Roger Simons
I was born and raised in Dallas. My mother was a very entrepreneurial person who pursued the home-building industry. In the 1950s, a wife in Texas had to have her husband sign all legal documents for her to conduct business. My mother thought that was ridiculous, so she pursued the issue in the Texas courts and got the laws changed. It was through my mother that I was introduced to fine art. Her influence helped me appreciate craftsmanship in custom home-building, interiors, exteriors and landscaping. She loved paintings, especially of birds and still lifes of fruit.
My wife, Barbara, and I had a whirlwind romance, got married and moved to Memphis, Tennessee. When we embarked on building our first home, we found a Persian rug at a dealer there. My wife and I fasted for weeks to be able to afford the rug we had fallen in love with. We were bound and determined to save enough money to purchase it.
I was in the oil and gas business, which took me to Oklahoma City, where I started attending the Prix de West art sale at the Cowboy Hall of Fame (now the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum) in 1980. The art sale was so impressive to us—we would walk around drooling over the paintings and sculptures. We couldn’t afford any of the art at the beginning, but in 1983 I started purchasing works by artists like Wilson Hurley and Grant Speed. Now, I just can’t go to the Prix de West without at least one purchase. I eventually became a director and later chairman of the museum, and I still proudly serve on the board.
Most of the artwork we purchase is by living artists. I have friends who do the exact opposite—if you’re alive, you’re not in their palette. We made many enjoyable journeys to artists’ residences and studios. They’re all amazing individuals and terrific to be around; they love to share their artistic development over time. We collect Forrest Moses more than any other artist. I don’t think we’ve purchased from anyone in the last 25 years who we have not known personally. I would encourage everyone to meet and visit every artist they collect.
HOMETOWN/RESIDENCE: Paradise Valley, Arizona.
OCCUPATION: Oil and gas business.
MAIN AREAS YOU COLLECT: Contemporary Western, abstract, landscapes, realism, Western genre and animal sculptures.
MOST RECENT WORK YOU BOUGHT: An abstract painting by Dan Christensen.
THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY: There was a Forrest Moses piece I really wanted at LewAllen Galleries in Santa Fe, but it was purchased by another collector. After 12 years it came back on the market, and I was able to purchase it.
FAVORITE PIECE IN YOUR COLLECTION: A piece by my good friend, the sculptor Bill Barrett, which he named Swing Dance. As soon as I saw it, I fell in love with it and told my wife, let’s make an appointment to meet with the gallery owner and go to dinner. We began by ordering martinis, and later after dinner, I turned to my wife and said, “Did I buy that sculpture?” She said, “You sure did! We are going to call it Three Martinis.”
YOUR ADVICE FOR NEW COLLECTORS: Go to the art fairs and festivals, get out there and make friends, go to the museums, search on the web, buy magazines, and find art you really love. Get acquainted with artists you enjoy and purchase original art. By doing so, you and the artist will be rewarded.
Roger Simons is a board member and past chairman of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City and before his retirement was the owner and chief executive of Simons Petroleum, a nationwide petroleum marketer.
*This article originally appeared in Art & Object Magazine's Fall 2025 issue.
