Ryan Wallace and Hilary Schaffner, founders of Halsey McKay Gallery, talk about their intriguing local family history, New York and East End art, and Wallace’s rising career as an artist. Moderated by Douglas F. Maxwell, NYU professor and art advisor.In 2011, curator Hilary Schaffner and artist Ryan Wallace, with the pioneering goal to bring cutting-edge contemporary art to East Hampton, New York, founded Halsey McKay Gallery. High school classmates who were born and raised in New York City, Schaffner and Wallace both have close ties to the East Hampton community. Schaffner is the twelfth generation of the renowned Halsey family – one of the first families to settle in Southampton from England in the 1600s. Schaffner has also spent her summers in East Hampton throughout her life. Wallace’s association with the area developed through his own work as an artist. On the recommendation of his wife who is a private chef in the area and Schaffner’s childhood best friend, Wallace rented a studio in East Hampton, which cemented his own relationship to the town. Celebrating the personal history that influenced the founding of the gallery, Schaffner and Wallace named the gallery Halsey McKay after their respective maternal grandmothers’ maiden names.By locating the gallery in East Hampton, Schaffner and Wallace saw a unique opportunity to contribute to the extensive artistic history of the town from William Meritt Chase to the Abstract Expressionists to today’s arts community. From the first exhibition, There is an Ocean, highlighting the work of mixed media painter Patrick Brennan, Halsey McKay Gallery has presented an eclectic and experimental range of artists and programming. The gallery features a strong roster of emerging and mid-career artists and currently represents: Glen Baldridge, Timothy Bergstrom, Colby Bird, Ben Blatt, Patrick Brennan, Chris Duncan, Arielle Falk, Elise Ferguson, Rachel Foullon, Ted Gahl, Bryan Graf, Joseph Hart, Matt Kenny, Denise Kupferschmidt, Lauren Luloff, Hilary Pecis, and Matt Rich. Halsey McKay also showcases inventive and exciting group shows including guest curated exhibitions. Further emphasizing the gallery’s support of East Hampton’s artistic legacy, the gallery also hosts off-site installations and projects such as Chris Duncan’s Year at the iconic Elaine de Kooning House.Halsey McKay Gallery is a member of NADA the New Art Dealer’s Alliance.