About Heritage Auctions - Art: Fine Art

Aviva Lehmann is a leading voice in the American art market, with over 25 years of experience shaping the field at the highest level. As Deputy Chairman of Fine Art at Heritage Auctions, she has played a central role in expanding the firm’s presence in American Art and Illustration, bringing major collections to market and achieving record-setting results.

A former specialist at Christie’s, Lehmann is known as a strategic thinker and market innovator, particularly through her work at Heritage, where she has helped redefine the market for narrative and American art.

She has led landmark sales, including the Boy Scouts of America’s Norman Rockwell Collection and the Barry and Maria King Collection of Early American Modernism, and has handled masterworks by Norman Rockwell, Georgia O’Keeffe, Robert Motherwell, Helen Frankenthaler, Andy Warhol, and J.C. Leyendecker. Most recently, she oversaw the $7.2 million sale of Rockwell’s So You Want to See the President!, acquired by the White House Historical Association.

A sought-after speaker and commentator, Lehmann lectures widely on the art market and has served as an adjunct professor at New York University, where she taught Appraisal and Valuation for 5 years. She has been profiled by Artnet as a “power broker” and is a frequent media voice, with appearances on Bloomberg and Fox News and features in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes. She also serves as an art advisor for Apple TV+.

Nick Nicholson joined Heritage Auctions in October of 2023 with more than 25 years of experience as an art advisor, USPAP-compliant appraiser, specialist, and executive, having worked at Christie’s, Freeman’s, museums, not-for-profit cultural institutions, and luxury firms. His career spans divisional leadership, senior specialist and curatorial roles, and independent advisory practice, giving him deep, practical expertise in valuation, estate planning, and the stewardship of complex collections of fine and decorative art.

In leading Heritage’s Museum Services initiatives, Nick partners with museums, institutions, and corporate collections to shape, refine, and responsibly steward their collections in accordance with museum standards and best practices. He works closely with museum directors, boards, collections committees, and curatorial staff on projects of all scales, working with Heritage’s more than 125 specialists across 50+ categories to deliver effective mission-aligned solutions.

Nick led the creation of Heritage’s Russian Works of Art department in 2024. He has since helped establish Heritage as the leading U.S. auction house for Russian art and Fabergé. He has overseen the sale of several landmark collections, including the Estate of Princess Maria Romanoff, the Fabergé Heritage Collection, and property from the Collection of A La Vieille Russie, as well as many other important private and institutional collections. Heritage holds international auction records for works by Fabergé, Kurlyukov, Ovchinnikov, Rückert, and others. 

Roberta Kramer is a 25-year veteran of the art and antiques world. Before beginning her career in auctions, she spent two years curating for the Ben Uri Art Society in London. Returning stateside, Roberta served as Gallery Director for J. Rosenthal Fine Art until her interest in Continental Antiques led her to a management position at Rita Bucheit, Ltd. In 1992, with her extensive knowledge of fine art and antiques, Roberta started her auction career at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers as an account executive. In 1995, after taking a leave to found the Antiques Center at Kinzie Square, she was named Consignment Director of newly formed Chicago auction house, Susanin’s Auctions. While at Susanin’s she also managed the appraisal department and served as principal auctioneer alongside Sean Susanin. In 2001 she founded Roberta Kramer & Associates, Inc., a firm specializing in appraisals and art consulting. A recognized USPAP qualified appraiser and licensed auctioneer, Roberta has served as a charity auctioneer for numerous charities and has been a frequent contributor to Art & Antiques Magazine. 

Roberta joined HA in 2016, opening the first regional office in the Midwest for the company.  Along with her staff of specialists in multiple areas of collecting, she serves the Chicago and greater midwestern region of the country.

With two decades of experience in the auction industry, Alissa brings a wealth of expertise in American and Western Art. She joined Heritage Auctions in 2011 as Vice President of American & Western Art, leveraging her extensive background gained from working at leading auction houses in California and New York, as well as collaborating with some of the nation’s most esteemed art dealers. Well-versed in the intricacies of the art market, she has managed multi-million-dollar collections across the country.  

Recognized by Southwest Magazine as one of the Women Leaders shaping the art world, Alissa possesses a deep understanding of both historical and contemporary American Western Art. Her expertise spans from iconic masters such as Albert Bierstadt, Frederic Remington, and the Taos Society of Artists to modern visionaries like Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Howard Terpning, positioning her as a key authority in this dynamic sector.  

