Curator and founder of folioeast, Coco Myers grew up in East Hampton among the artists of the Abstract Expressionist movement. Many of these artists were family friends. They came to potluck dinners—wonderfully raucous affairs—at her parents' home where their paintings hung on the walls (frequently rotated, depending on which artists were coming over that night). There, her love and affinity for the work of East End artists began.
After earning a B.A. in art history at Princeton, Coco worked in Manhattan as a magazine editor and writer at Elle, Mirabella and Allure, later moving back to East Hampton to raise her three sons with her late husband, modern architect Daniel Rowen. She continued to write (for Elle Decor, Martha Stewart Living, and The New York Times, among other publications), but eventually returned to her touchstone—the East End art world—and founded folioeast in 2015.
Designed with the mission of highlighting the community of East End artists, folioeast has since showcased the work of more than one hundred artists—in more than 50 exhibits—in venues as varied as Springs' iconic Ashawagh Hall, Robert Wilson's Watermill Center, and Malia Mills in East Hampton, where she’s curated a recurring series of off-season exhibits.
Coco is a member of the East Hampton Arts Council and is on the board of Wings Over Haiti, a non-profit organization raising money to build new schools. She organizes the annual Hamptons Artists for Haiti summer benefit, featuring an exhibit and auction comprised of East End artwork.
“To me, great art in a home works on many levels. It carries the stamp of its creator. It catches the eye with elements of beauty or surprise. It has strength, even if it’s subtle. And it holds your interest over time. ”
Contact Coco Myers at
coco@folioeast.com
917.592.8033
Coco Myers
Arthur Bijur
folioeast Creative Consultant
Arthur is a co-founder of two advertising agencies, where as a writer and creative director, he developed and oversaw numerous brand-building, award-winning campaigns, including Disney, CBS, Staples, Fox Sports, and Coca-Cola, to name a few. Arthur’s work has received numerous advertising awards, including Cannes Lions, One Club, Art Director's Club, and Clio awards. Two of his campaigns have been honored as Best of the Decade. Currently, Arthur devotes a lot of his time to public service work and has created campaigns for numerous foundations, including Robin Hood and The Food Bank in New York City. He serves as Vice President of Wings Over Haiti, a foundation devoted to building schools. He is also an avid photographer.
“Having grown up with a professional photographer (my mother), I learned early on the process and magic of making images out of nowhere. No doubt that’s why my house is filled with photographs I’ve collected over the years—not to mention that my collection of works from artists out here seems to keep growing and growing.”
Jacqueline Goewey
folioeast Marketing/Public Relations Consultant
“Having had a home in Sag Harbor for twenty years, I have a long appreciation of the East End’s connection to the arts. From kids’ art camps at the Parrish, to visits to Jackson Pollock’s studio, to art exhibits at galleries and institutions like Guild Hall, Southampton Arts Center, and the Madoo Conservancy, my family and I have enjoyed being a part of this history. And I love being part of this team, encouraging people to live with art.”
Before her position as director of East End Marketing/Advertising at Corcoran real estate, Jacqueline had a career in magazines which included directing lifestyle and design coverage for InStyle magazine, as well as positions at Metropolitan Home, Connoisseur and Interview magazines. After, she created a cafe and catering business in the Old Seaport area of Manhattan, which hosted arts-focused events, including theatrical productions and children’s classes in cooking and floral design. She was also a founder of the Old Seaport Alliance, a non-profit organization that worked to reestablish the historic neighborhood in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from New York University and took undergraduate studies at Vassar College.
Jane Ryan Beck
folioeast Digital Engagement Consultant
“I am fortunate to live with the artwork of many creative friends, from botanical toile sculpture to abstract expressionist-inspired paintings. It’s not enough to surround yourself with beautiful things—they should have meaning.”
in her position as creative director of rayogram, a boutique creative agency offering digital engagement strategies, Jane has worked with hundreds of innovative companies and effective non-profits to extend their brands to the web.
This list includes The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Young Audiences/Arts for Learning, International Planned Parenthood, The Kettering Family Foundation,
JD Power, France Télécom, Deutsche Telkom, and many more.
Jane previously worked in arts publishing as Editor at Large of Outdoor Gear, Outdoor & Travel Photography. And as Associate Editor of Artforum, Aperture, Bomb, Parkett and Interview magazines responsible for research, copywriting, and photo editing.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History of Art (with a focus on contemporary art and photography) from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and also took undergraduate studies at New York University.
INTERVIEW WITH folioeast founder COCO MYERS
What do you like best about what you do at folioeast?
I love going to artists’ studios and coming away stimulated by the work, the artist, the smell of the paint, the whole creative atmosphere. I equally love curating exhibitions: coming up with an idea for a show, selecting and hanging the work—establishing a flow that's cohesive but also has elements of surprise. And of course, I love connecting an artist with the buyer of a piece and making them both happy.
Has folioeast changed since it first started?
Well it has such a farther reach now—we have almost 50 artists on our website alone and have included many more in shows and events. There are new faces at every show I curate. It's an incredible community and I am grateful to be part of it. I am also now working with designers to select work for their clients’ homes as well as staging newly built homes for sale. I love curating an entire home using sculpture, painting, and photography—especially knowing someone will soon be living with and loving the work.
Much of your career has been as a writer and editor; what creative connections led to a focus on art?
While I was working in the magazine world, I wrote and edited fashion, beauty and style pieces so it was all about visuals in that sense. I also wrote and edited pieces on artists and architects. And I’ve always lived with art. No matter where, what apartment or house, there were paintings on the wall—many by artists my parents knew. Later, my husband, who was a modern architect, and I began collecting—buying a painting or photograph each year for our anniversary. When I moved back to the East End full-time, I wanted to explore the notion of helping people buy art. Since I grew up in East Hampton, I knew a lot of artists living and working here, and once I began visiting them in their studios, my network grew. folioeast is founded on relationships—I truly like the artists I work with every bit as much as much as their artwork.
There is no lack of artists and galleries on the East End; how do you think folioeast is different?
folioeast largely focuses on abstract art—though not exclusively. I work with a variety of artists in many mediums and the work is always of high quality. I choose to show work that is beautiful and timeless in the sense that it’s not trendy, nor shocking for shock’s sake. folioeast is about finding work that enriches both the homes and the lives of the people living in them.
What is your ideal/typical day on the East End?
I like to exercise in the morning; a walk, swim, or a cross-fit class. I work for most of the day on folioeast—planning exhibits and events and often doing a studio visit with an artist. In the evening I might attend an opening and then go out for a drink or dinner with my boyfriend and friends (or my sons if they’re at home) at one of my neighborhood haunts: Nick and Toni’s, Serafina, The Palm, or the Maidstone, unless we head out to Montauk or Sag Harbor. And of course an ideal day in the summer would include an hour or two at the beach and a dip in the ocean!