Crusade for Collecting

Collector Scoop is a blog series of interviews and features on emerging and established art collectors. Today, we are excited to have a little chat with our very own board member Carl Bedell!

Carl has worked with various private museums and art institutions to develop young professional membership groups, including the Corcoran Museum of Art and the Phillips Collection. In 2015, Carl Co-Founded ACCADEMIA DC, a pending 501c3, that aims to build a new generation of benefactors for the arts by connecting emerging collectors with artists.

Can you share your background with us and how you got into collecting art? Do you remember the first piece of art that you bought?

My introduction to art came in 1992 when my family moved to Germany for a military assignment.  If my weekends were not spent playing sports or in school activities, my parents had my brothers and I in the car traveling to see the wonders of Europe - often times that meant world-class museums. With that background, my appreciation for art developed and continued until I began collecting.

 In 2008, my mother and I traveled to Philadelphia to visit the Barnes Foundation (just prior to its relocation). That weekend happened to be Philadelphia's First Friday when the commercial art galleries were open late and the trompe l’oiel painter Adam Vinson had a solo show that I stumbled across. Adam’s show was the first time I saw artwork in a commercial setting that immediately spoke to me.  I stayed in touch with Adam sporadically for the next five years until I decided to jump into collecting. His Card Sharks was the first piece of fine art that I acquired and remains one of my favorites.

The first photograph in my collection is by Binh Danh. Binh has several pieces in the National Gallery of Art’s permanent collection and was included in their 2015 exhibition The Memory of Time. This exhibition was especially interesting to me because it was entirely of contemporary photographers - many of whom were relatively young. I visited the exhibition and left with a list of artists’ names that I took home to research. Binh was in that list and after several emails (he may tell you it was many more than several) we met during his visit to DC and shortly thereafter I committed to purchasing his Bridalveil Falls daguerreotype.

What are your favorite resources for discovering new artists?

Discovering new artists is one of the most exciting aspects of collecting. Art shows, gallery visits and museums are obvious ways to identify new artists and I certainly have discovered many artists in that way – for example Adam Vinson and Binh Danh. But I also spend a significant amount of time researching artists online. Much of art in my collection is by artists that I have discovered in more proactive searches and then reached out to directly.

Facebook, Instagram and other online social media provides an incredible resource for identifying new artists.  Most artists now have some sort of online presence and the algorithms that the social media uses to “suggest” new content is pretty successful in identifying your preferences and suggesting new artists. I have discovered many artists this way, many of whom I have come to know personally and in some cases, acquired their works.  Heather Rooney is one such artist.  In 2013, Heather was producing photo-realistic portraits of World Cup stars and posting them online with a time-lapse video of the drawing. Her skill level is incredible – especially as a 22 year old self-taught artist. The video of Heather drawing the Winston Churchill portrait I purchased is online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-dke8QaiJo.       

 Whenever I travel, I normally research and contact local artists and try to make a point to fit in at least one studio visit (in addition to the local museums and galleries). This adds a special memory to the trip and allows me to meet artists that are outside of the DC area. The first piece that came into my collection this way was a ceramic trompe l’oeil piece by Cathy Moberg, Good Fortune. Cathy works in Nashville and she allowed me to stop by her studio and see her works-in-progress. 

 Studio visits are important to me as a collector because it allows me to get to know the person and see the process that goes into creating the art. I normally come away from studio visits with a deeper understanding of what the artist was trying to convey and a greater appreciation for what the artist created. Some of my favorite studio visits have been to see the Baltimore based sculptor, Sebastian Martorana, the Washington DC based painter Trevor Young, and the New York based painter Tigran Tsitoghdzyan.

Do you have any advice for emerging or aspiring art collectors?

My advice to emerging or aspiring collectors is to jump in, collect what speaks to you and make it personal. For me, my collecting began with an appreciation for artistic craftsmanship. Adam Vinson’s trompe l’oeil works were so incredible to me that after five years, the memories of his first works I saw still stuck with me and led me to begin collecting.

My biggest regret in terms of collecting is that I did not start sooner. Before I began collecting, I believed that in order to acquire “good” art, I would have to spend a small fortune. The reality is that there is a lot of great art available at every price point.  Some of my favorite works in my collection were the least expensive.

My appreciation for the art in my collection is largely based on the stories behind the works. Nearly every piece of art in my collection has a personal story for me – a story about the art or about the artist. That personal connection makes the art more than an aesthetic addition to my home. It makes the collection a record of the stories and people in my life.

Artists Referenced:

Adam Vinson 

Binh Danh

Heather Rooney

Cathy Moberg

Sebastian Martorana

Trevor Young

Tigran Tsitoghdzyan

Collector Scoop is a blog series of interviews and features on emerging and established art collectors. Today, we are happy to share a conversation with Jessi Bowman of Houston Center for Photography about how her collection got started.

Can you share your background with us and how you got into collecting art? Do you remember the first piece of art that you bought? My family was always very involved in the arts, my grandma is a mixed media artist and my aunt is a poet. As a kid I always had a Barbie camera in my hand, which upgraded to disposables, then to a 35mm and finally to a DSLR. I eventually got my degree in Art History from the University of Houston. I don’t ever remember consciously starting collect nor do I remember the first work that I bought. I’ve always been a bit of a pack rat starting with McDonald’s Happy Meal toy and just refining my taste and moving to collectors statues from there. The only thing I really remember was the excitement of supporting my friends or my family. To this day my grandma’s work still covers my walls. I do however remember the first “big girl” piece I collected, Untamed by Lori Vrba from Catherine Couturier gallery here in Houston… I am still paying it off.     

How do you think that collecting contributes to the artistic community?

I believe that being a patron is almost more the most important thing. People say “art for art’s sake.”

Has your affiliation with the Houston Center for Photography lead you to discover new artists that you have (or have considered) collecting from?

Oh all the time! I see artists all the time who’s work I want nothing more than to put on my walls. I have been lucky enough to collect from a couple of people this last year one of whom (Kristin Diemer) I purchased after sitting in on a review of hers.   

What are your favorite resources for discovering new artists?

Funny enough Instagram is one of my favorites. We do get a lot of submissions to HCP which has brought many of artists to my attention but nothing beats falling down the rabbit hole of Instagram. I have collected at least four works from people I have found on Instagram.

Do you have any advice for emerging or aspiring art collectors?

I know it’s a cliché, but it is so for a reason- collect what you like. Why spend the money on it if you aren’t going to hang it on your walls. And even if you are buying for monetary value it is hard to sale work to someone if you don’t like it yourself. Also don’t get discouraged by money, I have never made much money and you don’t need much to collect. There are so many talented artists in all different styles, at all points in their carriers that are affordable. As an artist myself I have worked out many trades and payment plans for my own work as well as for the purchase of other people’s.

This Focal Point Q3.16 features photographers Jennifer Garza-Cuen, Ole Marius Joergensen, and Nashalina Schrape. It's a pleasure to share a small chat with these talented artists about the driving forces behind the alluring imagery that is their photographic work.

