Mike Ottwiller,

Sandy Springs

Frank Niemeir / fniemeir@ajc.com/Staff (ENLARGE)

Mike Ottwiller likes the ghostly image in 'The Passerine Woman,' which he displays in his dining room.

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Background: Ottwiller, an insurance agent, is a truly democratic collector. He hangs castoffs from Goodwill on his walls next to paintings from art galleries. He buys pieces on eBay and from estate and garage sales as well as established art dealers. He often finds bargains, but admits to overpaying for a piece or two, including a Salvador Dali etching he bought in Las Vegas with gambling winnings. There's no particular theme or unifying thread to his collection. "I just buy what I like," he said.

Favorite piece: "The Passerine Woman," an oil-on-canvas by Brett Osborn, an Atlanta-based artist who teaches at the Savannah College of Art & Design. Osborn is represented by Bill Lowe Gallery and is known for his landscapes that contain contradictory elements — multiple seasons, light and shadow, chill and warmth — in a single image. Many also have ghostly images, such as the birdlike woman in this piece. Ottwiller bought the painting at a recent Art Papers auction.

Where it's displayed: At eye level in his dining room, where a designer friend once told him: "That is the best thing you have in here."

Why he likes it: "It's the most thought-provoking piece I have. It draws you in," he said. "I always wonder what is the artists' true inspiration in painting something. I love the feeling you get looking at it. You're looking out onto a field, and there's this ghostly person looking back at you."

My Favorite Piece is a way to let Atlantans talk about the best-loved works in their collections. If you have a suggestion, email Kirsten Tagami at ktagami@ajc.com.