HISTORY
Founded by Laura and Vincent Barletta, the New Salem Museum has a rich history. NSMA is located in the historic town of New Salem, Massachusetts, approximately 90 miles west of Boston and 180 miles north of New York City. The settlement dates back to around 1735. At that time, it was a land grant given to proprietors coming from Salem, Massachusetts to build a new community on approximately 30,000 acres. The historic property of NSMA was originally built in 1870 to serve as a residence for students of the local town academy.
The Barletta family purchased the building over a century later and renovated it into a residential space, creating a serene family retreat. The Barlettas have cherished New Salem for generations, with Vincent’s grandfather meeting his grandmother while working on the construction of route 202 as a young man and falling in love with the area. Laura and Vincent were later married at the congregational church in town, with several family wedding celebrations taking place in the museum’s historic building.
The Barlettas began collecting art in 2007 with a particular interest in contemporary realism, a genre of painting that harmoniously brings together the craftsmanship of old Renaissance masters with contemporary subject matter. The Barlettas commenced their art collection with a figurative painting titled “Leaving Home” by artist Michael Klein. After collecting his work privately for over a decade, the Barlettas joined forces with the Kleins in 2019 to create the vision for the New Salem Museum and Academy of Fine Art, the first museum in the country dedicated exclusively to contemporary realist art.
At the heart of the NSMA lies a collaborative and empowering relationship between patron and artist – an enduring partnership that not only sparked and shaped the museum’s creation but also steers its future course.
FOUNDERS
Vincent and Laura Barletta live and work in the Boston area where they run a family business. They have been a part of the community in New Salem, Massachusetts for several generations.
Sharing a passion for the arts, they started their collection in 2007 with the oil painting by Michael Klein titled “Leaving Home,” depicting Klein’s wife, Nelida Klein.
That painting planted the seed for the collaboration among the two couples, the Barlettas and the Kleins, in founding the New Salem Museum and Academy of Fine Art (NSMA). Since then, the Barlettas have also collected Barbizon School paintings by the 19th Century French pioneers of Naturalism (plein-air landscape painting).
Laura Barletta is both the curator and designer of NSMA. Running her own interior design business, she is very conscious of how surrounding oneself with objects of significance reflects one’s personality and creates a more profound and enjoyable living space. She considers the presence of beauty essential for having a sense of peace in one’s life.
Laura is inspired by Isabella Stewart Gardner and Peggy Guggenheim who left a legacy for the world to enjoy. Like these visionaries, Laura Barletta stands among the greats. Her keen aesthetic and clear insight into artists’ ways of thinking make her one of the most influential collectors in the Contemporary Realist art market today.
“A collection of art is about more than decorating your walls or making a financial investment… it’s celebrating the gift of the artist and the joy felt when you find one-of-a-kind works that speak to your soul.”
LAURA BARLETTA
TEAM
MICHAEL KLEIN
MUSEUM DIRECTOR
Michael Klein, an award-winning and renowned artist is currently the director of NSMA, assisting in daily operations and forming the academy’s curriculum.
Staying faithful to the realist tradition, Michael Klein is among a group of painters working to establish a new precedent for fine art. The North Dakota native attended a string of ateliers in the Midwest before finishing his studies with an apprenticeship in New York City under Jacob Collins. Focused on painting still life and figurative work, he is most known for his floral work that evokes the mastery of Fantin Latour and Edouard Manet. Notably, he was awarded grand prize in 2016 at the Portrait Society of America’s International Portrait Competition for “NYC Entrepreneur.”
Throughout his career, Klein has passionately committed himself to collaborating with other artists, promoting their work and documenting different areas of the art world.
Advocating through his position at the New Salem Museum that new master paintings done in the 21st century should be accessible to the general public, Klein insists “If the public doesn’t get access to study up-close some of the incredible contemporary works being done, they will never fully understand what is happening.”
Klein is also dedicated to helping collectors commence on their journey of becoming a savvy connoisseur “It’s just as essential to know about what makes a work of art successful as it is to simply love it,” he says.
NELIDA KLEIN
ASSISTANT MANAGER
Nelida Klein, an inspiration alongside her husband, Michael Klein, contributes significantly as the museum ambassador at NSMA. Their partnership extends over two decades, marked by their 2004 marriage in Brooklyn and collaborative efforts in relocating to Argentina while Michael's career was commencing.
In her role as museum ambassador, Nelida plays a pivotal part in the daily operations of NSMA and actively engages in shaping the community. Committed to beauty, much like her husband, she embraces the responsibility of ensuring that new master paintings from the 21st century are appreciated and studied.
Nelida's love and dedication extends to organizing events for the museum, as well as involvement in a vibrant community at NSMA. Her enduring support and collaborative spirit exemplify the shared commitment of the Kleins to the world of fine art.
NOAH KLAVENS
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
In his role at NSMA as Assistant Director, Noah helps with both daily operations as well as heading up the development and management of the museum and academy’s digital infrastructure. Noah is also an up and coming draftsman and painter living in Western Massachusetts.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
President
Laura Barletta
Vice President
Michael Klein
Treasurer
Vincent F. Barletta
Secretary
John Bulman
DIRECTORS
Laura Barletta
Vincent F. Barletta
Michael Klein
Jordan Sokol
Amaya Gurpide
Peter Trippi
Steve Diamant
HISTORY
Founded by Laura and Vincent Barletta, the New Salem Museum has a rich history. NSMA is located in the historic town of New Salem, Massachusetts, approximately 90 miles west of Boston and 180 miles north of New York City. The settlement dates back to around 1735. At that time, it was a land grant given to proprietors coming from Salem, Massachusetts to build a new community on approximately 30,000 acres.
The historic property of NSMA was originally built in 1870 to serve as a residence for students of the local town academy. The Barletta family purchased the building over a century later and renovated it into a residential space, creating a serene family retreat. The Barlettas have cherished New Salem for generations, with Vincent’s grandfather meeting his grandmother while working on the construction of route 202 as a young man and falling in love with the area. Laura and Vincent were later married at the congregational church in town, with several family wedding celebrations taking place in the museum’s historic building.
The Barlettas began collecting art in 2007 with a particular interest in contemporary realism, a genre of painting that harmoniously brings together the craftsmanship of old Renaissance masters with contemporary subject matter. The Barlettas commenced their art collection with a figurative painting titled “Leaving Home” by artist Michael Klein. After collecting his work privately for over a decade, the Barlettas joined forces with the Kleins in 2019 to create the vision for the New Salem Museum and Academy of Fine Art, the first museum in the country dedicated exclusively to contemporary realist art.
At the heart of the NSMA lies a collaborative and empowering relationship between patron and artist – an enduring partnership that not only sparked and shaped the museum’s creation but also steers its future course.