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Betsy Nathan

Founder and Creative Director, PAGODA RED

Betsy Nathan is the Founder and Creative Director of PAGODA RED, a design destination that specializes in Asian art, history, style, and handcrafted objects.15 The company was founded in 1997 and is located in Chicago.12

Background::

  • Nathan was born a collector and grew up surrounded by an eclectic mix of folk and fine art, contemporary paintings, and handcrafted furniture due to her mother being a renowned Chicago gallerist.34
  • She studied Mandarin in Beijing in the early 1990s, where she met Chinese furniture experts who mentored her.3

Career::

  • Founder & Creative Director at PAGODA RED since November 1997.1
  • Nathan has been exploring, collecting, curating, connecting, and creating in many corners of the world.1
  • PAGODA RED has been a design destination for over 20 years, sharing curated, storied, and handcrafted objects with designers, architects, experts, collectors, and artists through their e-commerce platform.25

Education::

  • Hamilton College, 1987-1991.1

Skills & Interests::

  • She has a keen eye for collecting, curating, and crafting vibrant objects and spaces.
  • She appreciates folk forms and objects created by people who think differently than others.3
  • Nathan collects Chinese headrests, reverse glass paintings, bound foot shoes, and erotica, as well as furniture from the Shanxi Province from the early eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.3

Languages::

  • English (native or bilingual proficiency)1
  • Mandarin (limited working proficiency)1
  • Spanish (limited working proficiency)1

Highlights

Jan 1 · pagodared.com
Pagoda Red | Specialists in rare & unusual chinese antique furniture ...
PAGODA RED Chicago Office: Careers, Perks + Culture
Oct 1 · pagodared.com
Specialists in rare & unusual chinese antique furniture and artifacts
May 10 · Chicago Sun-Times
Ann Nathan, Chicago art gallery owner who helped young artists navigate art world, dies at 98 - Chicago Sun-Times
Ann Nathan, Chicago art gallery owner who helped young artists navigate art world, dies at 98 - Chic
For One Chicagoland Family, Renovating Their Home During Covid ‘Was 1,000 Times Easier’ - The Wall Street Journal
Jul 18 · pagodared.com
Meet Our Experts: PAGODA RED's Design Concierges
Sep 19 · incollect.com
Dealer Focus: Betsy Nathan, Founder Of Pagoda Red | InCollect
Dealer Focus: Betsy Nathan, Founder Of Pagoda Red | InCollect

Related Questions

What inspired Betsy Nathan to start PAGODA RED?
How did Betsy Nathan's upbringing influence her career in design?
What are some unique pieces in PAGODA RED's collection?
How has Betsy Nathan's experience in Beijing shaped her approach to collecting?
What advice does Betsy Nathan give to young collectors?
Betsy Nathan
Betsy Nathan, photo 1
Betsy Nathan, photo 2
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Location

Greater Chicago Area