Art Collecting With Purpose

Dr. Robin Gallardi’s passion for art began with her own abilities as an artist. As a child, she received her first watercolor set from her uncle, and the two would paint together and visit art exhibitions. This early exposure began her lifelong interest in the arts.

"Collect Real Art"

Her uncle has since developed multiple sclerosis and can no longer paint, but Dr. Gallardi carries their shared love of art forward. Even at a young age, he introduced her to the world of art collecting, encouraging her to buy real art from real artists. When she had limited financial resources, she prioritized purchasing pieces from local and lesser-known artists. In her 30s, she began spending time with other collectors and learning from their practices. Today, she is deeply involved in the arts community, serving on the board of the Chicago Artists Coalition, which supports emerging artists in the city. She is also on two boards at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago, working closely alongside curators she is involved in selecting works for their private collection.

Dr. Gallardi’s favorite genre to collect is contemporary art. She focuses on living artists, valuing the opportunity to meet them and understand their creative process. “Meeting the artists really leads to such a deeper understanding of the works themselves,” she says. Seeing the art on her walls and knowing the story behind each piece evokes strong emotions. Watching young artists grow in their careers — both nationally and internationally — is another rewarding aspect of the collecting process.

Hobbies as Therapy

She emphasizes the importance of making time for interests outside of work, especially ones that are completely different from the demanding mental and physical nature of surgery. These pursuits, she believes, help energize her for the clinical environment. Still, she acknowledges the challenge of maintaining a consistent hobby as a busy oral and maxillofacial surgeon. “Separating the professional from the personal can often be quite difficult,” she admits. “But when you immerse yourself in a hobby that isn’t surgery, it can be very therapeutic,”

Although she doesn’t engage with art daily, she finds joy in the pieces she’s collected and hung in her home. On weekends, she often schedules visits to galleries or exhibitions, and she makes a point to seek out art when traveling. Her board commitments help her carve out dedicated time for her passion. “That time is set aside; it’s blocked on the calendar, and when I show up to those meetings, I’m always excited and reenergized.”

Be Open to Opportunities

For those interested in getting involved in the arts, Dr. Gallardi recommends starting by volunteering and engaging with the community. “Often, you have to just express interest, so people know you want to get involved,” she explains. When she moved to Chicago, she took time to reflect on where she wanted to prioritize her philanthropic work. She wanted to focus on the arts and reached out to contacts for recommendations on where to get involved. “Most organizations need help somewhere, so there are ample opportunities.”

She believes that now, more than ever, involvement in the arts feels liberating. “There’s a lot of suppression in the world presently and the arts community has always been like an oasis during challenging times.”

Her advice for collecting art is simple: buy what you love. “When I look at a piece of art, I have to love it. It doesn’t matter if the artist is famous or will be famous, or what it’s worth. It should ultimately make you happy.”

Explore a New Side of Yourself

One of her favorite recent experiences was a visit to the Bourse de Commerce in Paris, featuring the work of Celest Boursier-Mougenot. The installation features a shallow pool of water with ceramic bowls of varying sizes floating in it. As the bowls gently collided, they created chimes. Visitors can sit and peacefully listen to the chimes. “It’s always amazing how a single artist can evoke a feeling,” she says.

Though she doesn’t always have time to focus on her own art practice, she uses it as a meditative outlet and hopes to explore it further in retirement. For Dr. Gallardi, art aligns with her work in oral and maxillofacial surgery, where many believe the facial form is inherently artistic. “I think I’m a better clinician because when I’m not working, I’m flexing the other side of my brain.”

“Hobbies make you less one-dimensional. It’s easy to be a surgeon all the time — it’s such a big part of our lives. But hobbies make us better, happier humans.”

Robin Gallardi, DDS, MS, FRCD(C), Dip ABOMS

Dr. Gallardi is a native Canadian, graduating as the gold medalist in both a molecular biology and a doctor of dental surgery degree at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario. She happily practiced dentistry as the owner of the Dental Arts Centre in London, Ontario, for several years, but always knew that surgery was her first love. Upon completing an oral surgery fellowship at Montefiore Medical Centre in New York, she returned to Canada to complete a master’s in dentistry and her postgraduate training in oral and maxillofacial surgery. She received the Ron Warren Award for her research, which has been presented at both Canadian and American meetings.

She is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and a fellow of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Canada. Dr. Gallardi is a member of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.