Brandon B. Stewart

    Brandon Burns Stewart, who found East Hampton a vital extension of his life in the Manhattan art world, died of cancer on Nov. 2 in New York City. He had been sick for two months. He was 58.

    Born in Manhattan, his parents, Jack and Margo Stewart, were both artists, as well as activists for artists. Growing up surrounded by art and artists, he ended up making it his life’s work.

    As a child, he attended the Rudolf Steiner School, then the Hackley School, and went on to college at Case Western Reserve University.

    After his parents divorced, he shared a town house on Manhattan’s East Side with his mother.

    Professionally, Mr. Stewart specialized in urban planning, including work on the redevelopment of the Brooklyn waterfront, before becoming a fine-arts administrator, working with curators and art galleries on the acquisition and management of fine art.

    He also had a passion for protecting the environment, and was involved with the Green Movement.

    In the 1970s, he and his mother purchased a house in East Hampton, which became a focal point for the social scene for many in the arts community. “He loved to entertain in his home,” his cousin Jane Cornman said yesterday.

    He loved East Hampton, particularly in September, after the hustle and bustle of the season had ended.

    He enjoyed walking on the beach.

    To Mr. Stewart and his mother, East Hampton was the extension of their life in the New York art world.

    He is survived by his step-mother, Regina Stewart, as well as many cousins.

    Donations in his name can be made to the Artist Welfare Fund, P.O. Box 1258, New York City 10276.

    A celebration of his life is planned for March.