Giving in Brush Strokes: Collector Gifts Cedars-Sinai 60 Artworks

When famed Brazilian painter and sculptor Romero Britto coined the mantra “art is too important not to share,” he could’ve been talking about Stephen Salny.

Salny—a Boston-born, Baltimore-based art collector—has generously established a blended gift to Cedars-Sinai. That means a portion of Salny’s gift—33 pieces of contemporary artwork—has already been donated to Cedars-Sinai’s extensive art collection. The remaining 27 pieces have been bequeathed to the medical center, to complete the blended gift.

Over the years, Salny’s impressive cache of masterpieces has included works by renowned artists Ellsworth Kelly, Jennifer Bartlett and Edward Ruscha. “It’s just so heartwarming to spread your good fortune throughout the universe and know that patients are benefitting,” said Salny. “I don’t feel at a loss because of anything I have donated.”

Salny has his mother, June, to thank for his passion for art and interior design. Some of his fondest childhood memories are of family outings to museums and art galleries in Boston and New York. “I’ve been collecting art since I was 18,” Salny shared. As he came into adulthood, that passion blossomed—his art collection expanded, and he owned an art gallery in Baltimore from 1986 to 1994.

He’s also authored several books on art and design, most notably the architecture of David Adler. “My mother really gave me and my sister, Susan, the art bug,” Salny recalled. “Everything I do is a tribute to our mother.”

Would you like to join Stephen Salny in making a lasting impact on innovative, lifesaving care? Contact Office of Gift Planning at 323-866-2861 or plannedgivingADV@cshs.org to discuss how you can make life better for current and future Cedars-Sinai patients.