Do you find that in the construction of your images that you are having to balance the roles of both director and photographer? Ole: My background is from both film and photo. The way I work is very much like an director. I feel that my camera is just a tool I use to get out my ideas..if i was good with words I would probably be an writer..the same goes for painting. I love making stories so I look at myself as more of a story creator. Jennifer: Yes, I do and I think both are required and equally important in my work. There is the creation of a mood in order to tell a story and then there is the moment itself, which is more about being receptive to what is happening between myself and who or what I am photographing.  

Collector Scoop is a blog series of interviews and features on emerging and established art collectors. Today, we are happy to share a conversation with Colony Little of Culture Shock Art about how her collection got started.

Can you share your background with us and how you got into collecting art? Do you remember the first piece of art that you bought?

I created Culture Shock Art in 2010 as a passion project and a creative outlet from my career as an underwriter for an insurance company.  At the time I was drawn to street art I’d discover during my commute to downtown Los Angeles and I came across this incredible JR mural from his Wrinkles of the City series.  I had no idea who created the piece, so my quest to learn more about the artist/photographer led me to his TED Talk and I ended up writing about him on the blog.  JR’s career trajectory and the work he’s created to visually capture the stories of thousands of people around the world was fascinating to witness.  I ended up buying one of his early lithographs in 2011.  Since then I’ve collected art that is best described as eclectic.  My husband and I collect illustrations, graphic art, vinyl records (I love Blue Note covers), photography and low brow art. We have three pieces of art floating around here inspired by the show Arrested Development. I love them simply because they make me laugh!  

How do you think that collecting contributes to the artistic community?

Patrons are the fuel that keep artistic communities running.  I’m inspired by creative collectives of artists, writers, designers, musicians and collectors that build synergies to support one another. During the past 5 years, L.A. has seen an artistic evolution taking place among creatives that drove the growth of the Arts District.  This in turn has resulted in a huge uptick in gallery openings there.  In my early years of writing and collecting I found the gallery system exclusive and limiting, but now those barriers to access are slowly disappearing as technology and media encourage galleries to create more open and (somewhat) democratic spaces for building communities.  Additionally, artist-run spaces are cultivating stronger bonds among artists, the community and future collectors. For example, I love what’s happening in Leimert Park--the Hammer Museum has partnered with artist Mark Bradford at Art + Practice and I’m also inspired by Michelle Papillion’s groundbreaking work at Papillion.   

Your career as an arts writer has allowed you the opportunity to discover many established and emerging artists. Has there been a situation where your career lead you to collecting art from a new artist or a similar experience?

When I worked in the insurance industry roughly 1/3 of the business my company produced came from high net worth individuals, and many of them were collectors of fine art.  This afforded me opportunities to interact with collectors, artists and galleries at fairs.  In the early years of Culture Shock Art I would use the blog to research and write about artists that I collected or wanted to collect.  Now that I’m writing exclusively, my wish list of art to collect has grown but my bank account hasn’t!  With that said, there is fantastic art that can be had at any price point. I’m amazed at the growth rate of art purchased on-line in the past few years.  Also, events like L.A.’s Incognito at the old Santa Monica Museum of Art (now known as the ICA and is moving downtown) are a good example of leveling the playing field between emerging and established collectors. 

Incognito was a fundraising event disguised as a fun artistic experiment--hundreds of works of art donated by emerging and well known artists were placed on display, each piece priced the same.  The catch was that the identity of the artist was hidden, so you could potentially walk away with an Ed Ruscha, John Baldessari or Catherine Opie if you were lucky.  At the end of the day there was no wrong choice because you were ideally basing your decision on instinct and love for the piece.  That’s how we came to own a work by Rena Small.  It is one of my favorite photographs because my husband chose it and he was not familiar with her work at all.  Years later we were at the Norton Simon museum and he came across one of her photos of Basquiatthat was part of her “Artists Hands” series in 1985.  Moments of serendipity lead us to beautiful discoveries!

What are your favorite resources for discovering new artists?

Hands down Instagram! You can find me @cultureshockart

It has been an amazing platform to virtually interact with artists while getting a behind the scenes look into their lives and their process.  Many of the relationships I’ve cultivated through Instagram have turned into friendships and great collaborations.  Years later I'm still obsessed with Instagram because it is a convergence of all the things I love (art, coffee, handbags, records, photography and dogs). To satisfy my wanderlust, I’ll follow someone like photographer Rick Poon and for creative inspiration I love fashion designers like Duro Olowu and Reuben Reul.  Kim Drew @museummammy curates amazing work by black artists on her blog Black Contemporary Art.  My queen of kawai is Hana Kim @supahcute who introduced me to some amazing work by Martin Hsu (@martinhsuart) and for a shot of pure colorful joy, I love the photography of Kimberly Genevieve (@kimgenevieve).  Another great resource for collectors is One Art Nation.  They have a very informative video series on topics ranging from the art market to protecting your collection.  

Do you have any advice for emerging or aspiring art collectors?

Collectors are largely driven by status, investment or love for the art.  Always stick with love and your instincts! One of the goals of my blog is to make art accessible for my readers because many close friends and family struggle with contemporary art and feel that it is intimidating.  It doesn’t have to be this way.  Whether I’m in a museum, gallery, art fair or a studio I don’t try to make sense of everything I see.  I simply trust my gut and ask questions.  What are you drawn to?  What does the piece remind you of?  Does the work make you happy, sad, angry, confused? Allow yourself to go with those simple questions and keep asking why.  If I find myself thinking about a piece days after I’ve seen it, I know I am onto an artist or work that I want to learn about and explore more deeply.   

In collaboration with Slate's photo blog, Behold, we are extending the conversation with some of their featured photographers and curators.

Ruben Natal-San Miguel might be one of the hardest working people out there. The trained architect turned to photography after the September 11 attacks in New York City. “The world became more of the moment,” Natal-San Miguel said to Slate in a 2013 story. “Photography became a passion to collect as an art media and for me (a medium) to communicate all the activities, the costumes and traditions of everyday life.” Using mostly a bicycle to get around his beloved New York City, Natal-San Miguel’s photographs of the people he encounters are intimate, sometimes alluring, other times provocative, and always overflowing with emotion. He has also curated a number of shots including the current one on view at Station Independent Projects in New York titled “WE:AMEricans” that asks (and answers) the question: what does it mean to be an American? We caught up with Natal-San Miguel before he left for Boston and the Griffin Museum; he has work included in The Peter Urban Legacy Exhibition.

You will find some extra Q&A below and can read the original Slate interview here.

You work as both a photographer and a curator. Talk a bit about wearing both hats.   It can be quite challenging. The amount of time that you spend curating takes away from working on your personal work, which, it is sort of taking off. It is a tough act to balance but, there is a great learning curve that can be applied to your own personal work while curating.

