WHY WE DO THINGS THE HARD WAY

Building a collection

Annalise Holasz, the founder of vintage art gallery Hue + Holasz, on how a collection takes shape, trusting a first impression, and the pieces that become part of everyday life.

Annalise Holasz

Founder, Hue & Holasz

August 12, 2026 | 3 min read

The biggest shift in my collecting came when I discovered the Swedish mid-century market. Until then, I knew I liked vintage oil paintings, but I hadn’t really found my thing. Suddenly I was seeing paintings I was consistently drawn to, and once you recognise those patterns, you begin looking more closely. You understand what continues to hold your attention over time, and your collection begins to take shape almost without you realising it. That’s not to say I only like Swedish art, but it was the first time I realised what I was really looking for. We now curate original oil paintings sourced across Europe, with a particular love for Swedish, French, Italian and Spanish pieces.

“Once you recognise what you are consistently drawn to, you begin looking more closely.”

Annalise Holasz, Founder, Hue & Holasz

A mid-century Swedish oil painting - Hue and Holasz art gallary, Bath, UK - Scheme — European mid-century oil paintings, with a focus on Swedish pieces. Photography by Chelsea Dinen.

Vintage paintings styled within the studio - Hue and Holasz, art gallery, Bath, UK - Scheme — European mid-century oil paintings, with a focus on Swedish pieces. Photography by Chelsea Dinen.

A collection built over time

If there’s a thread running through everything I buy, it’s colour. I’m fascinated by how paintings sit together and how a collection starts to take shape. I don’t collect according to rules or think too much about where a painting should fit, but I know when I want to keep looking at something. I often have to make decisions in a split second. I’ll shortlist a painting online before I’ve consciously worked out why, and I’ve definitely been that person at an antiques fair who spots something, knows it’s right and buys it before somebody else gets there. Art is a long game. Some paintings sell instantly and some take much longer. It only needs one person to fall in love with it.

A section of the collection showing the colour palettes and landscapes Annalise returns to again and again - Hue and Holasz art gallery, Bath, UK - Scheme — A selection of vintage oil paintings from the Hue + Holasz collection. Photography by Chelsea Dinen.

“If there’s a thread running through everything I buy, it’s colour.”

Annalise Holasz, Founder, Hue & Holasz

A painting is never simply something to fill a wall. I think of it as a reminder of a place, a person, a moment in time. Many people think they need specialist knowledge to buy art, but I’ve never believed that. You don’t need to know the details of an artist’s life or understand a movement to form a connection with a painting. I’ve never believed in overcomplicating it. What matters is whether you are drawn to something and want to keep looking at it. I simply hope people enjoy the pieces they buy from me, and that the paintings become part of the rooms they live in and the lives they lead.