Encounters With Legends: What 30 Years Of Collecting Has Taught Us

For more than 30 years, Edwin and Paula Miles have built a collection centered on works on paper by African American artists—from the WPA period forward—with a particular focus on fine art prints. Over time, they have become knowledgeable, discerning, and deeply connected collectors. Yet for the Miles, the true joy of collecting has never been only about the objects—it has always been about the encounters.

From traveling to Albuquerque to spend time with Reggie Gammon—riding in his car, laughing, and parking with one wheel on the curb; Edwin taking a nap alongside Ron Adams on the steps of the San Antonio Museum of Art; and standing nervously at their very first gallery talk, facing an audience of legends that included Mayhew, Lewis, Gentry, Crite, Montgomery, Delsarte, Burroughs, and others, their collecting journey is filled with stories.

In this conversation, Edwin and Paula Miles share the moments—sometimes quiet, sometimes boisterous and celebratory—that shaped their collecting lives, revealing how relationships, place, and presence have guided their understanding of art, community, and the power of building a collection around prints and works on paper.

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