The beloved and welcoming Waterfall Mansion & Gallery launched out of a surprising series of events. Initially, Kate Shin, a real estate private equity investor saw the Upper East Side property as a good investment. Two generations of artisans and craftsmen from the Tillet family had lived and worked there for over 120 years, giving the location a beautiful artistic heritage. Kate worked with world-renowned architect Toshiko Mori who designed a new carriage house from a gut renovation that took over 5 years to complete.
What emerged was a beautifully designed 7 level space that married an art gallery with a residence. While she was waiting to sell to the highest bidder Kate curated free exhibitions and special events. These new experiences introduced Kate to the art world and the artist community and soon led her to drop her plans to sell the property and instead launch the Waterfall Gallery.
Ten years after breaking ground, the Waterfall Mansion & Gallery is a respected name in many circles.
Spiritual, art, culture, business, non-profit and diplomatic circles, to name a few, have been touched by the art and the colorful, energized, inspiring atmosphere at Waterfall. Over the years, Kate has opened her space to hundreds of artists, businesses, foundations, charities, and patrons. She has fed them the finest cuisine of love, compassion and creativity - the two main ingredients always being inventive art collaborations with her over 400 artists combined with her own personal inspired brand of authenticity, hospitality and her steady commitment to excellence.
Waterfall Mansion and Gallery is a cultural hub that includes the Waterfall Gallery, the Waterfall Arts Foundation, and the Waterfall Artist Ministry. As an ecosystem that intersects commercial, socially responsible, and non-profit community interests, Waterfall has been organically connecting artists, leaders, influencers, patrons, and others around faith, art, and culture since opening in 2014.
Waterfall develops platforms and programming for its patrons that also provides resources and better conditions for its artist’s creativity and careers. Also, as part of Waterfall’s continuous commitment to the public, we have designed a public art campaign and we have created educational content focused on spirit, art, and culture as an ongoing gift to our larger society. We believe that culture should be nurtured by caring, authenticity, unity, honor, presence and wisdom. These elements of character formation are all supported to enhance the atmosphere and leadership at Waterfall.
