By: DAVID MASELLO
Michael Polenske used to grow grapes for Blackbird, his wine brand. Now, he nurtures artists in and around Napa and Sonoma counties.
Michael Polenske knows how to make things grow. In his former career as president of J.P. Morgan’s Western private banking division and in his later roles at Chase Manhattan, he grew financial portfolios. When he “retired” from financial services in his early 40s, he turned his attention to Napa Valley, where he cultivated vineyards and produced award-winning merlots under his brand, Blackbird (he remains the brand’s largest investor). Today, Polenske is focused on growing the careers of artists and artisans through his four Aerena Galleries, located in Napa, Sonoma, and Marin counties.
Polenske, with his striking George Clooney-esque presence, has become a prominent figure in Napa Valley and beyond. From his spacious home, which he describes as being “set dead center in the Blackbird vineyards,” he now oversees an aesthetic empire of his own making. Polenske’s Aerena Galleries and Gardens—spread across St. Helena, Healdsburg, Napa, and Mill Valley—are more than just art spaces; they are cultural hubs. The St. Helena location even includes a 50-acre sculpture garden that is regularly refreshed with new monumental works, all available for purchase.
“These galleries are somewhat traditional in how they function,” Polenske explains, “but they are far from the white-walled spaces you find in many cities where you feel like you have to whisper your way through.” Instead, Aerena Galleries are deeply embedded in their communities, serving as social and cultural gathering spots in these picturesque towns.
“In our galleries, we honor and celebrate—and sell—those who are in the arena: the painters, photographers, sculptors, artisans, and furniture makers who create.”
In 2008, ever the visionary, Polenske founded what he called “a living gallery,” a concept that has since entered the cultural lexicon. Located in the Napa town of Yountville, Ma(i)sonry was a magnificent old stone building that Polenske filled with life—combining a restaurant, wine bar, antiques, contemporary and vintage artworks, furnishings, and decorative accessories. Although he has since sold the building and business to Restoration Hardware, people still talk about Ma(i)sonry’s unique and immersive experience.
There was nothing like that before or since,” he reflects. “You’d walk in and be completely absorbed in the atmosphere. Anything you pointed to or admired was available for purchase.” Polenske adds, “And I’m currently on the lookout for another property to recreate that magic.
The name “Aerena” for his galleries and sculpture garden, located adjacent to St. Helena’s luxurious Auberge du Soleil, was inspired by a speech delivered by Theodore Roosevelt, a personal hero of Polenske. He often quotes from memory the famous address from 1910, where Roosevelt stated, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena… who does actually strive to do the deeds….”
Polenske embodies this spirit of the doer, both in business and in the arts. “In our galleries, we honor and celebrate—and sell—those who are in the arena: the painters, photographers, sculptors, artisans, and furniture makers who create.”