I am fortunate enough that every single curated show I have been the creative director of so, it gives me the freedom to create the concept theme, select the works, and create installations with it .   What do you feel are some of the major changes in the art world these days?   I think that artists need to be very careful in selecting from the opportunities listed out there. There are a ton of competitions, call for entries etc, etc out there now (which it is a positive thing) but, most of then have turn into fundraising events for institutions which are considered non-profit. Yet, the artists are subjected to spending tons of money just enter and and participate with no guarantees. I only charged $25.00 per five entry photos, kept the exhibition's print size small (so printing and framing will be affordable and more accessible) and even referred a very affordable master printer to keep costs down for artists. To print, frame and ship a print with return label (besides entry andorganization membership fees) can be extremely expensive for most artists. Something needs to be done about it.

Collector Scoop is a series of interviews and features on emerging and established art collectors. Today, we had a conversation with Vermont Center for Photography gallery director Joshua Farr about how he got into collecting art.

Can you share your background with us and how you got into collecting art? Do you remember the first piece of art that you bought?

I feel almost as though I've sort of stumbled into collecting photographs. You could say it's a side-effect of my job!

Backing up a little bit... I attended the NH Institute of Art for my BFA in Photography, graduating in 2011. My time there certainly helped build a foundation of understanding of both the technical aspects of photography as well as my exposure to many historic and contemporary artists. Since 2011, I have been working as the Gallery Director at the Vermont Center for Photography in Brattleboro, VT. The last 5 years of working at VCP has really exposed me to a whole new world of arts management and curatorial endeavors. The process of jurying exhibitions and seeking new work for our gallery walls each month inevitably exposes me to a diverse array of work.

I can't recall which was the first piece I actually bought, but perhaps the one piece which most inspired me to start actively collecting work is a large portrait given to me by photographer Siri Kaur of a young female wrestler titled "Kristie". (*Photo attached*) This piece holds both a stunning glow of color, creating such a technically beautiful print, as well as a beautiful capture of her subject. The combination of the color, the subjects stark expression, and the simplicity of composition triggered an emotional response in me.

  How do you think that collecting contributes to the artistic community?

Collecting artwork seems to me to be a win-win scenario on many levels. When an individual walks into a gallery and decides to purchase a piece they want to take home with them, they are not only supporting the artist financially, they are also supporting the gallery or institution that is hosting the exhibition (which, one would hope, would then support said gallery's ongoing efforts of sharing additional fine works in the future) - and of course, the buyer is also benefiting via a beautiful new piece to add to their home or place of business.

I happen to live in a town with boundless enthusiasm for the arts - which is crucial - but I often see artists struggle because I feel like there is not enough of a buyer-population. I often find myself grappling with the general principles of how many artists price their work simply because I see the time, energy, materials and thought put into the creation of ones work, which can give merit to some of the prices you see work listed at today - however, I feel like it is important for artwork to be accessible by individuals of all financial abilities and for the arts market to not become an elitist or exclusive community.

Do you feel that the notion of collecting art can be intimidating or inaccessible to the general public? If so, how do you think that barrier can be lowered?

As I mentioned in my previous response, I do feel like collecting artwork frequently comes across as intimidating or inaccessible to the general public! Particularly for younger individuals who many not have the means to walk into a gallery and buy a piece off the wall. I'm not sure I have any immediate suggestions or thoughts as to how to actively seek to lower that barrier, but I will say that the majority of folks I have chatted with or spent time with who consider themselves to be collectors have simply decided to make collecting a priority for themselves. I feel like many things as far as our day to day lifestyle and financial abilities come down to priorities. Would you rather purchase a $5 latte every morning for a year, or that that nearly $2000/yr and invest it in artwork? With that said, I do realize that no matter what your priorities are, there are still going to be financial limitations for some of us, myself included. I feel like this is where creative trade & bartering skills can come into play! I've done numerous print swaps with professors, friends, and other artists whose work I admire and I feel like this can be a very non-intimidating approach to getting the ball rolling. You don't (and shouldn't) need to be wealthy to be a collector.

What are your favorite resources for discovering new artists?

I would have to say that one of my largest sources of exposure to new artists has been the juried exhibitions we have hosted at the Vermont Center for Photography. Often times, these calls for entry bring together hundreds of photographers from around the globe, each submitting a sampling of their work for consideration for the exhibit - and even if their work is not selected overall for the show, I do keep a running list of photographers whose work I've come across who I would like to follow up with at some point in the future or at least make mental note to keep tabs on their work. I have been known to find myself tumbling through artists websites after seeing a sampling of their work as a submission for a juried show and wanting to see more. Invariably, their sites have links to other friends sites, and I very quickly get sucked deep into the corners of the world-wide web!

In addition to juried shows, there's always social media (Facebook & Instagram primarily). We are living in an increasingly digital era and it's nearly impossible for me to scroll 3'' through my Facebook or Instagram feed without stumbling upon either a new artist who I wasn't previously familiar with, or new work by someone whom I was already familiar with.

Do you have any advice for emerging or aspiring art collectors?

I would simply encourage any aspiring collectors to collect what they love. Collect work that moves you emotionally. I can't always explain what it is about every single piece that I own that keeps me coming back to it, but I know that every single piece that I own has triggered some level of raw emotional response from me. Personally, I never acquire or hold onto work because of it's monetary value (or potential future value) - doing so would feel too removed for me - removed from the beauty of the image as simply that...an image - or idea, rather than as an object or possession.

Learn more about Joshua Farr and the Vermont Center for Photography.

Libraries and Visual Literacy is proposed by Ryan Spencer Reed

How did you hear about the grant, and what inspired you to propose this specific project for the Crusade for Art grant?

I’ve followed the Crusade for Art project, the grants, and other programing with keen interest for several years now and believe I first learned of it through my good friend and colleague, Christopher Capozziello.  I appreciate and admire the elegant simplicity in the approaches taken by the founders in connecting with audiences.  I’ve found that, often, it is really about digging in and getting out there to connect with people and this seems to rest at the core ethos of Crusade for Art.  This is at the heart of my project proposal as well; I’ve completed a thoughtful body of work: (click here) with unique access to an interesting, important, and timely subject.  With that work, I’ve produced both a museum-grade exhibition and an approachable publication to introduce the work.  All that remains is to connect with an audience that will provide a sustainable base of support for the future.  A collaboration with Crusade for Art would afford me an opportunity to refine my approach while providing the means to put it to work. How did you come up with the idea for your project?

I’ve always sought to show my work with venues that could maximize the educational opportunities inherent in the subjects on which I’ve chosen to focus.  Recently, however, I had successes in applying my previous university symposium model to a few cities (non-academic communities).  Following the publication of my zines on my last completed project, the question of where to position them to reach the most people with the work in a meaningful way was born.  That question was answered for me this past year during a collaboration with the city of Waukegan, IL in which their public library served as the epicenter of a series of events around a unified theme and my work on the military became the cultural backdrop.  Since many communities have libraries that are looking for events to bring people through the door in the digital era, the concept of using my zines to catalyze the conversation about how their communities could utilize my work became apparent.  Whether through lectures, workshops, or exhibitions, I’m willing to apply a voracious work ethic to my projects and their distribution models.  Therefore, the tried and true ‘door-to-door salesperson’ model is absolutely within my reach and suits the necessity to make personal connections with people in various communities who can provide a bridge for the work to be showcased, engaged with, and collected.         What is the most engaging art event/collecting event you’ve been to?

