00:01.29
charukaarora
Hello hi Liz. Thank you so much for coming and a big big welcome to the arts toohats podcast.

00:02.62
Liz Lidgett
Hi Thanks for having me.

00:12.93
Liz Lidgett
Um, well thank you I’m it’s I’m really excited to talk art and be authentic and and dive in.

00:17.71
charukaarora
Absolutely I think I we were just as we was even saying before we started recording and I always say this on the podcast like why I love this podcast so much is like women art and entrepreneurship I think these are 3 3 pillars of our conversations always and I think it’s it’s just so exciting to always have someone to talk about it. It’s like my therapy time.

00:45.29
Liz Lidgett
Oh My gosh. Those are my 3 favorite things to talk about that’s my sweet Spot. You just like made my Venn Diagram. So Ah. Ah, yeah I know right? ah.

00:53.55
charukaarora
Ah, love that I’m going to draw this one and post it on our Instagram amazing okay lis welcome to the podcast before we dig into the episode. Um, would you like to introduce yourself who you are and what you do for people who are listening to us right now.

01:11.17
Liz Lidgett
Sure I’m Liz legit I’m a gallery owner in Des Moines iowa and the states and I started the gallery three years ago before that I had my own business as an art advisor for about 7 years and um, you know. I got my masters at usc in los angeles lived on the west coast for a bit and really wanted to come back to the midwest make an impact somehow there here. Um, and I really felt like I say this some a lot. But.

01:47.43
Liz Lidgett
In Los Angeles I felt like I had to be a multimillionaire to make a difference but in des moines in a smaller community I could make a difference with a good idea and people really rallied around you from your community so it has been really special to build a business here in the midwest and then also just with.

01:49.50
charukaarora
Oh my god.

01:55.68
charukaarora
Yes.

02:06.84
Liz Lidgett
All that goes on with online. We ship about 80% of the work that we sell and we have artists from around the world and around the country so you know it really is because we love being in Iowa and that’s where our families and friends are and all of that. But.

02:13.91
charukaarora
Um, so.

02:23.68
Liz Lidgett
You know we think of ourselves as a global business.

02:27.89
charukaarora
I Love that I Absolutely and this is a conversation I think um is very close to me right now because I recently like moved back like I with Covid I think a lot of people move back to their home towns or if they were like I moved from a.

02:38.96
Liz Lidgett
Right.

02:43.74
charukaarora
I I was born and brought up in Agra which is city of tajmal. Um, and then I moved to a bigger city here in India and then with covid I went back home and I think I felt like so so empowered in the sense that I just think the comfort of being in a small town I’m a. I’m a proud small town girl always and I think um I really resonate with that idea that and I was speaking to another artist that we had me on the podcast recently brilliant episode um and she was like you know as an artist I felt this pressure continuously while she was also living in l a.

03:01.35
Liz Lidgett
Um, yeah.

03:17.69
Liz Lidgett
This.

03:19.80
charukaarora
You know the rents to cover the money it would take and the pressure it would bring on her to make art and to make something and to make that impact. Um, did you why growing up you know, um here in the Midwest did you like um, had like an artsy I Want to know like.

03:24.16
Liz Lidgett
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

03:39.35
charukaarora
I experience art very differently as a small town girl here in India I want to hear how is it in the us for you.

03:42.39
Liz Lidgett
Oh yeah, well you know that’s interesting I think I was really lucky to be raised in Des Moines because we have an incredible museum that’s free to go to and it hits well above its weight.

03:54.52
charukaarora
Other wow.

04:00.80
Liz Lidgett
Class. Um, and just like for the size of the city that we are and the type of artwork and the architecture of the building and all of these. It’s an I am pay building and I mean it’s It’s just ah, it’s It’s a really really special place and I feel like my love of art was really fostered there.

04:15.51
charukaarora
Like right there like oh Wow my.

04:20.35
Liz Lidgett
My grandmother ah who I’m named after my grandmother Elizabeth saw that I was like always carrying a sketch pad around when I was young and so she gave me for Christmas art lessons at the museum when I was 5 and from then on.

04:32.30
charukaarora
A while.

