The Dealers: Sara Lee Hantman Frames The View

Photos and text by Claire Preston

Much like her favorite painting La Quietude by Kees Van Dongen, a color-rich reverie of sleeping spirits, Sara Lee Hantman captivates with a calm confidence. Since opening her gallery Sea View in January 2023, Hantman has hosted 25 exhibitions. Designed by artist Jorge Pardo as a home studio in the late 1990s, the gallery’s original Mount Washington space welcomed guests with sea breeze-colored mosaics, towering eucalyptus trees, and a warm, wooden glow. Having recently moved to a new location in a historic 1920s Hollywood home, Sea View continues to invite artist friends and art-curious neighbors inside for conversation, harmonious color compositions, and John Daly cocktails. With a chic contemporary roster spanning the globe, Hantman is part East Coast hustler, part West Coast romantic.

Kindling intimacy through special attention to detail, Hantman presents her artists’ work with considerable thought and research, curating her book shelf accordingly. As an art history graduate from New York University, Hantman derives inspiration from archival “picture books,” often visiting the Brand Library in Glendale to browse its renowned collection.

Her stack of checked out titles, which includes Diane Keaton’s California Romantica and a book on Indian contemporary art, New Delhi New Wave, provides rich references that hint at Sea View’s infinite horizon. Inspired by the serenity of nature and distinctive architecture, Hantman also enjoys this cultural institution for its Verdugo Mountain range backdrop, arabesque style, and high vantage point of the city (the library’s official name is El Miradero, meaning “lookout”). Through her attention to detail and welcoming environment, it’s clear Hantman not only cares about the view, but she cares that you see it too.

The Dealers is a year-long photo series featuring up-and-coming art dealers in L.A.

What kind of dealer are you? An optimistic one.

What changes would you like to see in the art industry? More authenticity, more soul.

How do you think the gallery model will evolve? Less overhead. Gallery models are already changing rapidly to accommodate the generational shift and a more wary art world. We’re working within a global art market that is more connected than it ever was, yet most of my relationships depend on real, in-person experiences. The old model prioritized online sales, high-speed growth, and satellite gallery expansions that felt half-baked. Add heavy political and economic instability to the mix—not to mention, the overwhelming number of exhibitions and previews—and collectors and advisors are more likely to support those who are positioned close by, in their own community, the places they can walk or drive to. For me, over the last 15 years, those face-to-face conversations—either in the gallery, on the phone, or at an art fair, where I could spend enough time on the ground—led to actual growth and longtime support.

What is your relationship to risk? You have to be able to take sizable risks every day as a gallerist. I opened Sea View with a $25,000 commission in my pocket and four weeks to put a program together. But it was so much more than a leap of faith, and I don’t believe in blind risks. I ran the numbers, I made some back-up plans, and I had a lot of calls with friends—the collectors, dealers, and artists—who helped me see the big picture. I’ve luckily never had to find the money outside my initial investment to continue growing.

Best advice you have received? Look for what you notice but no one else sees.

Worst advice you have received? Wait for a better time.

What advice do you have for artists on gallery etiquette? Honestly, I’d say gallerists should ask artists for their thoughts on etiquette. But for artists, I’d say, deliver the same level of professionalism and reliability you expect from your gallerists.

Which artists dead or alive would you start collecting given money was no constraint? Let’s say dead, because the list would be way too long: Philip Guston, Lee Lozano, Ruth Asawa, Richard Diebenkorn, Lee Bontecou, Eleonore Koch, Bob Thompson, Cy Twombly, Jackie Winsor, Miyoko Ito, Grigoris Semitekolo, Benedetta Cappa, Egon Schiele, Albert Pinkham Ryder —I’m cutting myself off.

Who are some of your favorite players in the field and why? Gladstone, Greene Naftali, Michael Werner, Matthew Marks, Marc Selwyn, and Stuart Shave Modern Art—because through all the trends, ups and downs, these gallerists haven’t sacrificed their standards for quality and talent.

What do you value most in working with an artist? Trust.

Do you think art fairs are helping or hurting the gallery model? You have to be selective, but I am of the camp that thinks they’re helping.

What do you think separates a good artist from a great one? Sincere and intense conviction.

Any studio visit red flags? Nonchalance. How can I care if you don’t?

Is there a book, film, or person that has shaped how you work? Sylvia Beach.

In your opinion, what responsibilities do galleries have beyond sales? Paying everyone before you pay yourself, checking in with your artists’ goals, being responsive, and collaborating with other galleries, advisors, and curators.

Based in Los Angeles, Claire’s experience includes creative production (event/photo), film photography, and artist marketing/management. She is skilled in understanding a vision, building on ideas and wrangling humans for execution.

More by Claire Preston