ArtPrize, coming up on its 7th year in Grand Rapids, MI, is a radically open arts competition where over $500,000 is awarded annually and where the public plays a large role in vote for the winners.  My last entry in 2014 at the Grand Rapids Art Museum was seen by over 200,000 people and I had the opportunity to sell hundreds of zines to new ‘collectors’ during the 19-day competition along with a number of prints.  In past years I was able to sell books and prints as well.  While photographic work of any kind does not perform well in the competition, is a unique opportunity to show to a massive audience and discover new collectors.     From a strictly photographic event standpoint, for me it would have to be anytime I have seen a great body of work shown by professional museums or galleries.  Robert Frank’s Americans at the National Gallery of Art in D.C., the work of Lee Friedlander purchase by MOMA, Salgado's work on people who work with their hands, or Larry Towell's work on Mennonites.  I say this not only because of the respective bodies of work but for the time, process, and dedication to an idea that was followed by them to produce such a complete body of work on a subject for which they cared so much.  One also has to be aware of the sacrifices made to put such bodies of work together; the sheer depth of the work; the quiet nature of the work with little regard to the distribution while in the process of bringing it together.  Luc Delahaye's work on Russia depicted in Winterreise is another example which comes to mind.  

Distribution or recognition or remuneration was likely never the goal of any of these works.  It was the pursuit of the experience and the knowledge that propelled such work. Gilles Perez's work in Iran in 1979, Joseph Koudelka's work in Gypsies, Eugene Smith’s work from Minamata, Anthony Suau’s work in Beyond the Fall - all are works that were the result of a focused mind, great vision and clarity of voice in their production.  Well thought out and clearly executed work will never go out of style as these are the kinds of work that separate great and thoughtful photographers; applying their craft without regard for the marketplace.  Therefore the investment in time and resources to insure such a dignified viewing experience raises the stature of that kind of work. What do you think is the greatest struggle/weakness facing artists and the art community right now? What is the greatest opportunity/strength?

It’s my opinion that the greatest struggle for the artist is, as it’s always been, to find one’s own voice amidst the madness of the modernizing world.  Then, if an artist discovers their voice, to pursue it and maintain it today amidst the pressures of a society that seems barely to honor those who work with their hands.  The evidence comes in the form of the dwindling tradition of patronage which is also the great struggle of the art community.  The greatest weakness for the artist is discipline, to which the medium of photography is particularly susceptible due to its reliance on technology which continues to ‘improve’.  The art community is weak in its ability to offer the kind of support necessary to develop the voices of those emerging photographers who show promise and then sustain them.  The greatest opportunity for the photographer is to have a life full of incredible experiences and to meet incredible people along the way; for most to be forever changed by allowing curiosity to direct their path will be the only tangible reward they will ever receive.  The result of following that path is also the great opportunity for the art community.       How do you think artists should play a role in educating the public or their audience about their art or art in general?

This begs the question as to whose job it was to "educate" in the first place and whose it is today. In my view (although we do it in one form or another all the time) it is not the job of the photographer to educate.  The production of great work requires focus and research in depth of the material being collected.  Rarely are we so fortunate to be presented an audience that views, understands, and is "educated" on a subject that we have spent great deal of time producing.  In it's purest form - the acceptance or rejection or education of (for the purpose of convincing) an audience is the last thing the creator of a body of work wants to be involved.  More often than not, the material was never made for the "audience", necessarily.  Some of the best work was made seemingly because of a desire on the part of the artist to experience the subject in depth or because he or she felt they had little choice but to the pursuit of the subject.  And while this intimacy causes a storyteller to

Until recently, it has always been the role of the museum, magazine, or galley to bring the work to the public.  It was the reputation of those institutions over time with a "voice" of their own on the taste of an editor or curator that convinced and educated the public to the point of view of any particular artists' work being worth seeing.  Again we find ourselves faced with the question of what happened to them...Life, Look, Saturday Evening Post...where are they now in the mix?  In many but certainly not all occasions, gone is the back and forth and face to face conversations with those who contributed to the voice of an artist being developed because of an underlying talent that was recognized by an educated, experienced layer between the artist and the audience.  

So, is it really down to the fact that the artist is responsible for the concept of the material, the creation of the material, the production of the material, occasionally educating the curator or editor before taking on the role trying to educate the public too?  It may be a requirement in the digital age and perhaps there are legitimate opportunities to build a market online, but the photographer still needs to be afforded the space, time, and support to make thoughtful pictures; that’s a pretty tall order for most.  Learning my own limitations is why I’ve sought to collaborate with educational institutions such as schools, universities, and now libraries.  Working in concert with educational professionals to place my work into the context of their communities and their curriculum has helped people connect with my pictures in meaningful ways.  It’s also allowed me to replicate my own efforts for outreach.         

Why do you think many people find art intimidating, and how can we lower the perceptual barriers to entry for collecting art (and specifically photography)?

I think that people find anything that they don't necessarily understand somewhat intimidating.  Photography has always been a technical medium from the devices to the chemistry of analogue processes, which has, until late, prevented it from being a universally shared experience the way that drawing and painting are.  Many children have the opportunity to draw and paint growing up, yet few become working artists as adults.  I would venture to say the majority of adults would likely come down of the side of admitting they couldn’t draw to save their lives, but yet this shared tactile childhood memory leaves a trace latent appreciation for art and design - forever a means to communicate universally, if only awkwardly, in the way that two foreigners might be forced to rely on body language for the first time to communicate.  As technology has lowered the bar to entry for the medium of photography, the medium is becoming increasingly democratized.

I, for one, believe the barriers to collecting photography are also lowered as a function of this process because a greater portion of humanity is creating, sharing, and consuming images more than ever.  This trend is growing exponentially and will for the foreseeable future.  This broader participation is likely yielding a broader literacy of the image and hopefully an appreciation for quality work.  I predict this will usher in an exponential growth in the collector base of the medium of photography as a much larger share of humanity becomes involved in the making of images, even if they are created and consumed on a mobile device.  I have this faith because I sense there exists some innate human yearning that drives us to fight back against entropy and the fleeting nature of our bodies and our lives; that of all living things; that this forces compels us to strive for permanence, which will lead to a vast expansion of the market for photographic books and prints is in our near future.

Nomadic Bookshelf is proposed by Caitie Moore

How did you come up with the idea for your project?

