For real estate developer and avid collector Will Bennett, a home is a living, breathing canvas. At his 1920s Spanish Colonial in Los Angeles's Hollywood Hills, designed by Daniel Romualdez, every room has its own backstory.
The co-founder of Three Rules Capital and mastermind behind Esencia, a 2,000 acre masterplan set to reshape Puerto Rico’s southwestern coast, has taste that pulses with personality. Inside his abode, pieces by Ed Ruscha and Sam Durant live alongside childhood fossils, Cielo Félix-Hernández canvases, and a painting of a gorilla by Alex Hubbard. Whether discovering emerging artists in Puerto Rico or swapping studio visits with friends in LA, Bennett curates with the intention, intimacy, and curiosity of someone who knows that, like a home, artwork is most powerful when it’s personal.
Where does the story of your personal collection begin?
I didn’t grow up going to galleries or museums with my family, and my parents weren’t collectors. My first real exposure to art came when I worked for Marc Nathanson before business school. Marc and his wife, Jane, have an incredible collection—but what’s always stayed with me is how they live with the work. It’s elegant and personal, and you can feel how much the art means to them. They’ve been collecting since the very start of their relationship—over 50 years now—which I find inspiring in so many ways.
Marc has been a profound mentor to me, and he’s shaped my life far beyond art. That said, I didn’t buy my first piece until after business school, and even then, I needed a little nudge. That came from one of my dearest friends and Gagosian director, Viet-Nu Nguyen, who’s been an endless source of encouragement (and education) when it comes to art. I feel incredibly lucky to have her in my life; I walk away from every conversation with her having learned something new.
Which work in your home provokes the most conversation from visitors?
Probably the Ed Ruscha drumhead painting, she up and got married. It’s part of a series he made using drumheads he collected over the past 50 years, each one painted with phrases and slang he remembered from growing up in Oklahoma. It’s funny, it’s a little melancholy, and people always want to know the story behind it. I bought it from Gagosian.
Which artist are you currently most excited about and why?
Portia Zvavahera. Nu took me to one of her shows at Marc Foxx Gallery back in 2017. That gallery has since closed, but the work from that show really stayed with me. I ended up reaching out to Stevenson, a gallery in South Africa, and was lucky enough to acquire an early piece. There’s such a deep emotional charge to her work—it’s powerful, spiritual—and I’m always excited to see what she does next. Portia now shows with Zwirner, where my neighbor, Alex Tuttle, is a senior director.
What factors do you consider when expanding your collection?
It’s really simple: I buy what I love. Sometimes a piece hits me immediately, in a way I can’t even fully articulate, and other times it’s about a personal connection, whether to the artist, the process, or the story behind the work. I studied with Hopie Stockman [Hill] as well as her sister Lily Stockman’s husband, Peter Brooks, so having work from both Hopie and Lily feels especially meaningful.
Right now, I’m living in Puerto Rico where my partners and I are developing a new cosmopolitan community called Esencia on the island’s stunning southwestern coast. I’m trying to learn as much as I can about Puerto Rico’s art and artists. Recently, I bought two works by Cielo Félix-Hernández from Sargent’s Daughters. But my collection isn’t just about established artists or beautiful objects—it’s about meaning. One of my absolute favorite works on my wall is a piece by my young nephew, Gus. Having his art in my home reminds me that the value of a piece isn’t tied to its price or pedigree. It’s about what it represents and the connection you feel to it. I love that Gus sees his work framed and celebrated right alongside the rest of my collection. Encouraging that sense of creativity, and showing him that his perspective matters, is something that’s really important to me.
How has your collection changed as your home and space have changed?
When I was first starting out, I was really focused on early LA artists who came out of the Ferus Gallery scene. My first piece was a Billy Al Bengston “Valentine” painting. Nu took me to his studio in Venice, and I spent the afternoon with Billy Al and Wendy Al. It was one of those rare days you never forget. There was this large pink “Valentine” painting in the studio, and I immediately fell for it. A few days earlier, I’d seen a black “Valentine” at LACMA in the permanent collection. What made it even more special was that when the painting arrived at my house, I noticed Billy Al had changed the title to Who Nu, as a nod to our mutual friend. That moment of personal connection made me want to keep building in that spirit, so I started seeking out work by Larry Bell, Ken Price, Ed Ruscha—artists whose lives and friendships were as interesting to me as the work itself.
Do you buy artwork to fit a space, or make space for art?
I don’t think I’ve ever bought something for a particular space. I bought a Sam Durant piece from Blum & Poe (now Blum) that says “Love is Louder,” and I still haven’t figured out where it’s going to live. But I knew I wanted to live with it, so I wasn’t too worried about that part. The same goes for a Sam McKinniss painting I have of American Pharoah. It doesn’t technically “fit” in my living room, but I don’t care. I love horses, and I love that painting, so I made space for it.
Do you collect anything other than art?
Always. As a kid, it was rocks, fossils, and hockey cards. These days, I’d say watches are probably my other obsession. There’s something so satisfying about the design and engineering of a great watch. It feels like wearing a piece of history.
What is the strangest negotiation you’ve ever had with an artist or dealer?
I don’t know if it’s strange, but going to an artist’s studio is always this wonderfully overwhelming experience. There’s so much to see, so much to ask, and you want to be respectful of their time and space—it’s a delicate balance. One of my favorite pieces is a “Bar Painting” by Alex Hubbard of a gorilla. Alex and I are friends, so there wasn’t really any formal negotiation, but I remember feeling awkward about how to even ask if he’d consider doing an animal painting for me. Fortunately, he was completely open to it, and it’s become one of the most meaningful works I own.
What piece of advice would you give someone who wants to get into collecting?
Take your time. There’s no rush. Download the See Saw app—it’s an amazing tool for seeing what shows are happening and where. And don’t be afraid to ask questions. People in the art world are far more generous with their knowledge than you might expect, especially if they can see you’re genuinely curious. Also, see as many museum shows as possible and support local institutions if you can. That's something I learned from the Nathansons.
