What have I learned after 40 interviews?
I cannot believe there have been 40 interviews already! My sincere thanks to everyone for being so willing to share a bit of your story with me. I started the AAS blog March 1, 2020 right after my retirement as a researcher/teacher at UAMS for 30 years. My intent was to post about gallery openings and art shows/exhibits along with the occasional artist interview. I just thought there was a need for a resource like this. The online magazine The Idle Class was a big inspiration because they do such a terrific job covering all the arts in Arkansas. Number: Inc. was also an inspiration, but it covers art of the South, not just Arkansas.
When Covid-19 arrived in Arkansas and shows were cancelled and then galleries started closing, I decided to focus on publishing as many interviews as possible and making them more in depth. In the beginning I tried to publish two interviews a week but that was too hectic. So, in April I began publishing an interview every Monday. The response to my first interview with Tessa Davidson was overwhelming. I thought learning about artists would be interesting to art lovers, but I underestimated just now much. The interviews seem to have filled a void in the art scene – a place where one could learn about Arkansas artists though their own words. Without exception, the artists have told me they really enjoyed the experience; although for some it might have been a little scary to talk about themselves for the first time, not just their art. The interviews are an opportunity for them to tell their story and they seem to want that. I have had only two artists decline my invitation to be interviewed.
Every Monday morning, I post an announcement and link to the new interview on my personal Facebook page and on @arkansasartscene on Instagram. The response from readers has been terrific and the readership has really grown. @arkansasartscene has over 650 followers and counting. On average, an interview gets 200-400 individual views in the first few days alone!
“These interviews are for the artists, not me. I want them to be completely happy with it.”
Because of COVID-19 all the interviews are ‘virtual’ – no face-to-face meetings. I hate talking on the phone and a phone interview would require recording it then transcribing it. That would be too much work and I think it would limit the artist’s opportunity to give thoughtful answers, which is what I think makes the interviews so interesting. So, the interview is done by email with the occasional phone call, if necessary. Before I assemble questions, I ask the artist to send me images of 10-15 works they would like to feature. From those works I pull out a few that I especially like and want to cover in more detail. By the way, I require that the artist approve the interview and layout before publishing. These interviews are for the artists, not me. I want them to be completely happy with it.
Of the 40 interviews published, 37 have been with active artists. I also interviewed art appraiser Jennifer Carmen and art journalist Ellis Widner and asked home collectors Ted and Joe to write a piece.
How do I choose the artists I interview?
Here are my three criteria in order of importance:
1. The artist must be living and working in Arkansas.
2. I must like the artist’s work.
3. The artist must have a website or a very strong Facebook or Instagram presence.
The 1st of the criteria is obvious, so really the 2nd of the criteria is the most important – I must like the artist’s work. AAS is a personal blog. I hope you have noticed that the blog has no ads and I certainly do not ‘charge’ the artists to appear. This is all for (my) fun and to hopefully benefit the artists (more on that later), and since I do it all myself the cost makes it a pretty inexpensive hobby. This gives me the freedom to feature only the artists I really like. I am not an art critic – I am unqualified and have no desire to be one. As I mentioned earlier, these interviews are for the artists to promote themselves and their work. The goal was and remains to keep art and artists on the minds of the ‘buying public’ especially in these crazy times.
How do I discover artists new to me? That is where the 3rd of the criteria comes in – the artist must have a website or other strong web presence. But for me, their own website demonstrates a commitment to creating and selling art. Of course, I have to first find the artist. I do that by going through galleries around the state and using the registries at the Arkansas Arts Council and the Arkansas Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts.
What have I learned after all these interviews?
“I paint in bursts so to maximize time between family time, soccer games, and work stuff.” – Jason McCann
It takes hard work along with talent, of course, to become a ‘real artist’. It does not just happen on its own. Artists have to sacrifice so much, but they are driven to do that because they love what they do and are compelled to create.
“What makes a good artist is a lot of the same qualities that makes a good person, a good writer, a good actor, a good doctor, a good friend. Dedication. Open heart.” – Ellis Widner
Artists are problem solvers. They want to express their ideas and interpret their surroundings in new and interesting ways and that takes introspection and tenacity to be successful.
“I find it such a challenge and an adventure to figure out how to combine all my loves into a piece that ends up looking cohesive in the end.” – Lisa Krannichfeld
Artists, at least the ones I have interviewed so far, are nice people, and they care about the art scene and other artists. One of the common responses when asked why they enter competitions and attend shows was that it offered them the opportunity to meet other artists and view their work. I was actually surprised to hear that so often. I guess I presumed artists would be more narcissistic and competitive. I was so wrong.