In addition to her leadership role, Alissa has served as a distinguished auctioneer for over 20 years, conducting auctions for both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. As one of Heritage Auctions' most senior auctioneers, she continues to make a significant impact on the industry.

Frank Hettig is Heritage Auction’s Vice President of Modern & Contemporary Art. In addition to more than 12 years of auction experience, Frank has a well-regarded reputation as a curator, critic and connoisseur of contemporary art.  

Trained as an art historian at the University of Amsterdam, Frank advised on exhibitions and museum catalogues and has lectured at a number of colleges and universities both in the US and overseas.  At both the Goethe-Institute Los Angeles (German Cultural Institute) and the Consulate General of the Netherlands, he conceptualized and coordinated a variety of international cultural events including lectures and symposia, guest artist exhibitions and performing arts programs.  As an independent art critic, he has written reviews and features in English, German and Dutch for publications such as Archis, Art/Text, Artforum, Bauwelt, Forum International, das Kunstwerk, Kunstforum and Metropolis, among others. Frank implemented numerous private and corporate art collections, including those of several Fortune 100 companies. Under his leadership, modern & contemporary works, prints, and multiples achieved world records results. 

Karen has enjoyed a 45-year career in decorative arts, fueled by her interest in the history of the interior and its furnishings. She joined Heritage Auctions in 2007, following Heritage Auction’s first decorative arts auction in 2004. She oversees the broad-ranging auction category of Furniture and Decorative Arts, which covers ceramics, glass, woodwork, and metalwork in addition to furniture. Karen helped build the first standalone biannual auction of Fine Silver & Objects of Vertu in 2008 and has directed the auction series since 2012.

Karen’s fascination with the decorative arts started in her earliest years, spending weekends at Estate Sales in her hometown of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, and developed as an undergraduate Interior Design student at Michigan State University, where she was given the keys to the storage below the Spartan’s football stadium with instruction to catalog their extensive holdings of donated decorative arts from the 19-20th centuries. Her interests led to an internship at the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Department of Furniture & Woodwork, where the curatorial staff directed her research and orchestrated weekend trips to magnificent country houses. They guided her to a Master’s Degree in Decorative Arts History from Parsons’s School of Design and the New School for Social Research through the Cooper Hewitt Museum.  Her career began in the curatorial departments of distinguished collections, including the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, where she oversaw the reinstallation of the decorative arts collections and period rooms as well as establishing the collecting direction of the Norwest Modernism Collection.

Following the birth of her first child, Karen changed course and directed furniture and decorative arts galleries in Birmingham, MI, Chicago, and Atlanta.  An adventuresome spirit led her and her family to Cyprus, where she operated a bed and breakfast while studying the ancient ruins, particularly the floor mosaics of the UNESCO site in Paphos.  Returning to the US in 2003 she developed a decorative arts history curriculum and taught graduate and undergraduate courses for institutions, including Georgia State University and Dallas College, before joining Heritage Auctions full-time in 2007.

Nigel Russell was educated at Vassar College and the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he studied Photographic Science and Engineering. He started his career in 1979 at Sotheby's London cataloguing antique cameras and scientific instruments and instituted Sotheby's first auctions devoted solely to cameras, photographic viewers and optical toys. In 1981 he transferred to Sotheby's New York as Assistant Departmental Director of the Collectibles Department and was responsible for the auction of the Dobran Collection of Photographica, the first sale of its kind in America.

After leaving Sotheby's Russell became the curator of the Spira Collection, New York, a private collection of approximately 20,000 items relating to the history of photography. He remained there until 1999, then working at Swann Auction Galleries as the Photographs & Camera Specialist. Subsequent to Swann"s, Russell was back at Sotheby's as the Director of the Photographs Department for Sothebys.com and at Christie's New York as a Photographs Specialist. He also consulted on antique and collectible cameras for Adorama, New York and WestLicht Photographica Auctions, Vienna.

From November 2005 to March 2006, Nigel was a photography consultant for the National Counsel for Culture, Art & Heritage, Doha, Qatar and worked as Photography Curator for the Qatar Museums Authority from November 2006 until March 2013.