04:38.40
Liz Lidgett
That museum really shaped my experience because I got to hang out with like Francis Bacon’s and um, you know, ah Mark Rothko and like these were the things that I grew up getting to be around.

04:40.62
charukaarora
Yeah.

04:55.19
Liz Lidgett
And then when I went to college and started taking art history classes I would see in my textbooks like image courtesy of the Des Moines Arts Center and so I I realized just how entirely lucky I was that I got to be around this stuff that ended up being in Textbooks and people would just. Love to be around and it was for free. So I think that that is part of the reason that I have such a love of um, introducing people to artwork and making people feel like art is for them too artists for everyone I think it was that like free admission that come and go.

05:23.76
charukaarora
Yeah.

05:31.28
charukaarora
Oh yes, yeah.

05:33.41
Liz Lidgett
Portion of the museum that made it feel so accessible. They tried to take down like as many barriers around the artwork as possible while still protecting it right? And and yeah it was just it really has shaped how I.

05:36.74
charukaarora
Yeah.

05:45.95
charukaarora
That’s very nice.

05:50.72
Liz Lidgett
Experience the art world and think of the art world. Um, yeah, it was. It’s it was a special place to grow up for sure.

05:59.60
charukaarora
So I what I come from like what I can see from your conversation here is that um Community was a big. Um so you know connect for you to um, experience art while you were growing up. Did you.

06:14.87
Liz Lidgett
Um.

06:16.15
charukaarora
Experience the same when you were in L a because art world is very different in all parts of the world. Actually um, how was what.

06:20.30
Liz Lidgett
Yo my goodness. Yes, so you know it’s interesting. The the degree that I got at Usc is now called curatorial practice in the public sphere which is a very wordy way of.

06:36.64
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah.

06:36.75
Liz Lidgett
Saying really anything outside of a it’s like public art. It’s like outside of a museum space so because I was looking at the art world through that lens very specifically and um it was all about making sure that art could be where people where the people are. Right? So It’s like art at bus stops or art walking down your street or murals or all of that and that program is part of the reason that when I came back to des Moines I was like we’re just going to put murals everywhere. There were a few here in des moines but that became.

07:11.80
charukaarora
I.

07:15.35
Liz Lidgett
Just a huge mission of mine because I wanted people to experience art where they were. We also have an incredible public art park here just world class. Um, that’s right in the middle of our downtown. So this was something that I thought about a lot for sure. Um, now.

07:23.18
charukaarora
Who out.

07:33.83
Liz Lidgett
I never really got into the gallery scene in Los Angeles because I didn’t feel like it was for me and I didn’t feel like you know it just had that same way kind of as a New York maybe a little more laid back than the New York gallery scene but it.

07:38.97
charukaarora
Yeah.

07:49.18
charukaarora
Um, yeah, but yeah.

07:49.51
Liz Lidgett
It was snooty right? There were like you if you had to ask what the price was you couldn’t afford it. So I think again all of these experiences come together to create a life right? and um and so.

08:01.26
charukaarora
Um, yes, she asked.

08:06.51
Liz Lidgett
That is another thing that really was like I never felt like the art world was for me there and that’s why I want to create a longer table with what we’re doing not higher walls. Um, So yeah I mean it’s all of that stuff. But the the La art scene definitely comes in to play with. How my career has rolled out.

08:26.45
charukaarora
Yeah I think sometimes being in a place where you feel like you don’t want to be that also makes you realize where you actually want to be I think that becomes a very pivotal decision on like and also I think a.

08:36.00
Liz Lidgett
Yeah.

08:44.61
charukaarora
Ah, Belief system that we also have um that for ah art business or art career to drive. You need to be in a certain place where you know there are certain kind of people and culture and like stuff like that I mean I think this goes not only for artists. But um, for for.

08:57.47
Liz Lidgett
On hand.

09:04.90
charukaarora
Galleries and art curators and all kinds of creative business. But I think with the age of internet a lot of that has changed like you said today. Um you ship and you sell all over the world and I also see that you work with artists from all over the world. It’s not like you’re just working with someone who’s.

09:11.45
Liz Lidgett
E.