Nomadic Bookshelf was founded two years ago after a dinner conversation with Greer Muldowney and Paula Tognarelli. I had just stepped down from a role in a publishing companyand needed a new project. With the renewed interest and dialogue around the book, I started to wonder why we as a creative community weren’t also discussing the antiquated bookstore format. (Gotta have someplace to sell your books once you make em!) Nomadic Bookshelf is my response to the changing market. Rather than waiting for customers to come into a fixed location, Nomadic Bookshelf is more nimble and can seek out new customers. In general it’s challenging to sell artwork by an unknown artist to a new crowd. Knowing that it was easier to sell books in person, I chose to make the store nomadic. The thought was to bring books to new communities and encourage folks to interact and flip through them. I could then talk to my customers about the book, or artist, or process and project, and effectively sell more books simply by connecting my customers to the products. The shop instantly makes collectors out of folks who may have never considered collected art before.

What is the most engaging art event/collecting event you’ve been to?

I’m a big fan of trading artwork. I went to an interesting exhibition earlier this year that was called Insider Trading. All of the artists were hand selected for this exhibition and commissioned to make one piece of artwork to donate to the show. At the end of the evening, all of the work was raffled to the other artists in the show — each artist came and left with a different piece of art work.

What do you think is the greatest struggle/weakness facing artists and the art community right now? What is the greatest opportunity/strength?

The Internet

Why do you think many people find art intimidating, and how can we lower the perceptual barriers to entry for collecting art (and specifically photography)?

I think a lot of people do not have a literacy or extensive understanding of art or art history,  and the thought of feeling dumb in public is really intimidating. When I go to book fairs, I tend to watch the way that people interact with the books. Books are great, unlike a museum, they are not very judgmental. You can flip through a book and no one will judge you. Often at a museum there’s this unspoken understanding that you have some kind of understanding or background knowledge about the art to begin with. It’s a very intimidating thing. I try to explain my products to people in a very personal way. For me, there’s nothing more exciting than taking the time to talk to someone about one of our books, to later watch them come with friends, as new experts on the subject. Instilling that excitement about art and giving folks the tools to share with others is so incredibly satisfying.

Operation Art: Connecting the Military Community is proposed by Stephanie Shively

How did you hear about the grant, and what inspired you to propose this specific project for the Crusade for Art grant?

I first became aware of Crusade for Art through Society for Photographic Education. The website and past submissions motivated me to submit a proposal for the Crusade Engagement Grant. I was particularly inspired by the language - “…to create unique approachable programs that bring new audiences to photography and allow them to engage with art in a meaningful way.” As a military spouse of five years and an artist for most of my life, I have noticed the need and potential demand for art within the military community. Military installations, particularly army bases, are often located in remote areas where hubs of art and culture are not readily accessible. The military lifestyle can be isolating, frustrating, and stressful at times. I have found that creating and viewing art related to this experience can be therapeutic and cathartic.

How did you come up with the idea for your project? I developed the concept for Operation Art from the isolation I’ve experienced as both an army wife and an artist. I felt caught between two very different and disconnected worlds. My MFA thesis exhibition, All Requisite Parts, explored this experience and communicated my struggle to balance the roles and expectations of a mother, army wife, and artist. Through showing this work, I learned that even though military life is relatively unfamiliar to most people, it is not completely beyond comprehension. Universal feelings and sentiments connect us all, regardless of occupation or lifestyle. I hope that by bringing photographic art that explores the human condition onto military bases, a connection will be fostered between visual artists, the military community, and the general public.  

How do you think artists should play a role in educating the public or their audience about their art or art in general? I think education about art is extremely important. Intention, detail, and the overall experience of art is lost in translation when solely viewed on a computer screen. It is our responsibility as artists to share our work and explain why and how we make it. We must bring our art and information about art to communities who would benefit from it. Whether it is a workshop or class, open studio event, panel discussion, lecture, anything, to engage the community, cultivate connections and spread awareness.   Why do you think many people find art intimidating, and how can we lower the perceptual barriers to entry for collecting art (and specifically photography)? Things that are unfamiliar are often intimidating. I think many people find art intimidating because it may not be readily accessible to them. Perhaps they feel ill-equipped to judge or understand something that is uncommon to them. I think transparency and education are key in lowering the perceptual barriers of art collection. Having a website, marketing oneself online, and exhibiting at galleries and traditional venues is great, but to broaden our audience and gain potential collectors we need to think past the norm. Art is still shrouded in mystery, especially for people who are very much removed from the art world. Programming in non traditional venues like schools, community centers, military bases, rehabilitation centers, etc. would deconstruct barriers. The programming, such as artist talks, panel discussions, and workshops could focus on development of ideas, the process of art making, and the role and responsibility of art/artists. These events could foster personal connection, enabling art collection to become more of a transaction and interaction between artist and audience rather than the exclusive, pressure filled environments of auctions or gallery openings. 

New Orleans Experience: Pop-Up Photography Festival is Proposed by New Orleans Photo Alliance

How did you come up with the idea for your project?

Louisiana, and New Orleans specifically, has really mastered utilizing festivals and celebrations to showcase our art and culture. We draw hundreds of thousands of people to our celebrations and it is easy to forget that that mass of people is actually comprised of individuals seeking out a cultural interaction. We wanted to explore the intersection of the mass audience with an individual experience and the idea of a Pop-Up Studio in the middle of the action was born.

What is the most engaging art event/collecting event you’ve been to?

Each December, the New Orleans Photo Alliance produces a festival of photography, PhotoNOLA. One of the highlights of the festival is the PhotoWALK. During this event, participants in PhotoNOLA’s portfolio review open their work for the general public to see, free of charge. Hundreds of people come from every corner of the community to interact with photographers and be inspired by the amazing. It’s a truly magical event and is eagerly anticipated by the local community.

How do you think artists should play a role in educating the public or their audience about their art or art in general?

In any and every way possible! There are as many answers to this question as there are artists creating work. Use the resources that are available to you and just start communicating. Get together with other artists and pool your resources – create a community gallery space, partner with local nonprofits to display work in their project space, use social media, create events to attract local media coverage. Get on a platform and communicate why art is important in your life, what inspires you, and keep talking! We need to make a lot of noise, individually and together.

Why do you think many people find art intimidating, and how can we lower the perceptual barriers to entry for collecting art (and specifically photography)?

Elevazioni/Elevations is proposed by Francesco Amorosino

How did you come up with the idea for your project? In Rome, many people live in condominiums and the elevator is sometimes the only place where neighbors can interact. In the entrance of my place there is a board where people can stick notes and invitations to events. Since the past months, someone transformed the little table in the hall where advertising materials are left in a book crossing spot. This led to the idea of providing people who take the elevator an occasion to encounter art in a non conventional place and an excuse to talk with neighbors about something different and happy.

What is the most engaging art event/collecting event you’ve been to? I’m not new on organizing engaging art events: I’ve curated for three years Photox1000, a collective photo exhibition of one thousand pictures coming from more than 500 photographers from all over the world. The visitors could adopt one picture and write to the photographer to tell him or her their thoughts. I’ve also been the coordinator for Rome of the IParkArt project, where we used to place art installations in regular parking slots after paying the ticket.  