Nigel is a major contributor to "The History of Photography As Seen Through The Spira Collection," published by Aperture in the fall of 2001 and co-author of "Spirit Capture: Photographs from the National Museum of the American Indian," published by the Smithsonian in the fall of 1998 as well as a contributor to various photography magazines. He was a member of the advisory committee of the Technology Department of the International Museum of Photography at the George Eastman House and has also lectured on the Photography Auction Market and Collecting Photographica.

Holly Sherratt has more than 20 years of fine art experience and has worked in the auction industry for more than fifteen years. As a well-regarded Modern and Contemporary Art specialist, she has directed the sales of hundreds of important collections nationwide. She was the founding Director of Made in California Art at a major auction house and was instrumental in establishing world record prices for dozens of artists. She was also Head of Museum Programs at the world’s largest art online retailer, managing strategic partnerships with museums such as MoMA, British Museum, and the de Young. With vast auction, business development, and non-profit experience, she has built relationships with collectors, arts organizations, and fiduciaries around the world.  

Holly received her BA in Art History from UCLA and MA in Visual Studies (Art History and Critical Theory) from UCI. She trained at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Laguna Art Museum. Holly also completed coursework at Loyola Law School and received the distinguished American Jurisprudence Awards for both legal writing and criminal law before transferring to graduate school. She is an active member of the San Francisco arts community. She served on the Board of Directors of Contemporary Extension at the SFMOMA and is an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco.

Art historian Dr. Marianne Berardi serves as Heritage Auctions' Senior Expert in American Art and Director of Old Master Paintings. Her dual expertise in American 20^th-Century Art and Dutch 17^th Century Painting was the combination which first brought her to Heritage in 2006 to research and write the book-length auction catalogue for the Walsh Family Collection of American and European Painting sold through Heritage in the Fall of 2006. Since that time she was responsible for bringing to Heritage the following collections and estates, as well as researching and writing their accompanying catalogues: the Hon. Judge Paul H. Buchanan Collection of American Painting (November 11, 2009);Lucille Ball Memorabilia from the Collection of Susie Morton and Gary Morton (Lucille Ball’s second husband) (November 14, 2010); The Collection of Paul Gregory and Janet Gaynor (March 20, 2011); Contemporary Art from the Estate of Dr. Edmund P. Pillsbury (October 26, 2011); Selections from the American Painting Collection of the Jean and Graham Devoe Williford Charitable Trust (May 15, 2012; May 11, 2013; and May 2014 forthcoming).

Marianne holds both a M.A. in 20^th Century American Art and a Ph.D. in Dutch 17^th-Century Art from the University of Pittsburgh. She held a Kress Fellowship; a Theodore Rousseau Fellowship in connoisseurship studies at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; and two consecutive Andrew W. Mellon fellowships. During her five-year tenure as Director of the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of American Art in St. Joseph, Missouri, she published widely on Benton and the Regionalists. In 1993, she curated a comprehensive exhibition of the work of Thomas Hart Benton and many of his pupils whom she tracked down from many regions of the United States. The exhibition, Under the Influence: The Students of Thomas Hart Benton (1993), was accompanied by her book-length catalogue of the same title. In 2010, her book on Benton pupil Margot Peet (Discovering Margot Peet) was published by Posterity Press. Following her move to Cleveland, Ohio, Marianne served as Director of the Cleveland Artists Foundation. She has taught art history at the University of Pittsburgh, the Kansas City Art Institute, Case Western Reserve University, and John Carroll University.  She has a reading knowledge of French, Dutch, German, and Italian. She is currently completing a monograph and catalogue raisonne on the celebrated Dutch flower painter, Rachel Ruysch (1664-1750), on whom she is the recognized authority.

Sarahjane Blum joined Heritage in 2024, bringing with her decades of experience as an art dealer, cultural historian, curator, and writer. She is an internationally acknowledged expert in the fields of Illustration Art, and photography.

Before joining Heritage, Blum was the co-owner of Grapefruit Moon Gallery, an innovative and leading player in the fields of Illustration Art and photography. There, she carved out an international reputation via media and live appearances, curated gallery shows, and online engagement. Blum has been a featured presenter at museums, academic conferences, and national collector events. Her writing on film and culture has appeared in The Brooklyn Rail, among other places. She is the co-author of The Art of Pin Up (Taschen Books, 2014) and is featured in documentaries on Pin Up Art and Glamour photography. She holds an MA in History from Georgetown University, where she completed additional PhD coursework. 

