NY painter becomes patron, buying 200 pieces of art

New York painter Guy Stanley Philoche is keeping a commitment to himself and making one to his artist community by looking to purchase art from unknowns in order to help his fellow artists negatively effected by the shutdowns.

Freddie Joyner has more.

[ARTIST GUY STANLEY PHILOCHE]“...I owe a debt that I can never pay.

But I also made a promise to myself that every time I sell a painting I'll buy a painting." Guy Stanley Philoche is a successful New York-based painter who decided early in the health crisis to become a patron...throwing his support behind other artists who were struggling.

After the success of a two-day sold out show at Cavalier Gallery, Philoche wanted to celebrate with the purchase of a $15,000 watch, but then had a better idea... On March 20 of last year, he posted a video on Instagram explaining his new mission.

[ARTIST GUY STANLEY PHILOCHE] "I grabbed my phone and did that shout out on Instagram introducing myself to everybody.

Say, hey, I'm an artist from New York City, New York's been really good to me and I know my community - I know my artist friends are hurting right now and so I'm looking to buy as much artwork as possible and I hit send and that's when I opened Pandora's Box." Since then, Philoche has spent $70,000 dollars buying over 200 pieces of art from more than 150 artists around the world.

The collection, which includes pieces by his former professors and his tattoo artist, is displayed throughout his small studio apartment and in a storage unit.

Recently he has been getting calls from museums around the world who want to host his collection, but his goal is to first display it in New York.

[ARTIST GUY STANLEY PHILOCHE] "I think it's going to be really cool and really fun and amazing to call some of these artists that I purchased their work, whose work never been sold before, I was the first person to buy something from them and be like, hey, by the way, you know the painting I just bought, it's actually going to be hanging in the MoMa." What started as a way to help people afford essentials, has now turned into a mission to boost the confidence of artists still trying to break out.

[ARTIST GUY STANLEY PHILOCHE] "I want artist to know that right now you guys are important.

The world needs you, your work is important and you're loved."