A Legacy of Art and Audacity: 35 Years of the James Cox Gallery

It’s been 35 years since James Cox first opened the doors of his namesake gallery in the heart of Woodstock’s historic Colony of the Arts — and what began as a bold leap of faith has since become a cornerstone of the Hudson Valley art scene.

In 1990, Cox, along with his wife, acclaimed artist Mary Anna Goetz, and their two young children, Nathan and Julianna, traded the city skyline of Brooklyn Heights for the creative pulse of Woodstock. After over a decade as director of New York City’s prestigious Grand Central Art Galleries, Cox was ready for something more personal — a gallery of his own, nestled in a town steeped in artistic heritage. “We have never looked back,” he reflects.

The grand opening of the James Cox Gallery at Woodstock took place on June 9th, 1990, in the charming space once known as The Hawthorn Gallery on Elwyn Lane. It was a celebration not just of a new business, but of a new chapter — one marked by candlelit dinners, Sunday brunches, and a welcoming spirit that drew in collectors, artists, and neighbors alike. The debut exhibition, Enter a New Era, was more than a title; it was a manifesto. Cox envisioned his gallery as “a roundtable, set with a smooth, clean cloth and rough red wine” — a place where creators and appreciators could come together in dialogue, discovery, and joy.

Relying on his experience as a New York art dealer and the many valuable professional relationships he had forged over the years, Cox’s gallery enjoyed early success in Woodstock. In 1992, just two years after its grand opening, the gallery conducted four fine art auctions, mounted a new exhibit every month, and hosted many galas and special events.

Now, three and a half decades later, when asked if that vision has come to life, Cox doesn’t hesitate. “Most definitely,” he says. “And this wonderful town has given back to us in more ways than I can say.”

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Of course, not every endeavor was a success. Cox recalled the disappointing 1993 “Rock and Roll Art and Memorabilia” auction, held in conjunction with Woodstock ’94—celebrating the 25th anniversary of the legendary Woodstock Music and Art Fair, which Cox and his wife had attended in 1969. While crowds flocked to the commemorative event in nearby Saugerties, dire media warnings kept them away from Woodstock itself—and from Cox’s auction. “We had great stuff to sell,” Cox recalled, “including Jimi Hendrix’s Stratocaster guitar—estimated at $250,000.” But with no sizable live audience, item after item went unsold. “It would be a completely different story today with the internet,” Cox mused.

“We had great stuff to sell,” Cox recalled, “including Jimi Hendrix’s Stratocaster guitar—estimated at $250,000.”

Despite that earlier setback, the gallery continued to grow and flourish. Auctions became an essential component of the business. For several years, the James Cox Gallery partnered with the Woodstock Artists Association & Museum (WAAM) to host annual Labor Day fine art auctions. A graduate of Repperts Auction School, Cox brought style and expertise to each event, consistently drawing standing-room-only crowds to the WAAM galleries in the heart of town.

The gallery’s sixth year in business, 1996, marked a significant milestone. That year, Cox was appointed Marketing Director of the Leonardo da Vinci Horse Foundation—a group dedicated to fulfilling the Renaissance master’s unrealized vision. In 1482, the Duke of Milan had commissioned Leonardo to create a monumental bronze horse, but the project was never completed; his full-scale plaster model was tragically destroyed by French invaders before it could be cast in bronze.

in 1998, Cox and his family joined the Foundation and a joyous crowd of proud Italians at the Piazzale dello Sport in Milan to witness the long-awaited unveiling of the colossal 24-foot sculpture. The piece, finally brought to life, had been created and cast at the Tallix Foundry in Beacon, New York.

Another 1996 milestone was the sale of an entire exhibit of Goetz’s paintings to the Hudson River Club in lower Manhattan. Cox facilitated the acquisition of almost 50 paintings by the elegant restaurant’s owner, Peter Higgins. Many of the canvases in the exhibit were landscapes of the Hudson Valley, which paired beautifully with the restaurant’s theme.

Finally, in 1996, Cox began renovating a barn on the property he and Goetz had acquired in nearby Willow. The sylvan setting is surrounded by the Little Beaverkill Creek, which winds in an oxbow formation around the five-acre property. The Cox family lived in a charming farmhouse on the property. At the same time, the barn, which would become the new James Cox Gallery, was being renovated. 

In August 1997, the gallery debuted its new space with a preview exhibition titled Sleepers, showcasing photographs by an impressive roster of acclaimed artists, including Sally Mann and William Wegman. Nearly a year later, in June 1998, renovations of the barn were completed, and guests were welcomed to a gala grand opening celebration. The event, Reggae Sur L’Herbe, featured live music by the Winston Grennan Ska-Rocks Band, a roaring bonfire, and cocktails served in the newly designed garden.