Taylor Curry joined Heritage Auctions in 2013 and over his career, has been instrumental in the growth of the Modern & Contemporary Department. Having had the opportunity to live around the world in his youth, Taylor acquired a deep appreciation for art in its many forms. As that grew into a passion, he decided to pursue and ultimately earn an undergraduate degree in the History of Art from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. While completing his studies, he trained with the renowned Ingleby Gallery in Edinburgh, where he developed a keen interest in the business side of the art world. Looking to build on his gallery experience, he applied and was accepted to the Sotheby's Institute of Art and went on to earn a Master's Degree in Art Business.

Following graduation, he joined Heritage and has since enjoyed working across a number of fields in the auction business. In 2016, he joined Heritage's Modern and Contemporary Art team and is currently the Director of Modern & Contemporary Art in New York. Combining his love of contemporary art and knowledge of the auction business, and looks to provide his clients with the highest possible level of service. One of the founding specialists of the "In Focus" and Urban Art sales, Taylor focuses on advising collectors on emerging artists and collecting, selling, and buying blue-chip artwork. Part of Taylor's success has been his ability to bring new and fresh works to market while maintaining an extensive network of collectors, dealers, advisors, and institutions. 

Taylor prioritizes trust and transparency in all his professional relationships and has completed the coursework and examination in the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. As an expert in the art market, he has lectured widely, most recently at New York University and Sotheby's Institute of Art. Follow Taylor's work at Heritage on Instagram @TheTaylorCurry for an inside look.

Specialties include: Modern & Contemporary Art, Prints & Multiples, and Urban Art.

Taylor Gattinella nurtured a lifelong passion for learning about art before joining Heritage as a Consignment Director for Fine & Decorative Arts. A double major in Art History and French at Southern Methodist University, she interned with a local auction house and was hooked from her first experience researching and handling important works of art.

Along with her time at Heritage, Gattinella has worked in the auction industry for over 10 years at houses such as Dallas Auction Gallery, Christie's and Phillips. This experience includes multiple areas of the business from Client Services to Marketing to specializing in the Fine Art secondary market. Her specialties include American Paintings & Sculptures, Decorative Arts, European Paintings & Sculptures, Modern & Contemporary Art, Prints & Multiples, and Western & California Art. 

Exploring new cities and their museums to learn about the local history and art scene is one of her greatest passions. Based in Heritage’s New York City office, she also spends much of her time frequenting the city’s numerous art institutions. 

With over 30 years of expertise in Contemporary and Post-War art, Rebecca Lax serves as Consignment Director of Prints & Multiples at Heritage Auctions in New York. A recognized authority in Contemporary and Post-War Prints, Rebecca also brings deep experience in unique works and contemporary photography, with a particular specialization in Pop Art authentication and valuation.

Throughout their career, Rebecca has held senior roles at top-tier auction houses, blue-chip galleries, and corporate art collections. Past experience includes positions with Bonhams, Auctionata, Paddle8, artnet auctions, and consulting projects for Phillips, Christie’s, and Sotheby’s. Rebecca also founded Lax & Associates LLC, a firm established in 2013 focused on sourcing and advising on Contemporary, Post-War, and Modern works—with an emphasis on editions.

Notable gallery tenure includes time with New York institutions such as Leo Castelli Gallery, Galerie Lelong, and Pace Prints. Academic leadership includes serving as Director of Finance for Columbia University’s LeRoy Neiman Center for Print Studies. As a corporate art consultant with Viart Corporation, Rebecca oversaw collections for major clients such as Goldman Sachs, Pitney Bowes, and Banco Santander.

Known for a track record of record-setting auction results, Rebecca brings strengths in strategic sourcing, market analysis, estate appraisal, and collection management. Their work is guided by a passion for excellence and a sharp understanding of market trends—making them a trusted advisor to private collectors and institutions alike.

Professional Affiliations: Board Member, Lower East Side Printshop, NYC Soon-to-be Member, Print Club of New York

A Consignment Director in Urban Art at Heritage Auctions’ New York office, Walter Ramirez fell in love with the auction business after joining the company in 2014 as an intern. The New York native earned both a BA and MA in Art History from Queens College before working at various galleries in New York City prior to taking his position at Heritage.  