“Enjoy the positives and praises, roll with the blow of those that are negative or don’t care, and keep your eye on the next piece on the easel, because that’s the important part, that’s the thing you have to remember: you get to do one of the coolest things in life and make art and the next piece is waiting for you.” – Robert Bean
“I work hard, I love what I do and I’m not attached to the outcome.” – Catherine Rodgers
I have asked many of the artists this question, which they must think was a stupid question, but it is something I have always wondered about: How can you let go of something you created? Their answers have all been pretty much the same. It is not a problem because they create for themselves and for others to enjoy – and because art supplies cost a lot!
Fortunately, this business plan can work because I also learned that art buyers and especially collectors need to surround themselves with art. But I really already knew this. My husband and I have been collecting mostly Arkansas artists for some 20 years.
“My joy or passion is in creating the painting, not in keeping the painting.” – Ray Parker
This summer I took an online course at Sotheby’s called The Art of Collecting. I took the course because I thought it would be not only fun but interesting to learn how collectors think and go about building their collections. There were 34 students with about a third of them from outside the US. After looking at the profiles I would say that I was not only the oldest student but also the only student who was not in the art field (e.g., art broker, art student, journalist, etc.). There are two things I learned that are particularly relevant to this blog.
One was that an Art Collector can and should do more than just spend money buying art. An effective art collector looks for other ways to support the arts and artists, even those they don’t collect. Examples we discussed were hosting events or small shows and providing even small competitive grants for art supplies. I originally thought these examples did not seem very impactful. However, after so many artist interviews, I have come to realize that artists want and need opportunities to show their work to potential buyers. Commercial galleries are not enough. I also learned from these interviews how important even small grants are to an artist trying to juggle family finances with the costs of art supplies and exhibition entry fees, etc.
Another example we discussed was publicity, which is also something especially local artists need. When I mentioned to the class (through discussion boards) about the AAS blog, it was a big hit. Several students still read the interviews and the course instructor thought it was a great service (brownie points for me!). The Thank Yous I get from the artists in many ways validate the need for something like this blog. I hope others will take up the challenge and think up ways to actively support their local art scene.
The second thing I learned from the course relevant to this blog was that COVID has and will continue to change the way potential buyers find artists. There will always be a role for commercial galleries because, in general, that is where an artist’s work can most easily be seen in person and most buyers want and feel they need to see a work in person and up close before buying. However, COVID is causing a change in that mentality. I really feel for galleries right now because they are still struggling to open around the country and around the world and it is very expensive to run a gallery. We have some wonderful and long-standing galleries in Arkansas and they spend a lot of time and money hosting events to promote their artists. They also serve a critically important role as a consultants to a potential buyer. However, online shopping, even at galleries, is rapidly becoming the standard method for the new collector. Galleries are beginning to understand this and adapt, but artists need to be proactive. To take advantage of the new online buyer, artists must have a strong online presence, ideally through their own website. Yes, Facebook and Instagram are free, but a website will always be the most effective because it has a more intimate feel. It would also include an artist’s bio/statement, etc., things potential buyers want to see in addition to well-presented work. I am proof that for a couple of hundred dollars per year a simple but effective website can be set up if the artist is willing to manage it themselves.
“I think artists are always autobiographical.” – Sheila Cotton
Art enriches society in general and our lives specifically. So, artists need and deserve our support. Organizations mentioned earlier, the Arkansas Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, which advocates for and promotes Arkansas women artists, and the Arkansas Arts Council are much appreciated by local artists for their sponsored activities and grants. The Windgate Foundation is an incredibly generous resource, which supports museums, art programs, departments of higher education and others. Art departments in our colleges and universities are training outstanding young artists. Their museums serve as showcases for works by students and visiting artists. Many have had to go to virtual exhibitions but will eventually reopen to the public and will need our support. Regional museums like the Bradbury Art Museum in Jonesboro and the Batesville Area Arts Council, as well as the Historic Arkansas Museum and the Galleries at Library Square, both in Little Rock, are important venues to showcase local artists. There are many others worthy of mention too and of course, the Arkansas Arts Center is a wonderful resource for teaching, networking and inspiration. I was actually surprised how many artists mentioned the AAC as one of their first and often most meaningful exposures to art.
The art scenes around the state have suffered terribly this year for obvious reasons. Still, major museums like Crystal Bridges, the opening of The Momentary, and the construction of the new Arkansas Arts Center help to inspire local artists and potential buyers. But what seems to be needed is increased interactions between artists living throughout the state and potential buyers in higher populated areas like Little Rock. This is where web-based shows and artists’ personal websites become so important. I wish there were more opportunities for artists to more easily meet buyers from around the state. Arkansas has lots of terrific artists and many have earned notoriety throughout the US and worldwide. I will have no trouble finding artists to interview for years. It has been great fun introducing you to artists you (and me) had not discovered yet.
But, after 40 interviews I think it is a perfect time to take a short break during the month of December. My next interview will be posted Monday January 4th, 2021. Meanwhile, support your favorite gallery and artist this holiday season! All the best for 2021!
