Eva Reynolds is a painter, art dealer, and the owner of Eva Reynolds Fine Art Gallery in Overland Park, Kansas. Voted as one of the best galleries in the United States in both 2018 and 2019 and one of the state’s top galleries for three consecutive years, Eva Reynolds Fine Art Gallery specializes in showcasing a selection of 20th century European and American painting and sculpture. Since establishing the gallery in 1989, she has worked with thousands of individual collectors and artists as well as helping to curate and install corporate art collections for major players in the regional and national business scenes, and has hosted a number of internationally-acclaimed touring retrospectives and complementary cultural events, including opera performances. Born and raised in Poland by her mother, Valarie, a gifted and ambitious painter who had been unable to pursue a career in the fine arts, Ms. Reynolds recalls that her “inspiration was her upbringing,” and that she grew up surrounded by art.
Ms. Reynolds was accepted to the Art Institute in Poland, an aggressively competitive state-sponsored school where she attended classes between 10 and 12 hours a day to earn a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design. Following her graduation, she immigrated to the United States to pursue a career in the arts, emphasizing that at the time, the Polish government remained fairly authoritarian, and that her chances of finding success in the arts remained slim there. She continued her education in the United States, completing a Master of Fine Arts in studio painting at the University of Missouri Kansas City, and is an expert in both painting and restoration. Though Ms. Reynolds does not currently maintain an artistic practice, she feels that her background as an artist is key to her interactions with the artists she represents and to building a strong rapport between artists and clients.
Prior to opening Eva Reynolds Fine Art Gallery, Ms. Reynolds worked at smaller local art galleries and established a thriving art consultation business. She attributes her success to her ongoing passion for art and considers herself fortunate to be surrounded by creators and others who share her passions. Ms. Reynolds has been previously honored as one of the Top 5 Most Influential Women in the Community, a position she takes to heart with her dedication to charitable work and cultural outreach programs. She has been active with a group of young women philanthropists doing groundbreaking work in the area, including, most notably, her work in developing an arts education program tailored to the needs of children and youth with disabilities.
Ms. Reynolds’ passion is facilitating collectors’ and viewers’ development of a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the artworks they view, and to that end, she strives to turn show openings at her gallery into educational multimedia events. She hopes to be remembered for her deep knowledge and love for the arts, and treasures several instances of collectors who have returned to the gallery years after a purchase to thank her for her guidance in building or understanding their collections.
In the coming years, Ms. Reynolds hopes to continue her work with a greater emphasis on travel and flexibility. With less of a need to be physically present at the gallery, she hopes to re-establish her presence as a consultant and visit galleries and studios across the globe. Ms. Reynolds can be reached at Eva Reynolds Fine Art Gallery at [email protected].