Mentor Interview
How did you arrive at your current position as an honor of Studio &?
I have lived in Durango for about eight years. Both here as well as the other places I lived before Durango, I always would do art shows a couple times a year. I would approach galleries and spaces and ask if I could have a show. Then I would put something together or I would work on collaborative shows with artists who were established in galleries. Sometimes I would submit art to galleries that had community shows or juried shows. I’ve always been really active as an artist. I went to an arts focused high school and then followed up with an arts degree in college.
In Durango, I did the same thing. I had a show up in Open Shutter and I participated in shows here at Studio & for the last couple years. Last year in September, Studio & had an opening for a fifth owner because one of the current owners decided to move away. I had just submitted a proposal for the group show at Studio & and had been accepted and had that show. After that they asked me if I would want to be one of the co-owners. I replied, “Heck yeah!” This was a really awesome opportunity for me to be apart of this place. I think Studio & is really wonderful in building an arts community in Durango and pushing the arts community in increasingly contemporary styles of art. The community piece in particular is key. Having a gallery and retail space where, as an artist I can sell my work and as an owner I don’t have to pay commission is a big deal. When I was given this opportunity I leaped on the chance and that is how I got to where I am now! Educationally, I focused on visual art in high school and then went to college and focused on community based organizing and youth leadership through the arts. I went to Hampshire College in Massachusetts. I had a focus on the idea of culture creating and storytelling that would answer the questions, “Why is art important?” and “What does art do?” It was a natural progression after school to say to myself, “Well what do I want to do with that?” I knew that I wanted to make art.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Sustaining a solid amount of money is the most challenging part of my job, but the fact that Studio & is a profitable business is amazing because it is a huge success. We are not hugely profitable but we are profitable. The hardest part for me is thinking about the kind of bodies of artwork I want to create as an artist and simultaneously thinking about how to take distill elements of those into sellable pieces; for example, making cards, wall art, and print photos. This can be challenging because I want to be sure that whatever I am creating is meaningful and is meaningful to the work I am doing on a larger scale.
Do you create a plan for each art piece or exhibit you create?
Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. For the Extinct show I created illustrations. I planned out what I wanted to create subject wise. However, as far as painting or illustration the subject can take off as I am creating the art piece.
What do you love about your work and what would you change if you could?
I think what love the most about being an owner of this gallery is that I get to be apart of an organization that is really building an arts community in Durango. I feel as if I am constantly contributing to the arts community and being a part of something living and growing, which is really cool. My favorite part about doing art is that I get to tap into the parts of me that are the most dangerous in a way that is safe. Some art can expose our danger self or our hidden self and the deep universal colliding side of our brain. It is healthy to find an outlet for all of those emotions whether it is dance, visual art, or being a stock trader. If you find the right thing that shows your good work there is a part of you that feels a sense of release because you are doing what you should be doing. It is important to be passionate about whatever you are doing and you are happy. I get to create and tell stories that have meaning to me and other people but at the same time feel satisfied with my life.
What would you give for advice for someone like me? How will I know that what I am doing is right for me?
When you wake up in the morning and the majority of the time you feel good about going to work. No matter what there are going to be days where everything falls apart and nothing is right and you do not want to be there at all. I have days like that as an artist when I am challenging myself to do things I have no idea how to do. One time we were creating a group show and half way threw doing these crazy things I thought to myself, “This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever done! Why am I doing this? Why I am I making tiny little light boxes for someone to wear on a skirt?” When I am having these moments I overcome them by taking a moment and literally stopping what I am doing and go on a walk and try to shut down my brain. I try to stop thinking about it and get into my heart and body and access how I feel. If I feel a drive and have a feel that I have to do it then I try to let all of those bad feelings go and I go for it! No matter how hard or weird it is, or even if I think that nobody is going to like it you have to stick with your gut. It is important to feel things out and literally follow your heart and what you believe feels right. Even if your head is telling you otherwise it’s so important to continue.
What other types of art have you practiced with? Did you know what type of median you wanted to pursue from the beginning?
No. I have done everything. I have done sculpting, lost wax casting for jewelry making similar to what Crystal Hartman does, I’ve done other types of jewelry making, photography, digital photography, paintings and illustrations, performance art, and I have composed a lot of music. I was part of the founders of a circus group that was here performing for many years and we created and performed a lot of music so I play music too! I play the accordion, piano, the flute, and the musical saw, and a little bit of the violin. I have never done massive sculptures. When I was a kid I was into it all! My parents were really supportive and encouraged me throughout my life. I believe in story telling and that is what I love to create no matter what medium to tell these narrative stories.