How do you think artists should play a role in educating the public or their audience about their art or art in general? For me teaching to adults and children is essential. I teach in some schools in Rome and I always emphasize in photography the technical aspect is just the start and it’s not the most important thing. I invite people to consider their art as a “medicine for the mind” or a tool to find inner balance and to sublimate their pain. If you manage to do so, other people will see it and get interested in art. Unfortunately, in Italy art is taught mainly with a focus on history and not as a platform for conceptual analysis. Working with communities on engagement projects is crucial in getting art closer to the public. That’s also why I really appreciate good street art.

Why do you think many people find art intimidating, and how can we lower the perceptual barriers to entry for collecting art (and specifically photography)? For many people art is just about the authors they studied at school, such as Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci or Van Gogh and Picasso. What we have to make people understand is that art is now, it is everywhere, and everyone can do art. Whether it is "good art" or "bad art" it is something to discuss.  People say they don’t understand art, but art is not about understanding: it’s about emotions. People start collecting when they see that art is making their soul feel better. 

The Storyteller Series is proposed by Judy Walgren, in collaboration with SF Camerawork

How did you hear about the grant, and what inspired you to propose this specific project for the Crusade for Art grant?

I saw the Crusade for Art grant posted on Facebook, of all places, and thought - "What an amazing idea that is totally in line with what we are trying to do with ViewFind - get photographers' work out into the world in new and innovative ways to drive new streams of revenue for them as the traditional media budgets and outlets dry up." I liked the shorter entry requirements for the first round for the grant, as well. That made it much easier for me to apply.

How did you come up with the idea for your project?

I have worked on and off for newspapers and print media for the past 30 years, which has been a wild ride. I was around for the heyday of newspaper making and traveled the world covering the most amazing stories one can imagine and I also worked for a newspaper, The Rocky Mountain News, that was shuttered by its parent company. I had a great time working as the Director of Photography at the San Francisco Chronicle, after I finished my MFA, I knew that it was time for me to embark on a new adventure and try and disrupt the downward spiral for work directed at documentary photography. That is why I joined ViewFind as the Editorial Director - a visual storytelling start up aimed at disrupting and enhancing monetization pathways for photographers who tell visual stories. When Glen Graves, the founder of PhotoArts Marin, approached me about his idea to start a visual storyteller series with Heather Snider, the executive director at SF Camerawork - it was a no-brainer for me. The goal is to support visual storytellers, get their work out in front of a broader audience such as collectors and editors, and give them a platform to talk about their work, their passions and their processes. I know from experience that audiences love to be connected to visual storytellers to hear about the why and how they do what they do and the also appreciate the chance to ask questions and engage with the photographers. We decided to have an up and coming photographer paired with a well-known photographer - to give exposure to those trying to break into the industry. For our first presentation - I invited Leah Millis, a young photographer who I have mentored for the past 6 years and hired at the Chronicle a year ago with my dear friend, Todd Heisler, a Pulitzer Prize winner and staff photographer at the New York Times. He agreed to do the talk for no honorarium, I used miles for his plane ticket and he stayed at my house. Leah lives here. I have a lot of friends who will do this for me - but am running out of miles. We are doing something similar for the second talk coming up May 24th. Artist Suné Woods is coming up from LA and Wesaam Al-badry is a student at SFAI and lives in San Francisco.

What is the most engaging art event/collecting event you’ve been to?

I think the most interesting and engaging art collecting event I have been to is the SF Camerawork Benefit Auction - their largest fundraising event each year. They showcase a incredible selection of photographic artwork that is donated by local, national, and internationally renowned artists to be auctioned off to attendees. Collectors, members and supporters of SF Camerawork and the photography community come out of the woodwork to check out the extremely high quality prints and have a great time connecting with the community as they bid away.

What do you think is the greatest struggle/weakness facing artists and the art community right now? What is the greatest opportunity/strength?

The greatest struggle facing artists today, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area, is housing and studio space - both in terms of their own living situation and studio space as well as the ability for galleries and other outlets that monetize their work to also maintain a location in the city centers. It is a huge problem in San Francisco and Oakland and artists are being forced out in droves - draining the cities of the people who helped the Bay Area become a formidable International hub for creatives, the people who comprise the soul of these cities, to be honest.

The opportunities available are also amazing! There is literally no barrier to entry to have your artwork displayed and distributed to the public through social media and websites that are easily updated by the artist, herself! And as you know, humans have always been telling stories visually - think about the cave paintings. And now, more than ever, humans are engaging through visual imagery which is also increasing the visual literacy worldwide - to some degree. I would say that humans are becoming more and more aware when a GREAT image comes their way now as the 1000's of innocuous imagery passes by them unnoticed. I think people are appreciating great visual art now, more than ever, to be honest. Whether they are buying or not - that is another question...

How do you think artists should play a role in educating the public or their audience about their art or art in general?

This is a great question and really the reason why we started the Storyteller Series - artists - at least most artists - can speak passionately and articulately about their work, their research - about what drives them to create. And the audience - whether adults, teenagers or children - are most times overwhelmingly engaged in these discussions - whether in person, on webinar panels, on hangouts - wherever! I am giving a lunch-time gallery talk at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco on Friday - a 20-minute talk in front of a few photographs by Roman Vishniac. The response has been incredible and it is such a great idea - an easy way for the public to engage with art over a lunch break!

Why do you think many people find art intimidating, and how can we lower the perceptual barriers to entry for collecting art (and specifically photography)?

To be honest, the public today is not the same group of people from 50 years ago. The art, as well as the artists who create the work, is more diverse in concept and creation. The artists and their work are both more approachable and less reliant on the mystic of artistic genius to determine the worth of the work. More and more work is being created through social practice and inspired by the notion of changing bigoted perceptions, stereotypes and other discriminatory legacies. Subsequently, audiences are connecting through commonality of purpose, as well as aesthetic alliances and appreciation.

The Art of Trade is proposed by Bruce McKaig

How did you hear about the grant, and what inspired you to propose this specific project for the Crusade for Art grant? I was inspired to propose building a barter network for the Crusade for Art grant because I see no shortage of artists, no shortage of people interested in having art, but bringing them together remains elusive. Art events can be so eclectic; it is almost comparing apples and oranges. Two commonalities across the board: artists are providing more work than artists are earning and people who want and could afford art are doing without. How did you come up with the idea for your project? I have been privileged to work on numerous community art projects in the last fifteen years and working with communities my attention and my art came to focus on issues of work and living wages. As I learn about the fight for 15, or personally live the adjunct faculty challenge, I see artists, including myself, as an additional labor group that struggles to earn a livable wage.

