Tara Centybear
Founder & Operations Manager
With more than 20 years of curatorial experience in museums and
25 years as a practicing artist, Tara understands artwork from
every angle, from acquisition and exhibition planning to
installation and long-term care. She founded Arterial: Fine Art
Handling because caring for artwork and connecting it with
people have been at the heart of her professional career. She
holds a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and
an MFA from Goldsmiths, University of London. Tara continues her
curatorial work at Arterial and supervises trained, vetted art
handlers on handling and installation projects.
Blake Smith
Business Development & Client Experience
Blake brings 19 years of enterprise operations experience to
Arterial: Fine Art Handling, with a background in retail
operations, asset protection, and customer service. He focuses
on the systems and relationships that help a business run
smoothly—from clear communication and dependable follow-through
to practical technology that keeps details organized. At
Arterial, Blake leads business development, marketing, and the
client experience, working alongside Tara to help clients feel
informed and supported from their first inquiry through project
completion. His approach is straightforward: understand what
people need, make the process easier, and follow through.