I have lived in Durango for about eight years. Both here as well as the other places I lived before Durango, I always would do art shows a couple times a year. I would approach galleries and spaces and ask if I could have a show. Then I would put something together or I would work on collaborative shows with artists who were established in galleries. Sometimes I would submit art to galleries that had community shows or juried shows. I’ve always been really active as an artist. I went to an arts focused high school and then followed up with an arts degree in college.
In Durango, I did the same thing. I had a show up in Open Shutter and I participated in shows here at Studio & for the last couple years. Last year in September, Studio & had an opening for a fifth owner because one of the current owners decided to move away. I had just submitted a proposal for the group show at Studio & and had been accepted and had that show. After that they asked me if I would want to be one of the co-owners. I replied, “Heck yeah!” This was a really awesome opportunity for me to be apart of this place. I think Studio & is really wonderful in building an arts community in Durango and pushing the arts community in increasingly contemporary styles of art. The community piece in particular is key. Having a gallery and retail space where, as an artist I can sell my work and as an owner I don’t have to pay commission is a big deal. When I was given this opportunity I leaped on the chance and that is how I got to where I am now! Educationally, I focused on visual art in high school and then went to college and focused on community based organizing and youth leadership through the arts. I went to Hampshire College in Massachusetts. I had a focus on the idea of culture creating and storytelling that would answer the questions, “Why is art important?” and “What does art do?” It was a natural progression after school to say to myself, “Well what do I want to do with that?” I knew that I wanted to make art.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Sustaining a solid amount of money is the most challenging part of my job, but the fact that Studio & is a profitable business is amazing because it is a huge success. We are not hugely profitable but we are profitable. The hardest part for me is thinking about the kind of bodies of artwork I want to create as an artist and simultaneously thinking about how to take distill elements of those into sellable pieces; for example, making cards, wall art, and print photos. This can be challenging because I want to be sure that whatever I am creating is meaningful and is meaningful to the work I am doing on a larger scale.
Do you create a plan for each art piece or exhibit you create?
Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. For the Extinct show I created illustrations. I planned out what I wanted to create subject wise. However, as far as painting or illustration the subject can take off as I am creating the art piece.
What do you love about your work and what would you change if you could?
I think what love the most about being an owner of this gallery is that I get to be apart of an organization that is really building an arts community in Durango. I feel as if I am constantly contributing to the arts community and being a part of something living and growing, which is really cool. My favorite part about doing art is that I get to tap into the parts of me that are the most dangerous in a way that is safe. Some art can expose our danger self or our hidden self and the deep universal colliding side of our brain. It is healthy to find an outlet for all of those emotions whether it is dance, visual art, or being a stock trader. If you find the right thing that shows your good work there is a part of you that feels a sense of release because you are doing what you should be doing. It is important to be passionate about whatever you are doing and you are happy. I get to create and tell stories that have meaning to me and other people but at the same time feel satisfied with my life.
What would you give for advice for someone like me? How will I know that what I am doing is right for me?
When you wake up in the morning and the majority of the time you feel good about going to work. No matter what there are going to be days where everything falls apart and nothing is right and you do not want to be there at all. I have days like that as an artist when I am challenging myself to do things I have no idea how to do. One time we were creating a group show and half way threw doing these crazy things I thought to myself, “This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever done! Why am I doing this? Why I am I making tiny little light boxes for someone to wear on a skirt?” When I am having these moments I overcome them by taking a moment and literally stopping what I am doing and go on a walk and try to shut down my brain. I try to stop thinking about it and get into my heart and body and access how I feel. If I feel a drive and have a feel that I have to do it then I try to let all of those bad feelings go and I go for it! No matter how hard or weird it is, or even if I think that nobody is going to like it you have to stick with your gut. It is important to feel things out and literally follow your heart and what you believe feels right. Even if your head is telling you otherwise it’s so important to continue.
What other types of art have you practiced with? Did you know what type of median you wanted to pursue from the beginning?
No. I have done everything. I have done sculpting, lost wax casting for jewelry making similar to what Crystal Hartman does, I’ve done other types of jewelry making, photography, digital photography, paintings and illustrations, performance art, and I have composed a lot of music. I was part of the founders of a circus group that was here performing for many years and we created and performed a lot of music so I play music too! I play the accordion, piano, the flute, and the musical saw, and a little bit of the violin. I have never done massive sculptures. When I was a kid I was into it all! My parents were really supportive and encouraged me throughout my life. I believe in story telling and that is what I love to create no matter what medium to tell these narrative stories.