With my background as a visual artist and my academic training in economics and international affairs, I advocate for more humanitarian working models for artists. I am a 2016 Fellow with the Institute for Policy Studies in their New Economy Maryland program. This institutional support provides intellectual resources and rich human contacts for the work. I am turning to the Crusade for Art grant for the necessary resources to build the first working model, in real time, with real participants, real art, direct exchange of goods and services.  What is the most engaging art event/collecting event you’ve been to? Starter Plus is an organization in Paris that opens theater seats to interested viewers in a very clever way. Starter Plus works with theaters to book seats for people for shows that are still running but not to full houses. The seats can be half-price, free, or for two. They mail out availabilities and people call them to book. They reserve with the theaters and people just need to show up. Theaters have increased presence for performances and people who would never have gone discover theater, performers, playwrights, spaces. Unlimited use, it costs about $140/year. Some single tickets cost more than that. People can be risk takers and discover new things without committing a few months spending money. It’s a win-win. What do you think is the greatest struggle/weakness facing artists and the art community right now? What is the greatest opportunity/strength? The arts are not immune from the greater struggles facing our culture today: what ways will we define and measure work and compensation? Caretakers, educators and adjunct faculty, fast food workers, are just a few. We operate and analyze with tools developed at the great depression when industrialization was the prevailing dynamic. Now, we are waist deep in the information economy, and the industrial definitions and practices are not keeping pace. This presents a great opportunity for the arts to take on a leadership role in an evolution that has begun and needs traction. How do you think artists should play a role in educating the public or their audience about their art or art in general? I think this is a very personal thing. Some artists will be more revealing and discursive about their work, which is great. Others less so, and this is to be respected as well. The Internet provides plenty of opportunities to put out statements, images, videos, commentary. Whatever the format or vehicle, maybe the most helpful thing would be to avoid assuming ANYONE you interact with doesn’t want to engage with the arts. I’ve never landed in a community where I was expected to “bring in some art,” that wasn’t already celebrating the arts in many ways without anyone’s help. Why do you think many people find art intimidating, and how can we lower the perceptual barriers to entry for collecting art (and specifically photography)? History and culture currently have the artist niched in a very strange position. On the one hand, artist means transcendental, otherworldly, a portal to vision, enlightenment, problem solving skills – holier than everything else combined. On the other hand, elitism is dead so anyone can do it. Holier than thou means it’s priceless. Anyone can do it means it’s worthless. I think the better we are at linking the labor of an artist to the general issue of labor, qualifications, and compensation, the more obvious and fluid the links will be between artist and viewer. The drives are there. The mechanisms are outmoded.

The Art of Trade is proposed by Bruce McKaig

How did you hear about the grant, and what inspired you to propose this specific project for the Crusade for Art grant? I was inspired to propose building a barter network for the Crusade for Art grant because I see no shortage of artists, no shortage of people interested in having art, but bringing them together remains elusive. Art events can be so eclectic; it is almost comparing apples and oranges. Two commonalities across the board: artists are providing more work than artists are earning and people who want and could afford art are doing without. How did you come up with the idea for your project? I have been privileged to work on numerous community art projects in the last fifteen years and working with communities my attention and my art came to focus on issues of work and living wages. As I learn about the fight for 15, or personally live the adjunct faculty challenge, I see artists, including myself, as an additional labor group that struggles to earn a livable wage.

With my background as a visual artist and my academic training in economics and international affairs, I advocate for more humanitarian working models for artists. I am a 2016 Fellow with the Institute for Policy Studies in their New Economy Maryland program. This institutional support provides intellectual resources and rich human contacts for the work. I am turning to the Crusade for Art grant for the necessary resources to build the first working model, in real time, with real participants, real art, direct exchange of goods and services.  What is the most engaging art event/collecting event you’ve been to? Starter Plus is an organization in Paris that opens theater seats to interested viewers in a very clever way. Starter Plus works with theaters to book seats for people for shows that are still running but not to full houses. The seats can be half-price, free, or for two. They mail out availabilities and people call them to book. They reserve with the theaters and people just need to show up. Theaters have increased presence for performances and people who would never have gone discover theater, performers, playwrights, spaces. Unlimited use, it costs about $140/year. Some single tickets cost more than that. People can be risk takers and discover new things without committing a few months spending money. It’s a win-win. What do you think is the greatest struggle/weakness facing artists and the art community right now? What is the greatest opportunity/strength? The arts are not immune from the greater struggles facing our culture today: what ways will we define and measure work and compensation? Caretakers, educators and adjunct faculty, fast food workers, are just a few. We operate and analyze with tools developed at the great depression when industrialization was the prevailing dynamic. Now, we are waist deep in the information economy, and the industrial definitions and practices are not keeping pace. This presents a great opportunity for the arts to take on a leadership role in an evolution that has begun and needs traction. How do you think artists should play a role in educating the public or their audience about their art or art in general? I think this is a very personal thing. Some artists will be more revealing and discursive about their work, which is great. Others less so, and this is to be respected as well. The Internet provides plenty of opportunities to put out statements, images, videos, commentary. Whatever the format or vehicle, maybe the most helpful thing would be to avoid assuming ANYONE you interact with doesn’t want to engage with the arts. I’ve never landed in a community where I was expected to “bring in some art,” that wasn’t already celebrating the arts in many ways without anyone’s help. Why do you think many people find art intimidating, and how can we lower the perceptual barriers to entry for collecting art (and specifically photography)? History and culture currently have the artist niched in a very strange position. On the one hand, artist means transcendental, otherworldly, a portal to vision, enlightenment, problem solving skills – holier than everything else combined. On the other hand, elitism is dead so anyone can do it. Holier than thou means it’s priceless. Anyone can do it means it’s worthless. I think the better we are at linking the labor of an artist to the general issue of labor, qualifications, and compensation, the more obvious and fluid the links will be between artist and viewer. The drives are there. The mechanisms are outmoded.

Increasing Exposure to Art Photography in the Bakken Region is Proposed by Meghan Kirkwood

How did you hear about the grant, and what inspired you to propose this specific project for the Crusade for Art grant? I learned about the Crusade for Art grant last year from a colleague. I was intrigued by the concept and spent some time on the website looking at (and being inspired by) projects from previous finalists. The grant’s emphasis on reaching and connecting new audiences to photography is different than many public arts grants, which are often geared towards supporting known outreach strategies. The particular challenges to artists in the Crusade for Art grant were what inspired me to propose my project. In the Bakken region of western North Dakota there are numerous institutional and perceptual barriers that limit how audiences access and perceive visual arts, and new, creative strategies are needed to move beyond the limitations they impose.

How did you come up with the idea for your project?

I came up with the idea for my project by thinking through challenges I have faced working in western North Dakota. The Bakken region is huge, and comprises many different communities, some of which have been in the area for centuries and others that only arrived after the most recent oil boom. As such, connecting with “local audiences” is not an easily defined endeavor, and I have been challenged to think about what it means to make work that is both relevant and accessible to a particularly diverse set of residents. I believe that photography can uniquely contribute to and inform ongoing reflections on natural resource extraction and its attendant impacts among the various communities in the region, but to do so, it needs to draw upon a non-traditional venues/distribution modes (especially in an area that has few to no galleries or arts institutions).

How do you think artists should play a role in educating the public or their audience about their art or art in general?