Walter has been involved with a number of consignments that have expanded the Urban Art department’s range of artists and materials, including a recent collection of material that has spanned a 12-month period. A cinephile and avid reader of 19th- and 20th-century absurdist and nihilist literature who also follows baseball, soccer, and basketball, Walter’s personal collections mainly consist of baseball cards and books. 

Christianne Teague joined Heritage Auctions in 2021 as a Cataloguer in the Decorative Arts & Design department and was promoted to Consignment Director, Decorative Arts & Design in 2025. With a particular focus on 20th century design, Christianne brings a strong academic background and a deep passion for exploring the cultural significance of decorative arts in the modern world.

Christianne graduated summa cum laude from Southern Methodist University with dual B.A. degrees in German and Art History Honors. During her undergraduate studies, she completed internships at the Dallas Museum of Art and the archives of David Webb. She later earned an M.A. in Decorative Arts, Design History, and Material Culture from Bard Graduate Center, where she was awarded the prestigious Lee B. Anderson Memorial Foundation Fellowship.

Her professional experience includes contributing to the Voices in Studio Glass History project and interning at the Museum of Arts and Design. In 2021, she co-curated Ars Alchemica, an exhibition of contemporary jewelry featured during New York City Jewelry Week.

Julia Matthiesen is an Associate Specialist in the American Art department at Heritage Auctions, bringing experience in both curatorial practice and gallery management. Prior to joining Heritage, she worked at a boutique gallery in Chelsea, New York, specializing in 19th- and 20th-century American art, with a focus on acquisitions for public institutions alongside a contemporary art program.

Julia earned her B.A. from Davidson College in North Carolina and developed her interest in American art through internships and early professional experience in New York. Her work is grounded in a strong appreciation for historical context and the evolving narrative of American artistic production.

Originally from Connecticut, just outside New York City, Julia brings a thoughtful, research-driven approach to her role, supporting clients and colleagues across a range of American art consignments.

A UK native, Paterson brings over 25 years of expertise in fine art photography to her role as Director of Photographs at Heritage Auctions in New York. Educated at the University of Edinburgh, she graduated with an MA (Hons) in History of Art before launching a distinguished career in the international auction world.

Paterson began at Christie’s in 1994, joining the Photographs Department in early 1995, where she remained for two decades, rising to the position of acting co-director and senior specialist. After a brief role leading U.S. print sales at Magnum Photos, she returned to the auction world as Director of Photographs at Paddle8, Bonhams (2017–2022), and Hindman (2022–2023).

She has curated and led numerous high-profile, record-setting auctions, including Photographs by Ansel Adams from a Private California Collection, Photographs by Irving Penn from the Collection of Patricia McCabe, The Curtis Studio, and Forever Young: Photographs from the Joe Baio Collection.

Recognized as a leading expert in Western photography, Paterson is a frequent contributor to art market publications and media, and has lectured extensively to students and collectors in both the U.S. and Europe.

Hava Toobian is Associate Specialist and Lead Cataloger for Urban Art at Heritage Auctions, where she brings a unique combination of academic training, curatorial experience, and cross-cultural perspective to her work. She joined Heritage in 2021 as Urban Art Consignment Coordinator and was promoted to her current role in 2022.  

Hava holds an M.S.L.S. in Archival Studies from the University of North Texas, where she also completed an archivist internship at the Dallas Historical Society. She earned a B.A. in Visual Arts and Anthropology from Marlboro College and a B.F.A. in Studio Art from Southern Methodist University.  

Prior to joining Heritage, Hava served as Gallery Manager at the Drury Gallery at Marlboro College and worked in Cairo, Egypt at Medrar for Contemporary Art, a hub for experimental art in the Middle East and North Africa. There, she contributed to the digitization of archival materials and video content for MedrarTV, including artist interviews, studio visits, and performance documentation.  

Her early interest in both art and anthropology led her to teaching, gallery work, and ultimately to the auction world, where she specializes in cataloging, research, and condition reporting for Urban Art. A Dallas native, Hava speaks English and has conversational proficiency in Farsi and Hebrew.