Staff
About
Straus Art Group
Straus Art Group provides expert fine art advisory and professional appraisals. Our customized advisory services give clients the tools and confidence to grow and manage their collections through art acquisition, de-accession, and estate planning. We are IRS Qualified Appraisers providing USPAP compliant appraisal reports for estate tax, charitable donations and other Federal functions.
Joel Straus
Joel Straus is the Principal at Straus Art Group. With over 30 years of experience, Joel works with private collectors, galleries, and museums worldwide.
Beginning his career at Richard Gray Gallery in Chicago, Joel sold works by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Mark Rothko, Roy Lichtenstein and other modern and contemporary masters. As the Assistant Director, Joel developed trusted relationships with clients around the world. In 1995, he formed Joel Straus Consulting to begin independently curating major public art collections and projects nationwide. Now as Straus Art Group, the firm’s focus is on appraisal and a range of client advisory services including art procurement, sales, and estate planning.
Straus Art Group's collecting advice recently brought $21.1 million at Sotheby's Auction, with the sale of 'Past Times' by Kerry James Marshall.
Joel was a founding director of Expo Chicago, and is a member of the Chicago Estate Planning Council and the International Society of Appraisers.