The “job” of the artist has changed so much in the past few years (artists must be excellent makers, designers, writers, marketers, and personal advocates), that I’m hesitant to offer suggestions on what role artists should play in educating the public about their art. That said, I do think artists have a responsibility to think about who their audience is when they design long-term projects. If artists (like so many of us do) want to take their work beyond the white cube, we need to do more than find a new, more public “cube” to show our work in after we’ve finished it. Rather, we need to develop new strategies to integrate art into the public sphere (where it can reach a completely different set of audiences), and these strategies need to be a part of our working process from the outset.

Why do you think many people find art intimidating, and how can we lower the perceptual barriers to entry for collecting art (and specifically photography)?

The Curated Fridge is proposed by Yorgos Efthymiadis

How did you come up with the idea for your project?

After returning from a portfolio review, I gathered all the promotional pieces from fellow photographers and arranged them on my fridge. I then posted some snapshots on social media and the response was enthusiastic. Some requested there be an opening reception to celebrate the works and the discovered space. Some sent magnets!

A couple of months down the road, The Curated Fridge was born and the first call for entry opened. Photographers from all over the world sent their prints and digital files. The guest curators (Refridgecurators) juried the work in my kitchen. A year later, the shows are running on a bimonthly basis. The accepted images are posted on social media and the dedicated website. This promotes the work of the photographers and creates connections and long-lasting friendships between the artists.

Since last December, the project has evolved. The Photographic Resource Center (PRC) in Boston invited The Curated Fridge to participate in one of their exhibitions. Three images of the fridge were mounted on the PRC’s gallery walls and a whole new idea was born. What if we could use The Curated Fridge shows as a starting point to break "gallery" limits, making photography more accessible for a wider audience?

The proposal is to print life-size photographs of The Curated Fridge show every two months. In collaboration with schools, colleges and universities, the prints are mounted on their walls. The aim being to reach out to a young crowd while educating them visually and introducing the world of fine art photography. In addition, a contest will run, where students could write a short statement about their favorite featured photograph (e.g. why where they drawn to it, what do they like about it, what does it mean to them) and the winner from each school, selected by the guest curator, will win a small print of the photograph. Finally, students will be prompted to curate their own fridge at home, photograph it and email the files to The Curated Fridge, where they will be posted on the website and social media.

How do you think artists should play a role in educating the public or their audience about their art or art in general?

Unfortunately, most people don't have the time to slow down and appreciate art. By bringing photography closer to audiences at a younger age, we can build a stronger connection between the younger generation and fine art photography. The Curated Fridge was born in a kitchen, then there were opening receptions (in the same kitchen!) and it even traveled to a gallery. It’s a quirky project, fun and cool, that never took itself too seriously. Because it’s unconventional and alternative, it connects easier with the audience.     

Why do you think many people find art intimidating, and how can we lower the perceptual barriers to entry for collecting art (and specifically photography)?

In my opinion, people find art intimidating because there are no boundaries or rules; anything can be art, good or bad. That’s exactly how it’s supposed to be but the general audience needs to understand and appreciate this, through education. By doing so, all the barriers that one might have will be removed because when something speaks to the heart it's price doesn’t matter anymore. Art becomes priceless, therefore affordable to the right audience.  

What is the most engaging art event/collecting event you’ve been to?

Atlanta Celebrates Photography hired me to curate this year's public art project. I came to them with Art on Track, a concept adapted from a project by the same name in Chicago. We worked with MARTA (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) to transform two rail cars into moving art. It was such an honor to be able to create this art experience for Atlanta.

This article about the project was posted today:

Art on Track: Seeing MARTA Through a Different Lens

Posted on November 3, 2015  By Lyle Harris, Chief Spokesperson, MARTA

While a picture is worth a thousand words, the stirring photographic exhibit recently staged aboard a MARTA train left some customers speechless.

The October 18 exhibit entitled “Art on Track,” transformed a pair of workaday railcars into kinetic photo galleries that surprised and delighted unsuspecting riders. It also offered another real-life example of MARTA’s vision to nurture successful relationships with metro Atlanta’s burgeoning “creative class,” to help reflect the rich culture, poignant history and soulful humanity of the community we serve.

The exhibit was sponsored by Atlanta Celebrates Photography(ACP), a non-profit arts organization dedicated to the cultivation of the photographic arts and the enrichment of the Atlanta art community. Led by executive director Amy Miller, ACP has the distinction of producing the nation’s largest annual, community-oriented photo festival that engages and educates diverse audiences through lens-based media.

ACP’s fall festival this year focused on two public art projects. In addition to Art on Track, the organization collaborated with the Atlanta BeltLine for the second year in a row on another transportation-oriented exhibit called “The Fence.” Running through Oct. 31, the project showcases 50 photographers whose work appeared on a continuous background attached to the chain link fence along the Eastside Side Trail. The project also appeared simultaneously in prominent public spaces in Houston, New York and Boston.

In its maiden voyage on MARTA, Art on Track featured original images by Atlanta-based photographers Kelly Kristin Jones and Laura Noel and was conceived and curated by Jennifer Schwartz, the Creator and Executive Director of Crusade for Art. Jones, Noel and Schwartz worked for months with MARTA staff from numerous departments to temporarily remove the advertising panels on a Red Line train and turn the rail vehicles into what ACP described as a unique, sensory art experience for riders… that will take them to new cultural horizons.”

And so it did.

Jones’ work, titled “No Vacancy” was a visual and text-driven exploration of our man-made and natural environments. She employed the shapes of vacant lots located in the neighborhoods the MARTA line runs through to represent the way Atlanta continues to refill and reinvent herself. The floor of the railcar was paved with a photo-realistic image of verdant grass and the advertising panels were replaced with shots of cloud-filled skies and intriguing quotes such as, “The Grass Ain’t Always Greener” and “ATL Is What You Make It.”

On the floor and walls of the adjoining rail car, Noel’s psychedelic work, aptly titled, “Kaleidoscope,” included digitally transformed photographs of Atlanta landmarks and signature events which she rendered in mesmerizing patterns. As customers boarded the train, Noel handed them a small, plastic kaleidoscope through which they were able to view the hidden world she had created with her camera to add an unexpected, unforgettable dimension to their journeys.

Mounting such exhibits isn’t easy, and this experience has been instructive for MARTA as it works to revive its once-vibrant arts program for transit customers. We hope to partner with ACP again and appreciate their patience, diligence and guidance to make Art on Track a reality.

Most recently, MARTA has been working with the arts advocacy group WonderRoot, the Transportation Alliance and internationally known visual artist Fahamu Pecou on a mural project at four rail stations. Last month, the Decatur Arts Alliance and the City of Decatur worked with MARTA to install “Ver Sacrum” a gleaming, gold sculpture at the Church Street entrance to the Decatur Station. Funded by a separate grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission, Decatur is also planning a mural on a MARTA overpass in the city limits.

Over the next several months, MARTA plans to announce exciting new, multi-faceted projects in conjunction with individual artists and arts organizations who share our commitment to enhance the public transit experience through the profound power of public art.