Art patron Mary Stanley’s 11 Good Things

Every week, ArtsATL asks a member of the Atlanta arts community to share 11 things on their mind. We hope you enjoy getting to know these people better.

A fixture of Atlanta’s contemporary art scene, Mary Stanley is the brains and the brawn behind many of Atlanta’s edgiest art initiatives. Her Young Collectors Club, founded in 2006, brings together young professionals interested in collecting contemporary art. She is on the steering committee of Idea Capital, a micro-granting organization for Atlanta artists. And she is an independent consultant, curator and avid art collector herself. Stanley is also on the board of several prominent arts organizations, such as the Atlanta Center for Photography and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia.

Here are Mary’s 11 Good Things:

1. Hanging with Young Collectors Club and sommeliers at VinoTeca in Inman Park. The perfect place to fill your glass and line your wine racks. Pairs perfectly with fine artists and their collectors.

2. Bilboquet endive salad and a glass of crémant … Sublime!

3. Wussy Vision movie night at Plaza Theatre.

4. Starting the week with a late night of inspired music at the TEN ATL jazz jam with some of the most outstanding local talent in the house. The best use of your Monday.

5. A stay at a poolside room at the Hotel Saint Vincent on Magazine Street.

6. Playing bridge anywhere and anytime.

7. The Working Artist Project at MOCA GA, providing significant support to visual artists of merit for the past 16 years, boasting 48 fellows and providing a platform for artists to work, thrive and stay in Atlanta. Philanthropy at its best.

8. My new hat.

9. The scrappy way Atlanta has finally become a cultural hub with opportunities for creatives of all stripes.

10. Traveling to art fairs for immersive weekends of photography and fine art.

11. Dropping out to our farm, “Pompous Ass Farm,” with my husband and my dog, Patti Smith.