“It rained all day,” Cox recalled. “A real problem if the rain didn’t let up since ‘Sur L’Herbe’ means: on the grass.” But, just an hour before the festivities were set to begin, the skies cleared, the sun broke through, and by party time, the weather was perfect. With that celebration, a new era officially began for the James Cox Gallery at Woodstock.

In the years that followed, the gallery continued to host a vibrant array of exhibitions, parties, and special events. One particularly memorable occasion was the Full Moon Party in the summer of 2015. Inspired by the legendary August gatherings once held by early Woodstock artists Wilna Hervey and Nan Mason at their Treasure Farm estate, the event featured an exhibit of enamel works by the two women. Guests arrived in costume and danced beneath the full moon to music performed on the gallery’s new outdoor stage. Renowned astronomer Bob Berman also gave a talk on the phases of the moon. “He was dressed as the Unabomber!” Cox added with a laugh.

Auctions continue to play an important role in the gallery’s operations. In 2009, internet bidding was offered for the first time. Initially, most auction enthusiasts chose to attend the auctions rather than use the internet. Still, eventually, more and more people became comfortable with electronic bidding. In 2016, the gallery conducted its first online-only auction. The “Cabinet Sale” featured small, easy-to-ship items. The results were very promising, Cox recalled. “We just sat back and watched the bids roll in!” The gallery now conducts two annual “Collectors Exchange” auctions, one in June and another in December. “Both are online only,” Cox noted.

Exhibition Featuring the works of Woodstock Artist Zhang Hongnian

The gallery continues to host several exhibitions each year. In conjunction with the 35th anniversary, the work by Woodstock artist Zhang Hongnian will be featured in an exhibit titled Echoes of Life, which will open on Friday, September 19th. Cox remarked, “It is fitting to showcase this artist’s work as part of our anniversary celebration,” pointing out that he has been representing Zhang’s work since his Grand Central Art Gallery days. Zhang was part of a group of distinguished Chinese artists who immigrated to the U.S. in the 1980s. Unlike most Chinese works, Cox was familiar with paintings by these five masters, all graduates of the Beijing Academy of Art, which evoked a distinctly Western style. In 1986, Grand Central mounted an important group exhibit, Realism from China, which was enthusiastically received by the New York art world. 

Zhang enjoys an international reputation, but has chosen to make Woodstock his home. Shortly after Cox opened his gallery in Woodstock, the recently widowed Zhang moved with his daughter, Renee, to the famous art colony. It was also in Woodstock that Zhang met his artist wife, Lois Wooley. Both enjoy thriving art careers and are popular instructors at the Woodstock School of Art. Renee and Cox’s daughter, Julianna, has also continued a friendship that began in New York, before Renee was able to speak English. Both professional artists are collaborating on a new graphic novel about their childhood friendship.

The upcoming exhibition, Echoes of Life, will present an eclectic selection of paintings—ranging from figurative works to landscapes, interiors, and still lifes—with a particular emphasis on Woodstock subjects. Pieces like “Nightlife at the Colony”and “All Hallows Eve in Woodstock” capture the vibrant energy of the village, while a series of intimate small-scale landscapes reflect the serene beauty of its natural surroundings.

Also featured will be new works revisiting the theme of Zhang’s 1992 exhibition Portraits of a Colony, originally sponsored by Cox in partnership with the Plimoth Plantation Museum in Plymouth, MA. These paintings depict scenes from the living museum, a historical re-creation of the Pilgrims’ 17th-century settlement.

In 2020, the institution officially changed its name to Plimoth Patuxet Museums to better reflect both the English colonists (the Pilgrims) and the Indigenous Wampanoag people, drawing on the Wampanoag name “Patuxet” for the area.

Another important piece in the exhibit is a large canvas titled  “NY Symphony.” This tour de force captures a vibrant scene on the steps of the New York Public Library, with a guitar player performing amidst a crowd of people, some sitting on the steps of the library enjoying the performance, others gazing up at the sky. 

“I am very excited to be exhibiting this fine work by my dear friend Hongnian,” Cox remarked. “He has been associated with my gallery from the very beginning, and it is fitting that he be a part of this landmark occasion.” — James Cox

The James Cox Gallery at Woodstock is located at 4666 State Route 212, Willow, NY.

Echoes of Life will be on view through Sunday, October 19th.
Opening Reception: Friday, September 19th, from 5pm to 7pm
For more information, contact the gallery at 845-679-7608 or [email protected]

See you there!

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Photos courtesy of James Cox Gallery + Zhang Hongnian
Featured photo “Nightlife at the Colony Woodstock” Oil on Canvas by Zhang Hongnian

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