allen, Miroslaw Balka, Roger Barry, Ellen Driscoll, Bill Fontana, Kristin Jones, Andrew Ginzel, Andy Goldsworthy, Dennis Leon, Jim Melchert, Bruce Nauman, Martin Puryear, David Rabinowitch, Jim Jennings, Fred Sandback, Richard Serra, Judith Shea, Robert Stackhouse and Ursula Von Rydingsvard. Currently, Ann Hamilton is working on the next Oliver Ranch installation.
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