09:19.50
Liz Lidgett
Yes, right? No yes, they’re they’re shipping. The artists are shipping from here from wherever they are all over the world to Iowa and then we ship it out. Um.

09:21.65
charukaarora
Just next to you? um.

09:33.55
Liz Lidgett
You know I think it’s really interesting when you look at our roster of 50 artists. You will see people from all over the United States small towns big cities. Um, you’ll see people internationally we have an artist that is um from the United States and is moving internationally now.

09:53.63
Liz Lidgett
Just there’s so much you can do to make it seem seamless for your clients that it really doesn’t matter where you are So I think it’s really about living and being with the people that help your creativity flow. Um.

09:54.24
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

10:10.20
charukaarora
Yeah.

10:12.22
Liz Lidgett
That make your heart sing all of that because that all goes back into your art and to your work and I just don’t think that that old adage of like you’ve got to be in New York or you’ve got to be in l la it’s it’s just not. It’s just not the case anymore I mean we’ve got an artist Kip Porter who is.

10:24.34
charukaarora
Um, yes.

10:32.30
Liz Lidgett
Just phenomenally talented her artwork sells out just like that like 5 minutes and everything’s gone. Um, she’s she’s also a wonderful person. So on top of all of that. Um, but she’s from Beaufort South Carolina you know like.

10:34.68
charukaarora
Hile.

10:38.40
charukaarora
Oh wow.

10:47.71
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah.

10:49.69
Liz Lidgett
she’s she’s outside ah she’s about an hour I think outside of Charleston that’s where she wants to live and work. It doesn’t matter at all on her popularity her career any of those things so it’s it’s just a different world especially post covid. But.

10:57.36
charukaarora
Yeah.

11:06.97
charukaarora
Um, yes.

11:07.32
Liz Lidgett
It had been. It had been kind of going that way because people are finding people on Instagram now right? They’re finding people through galleries they trust and it it doesn’t matter where you are.

11:12.64
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah.

11:19.20
charukaarora
I Think that’s totally true and I think that’s why I think this was a game changer for me, especially like um I always share this on the podcast that um, like you said like I didn’t I didn’t really resonate with a lot of physical or people or community immediate to me and I felt like. I Really needed to go out and find people that I resonated with and the kind of you know the kind of community or art I wanted to work in and you know live in because you want to do something with love and if you don’t enjoy that if you don’t and and for me I think art is about relationships art is about people and stories and experiences.

11:41.62
Liz Lidgett
Um.

11:48.14
Liz Lidgett
Yeah.

11:56.10
charukaarora
And if you don’t have them if you don’t enjoy them I really feel like there’s no purpose and with the internet I feel like it just gave us this power to especially with Covid It was like you know, ah you anyway have to talk to people and meet them virtually or whatever so you might as well.

11:59.30
Liz Lidgett
Yeah, yeah.

12:10.55
Liz Lidgett
Yeah, yeah.

12:13.40
charukaarora
You know, kind of find the kind of people you want to be with and since everything is remote and virtual why not to experiment and explore a world that you want to live in.

12:14.96
Liz Lidgett
Is this.

12:21.91
Liz Lidgett
Yes, agreed I Yes second that.

12:26.72
charukaarora
Tell me something did you have any fears or limiting beliefs when it came to like you know like we all have I still am trying to deal with a lot of my own but something about like moving back like it’s it’s it’s just not like a creative decision. But it’s also a practical a business decision and you know there are so many things that you like to consider like you know make opening up a gallery in a smaller town and the challenge is and you know being like did you have any if if yes, then what were they and how you dealt with them.

12:58.78
Liz Lidgett
You know you know, um I was mostly really excited but there were my my husband I I think he would say if you were sitting next to me would say he was a little less excited. He is from Des Moines as well. Um.

13:11.25
charukaarora
Um I.

13:16.51
Liz Lidgett
But um, what I I think it felt like maybe if you were listening to like the demons in the back of your head was that you know does is this does this mean that I gave up that maybe if I pushed a little harder I could have yeah you know made it somewhere else or whatever.

13:28.10
charukaarora
Oh wow, That’s huge.

13:36.25
Liz Lidgett
Um, I think as I get older though I have completely released that because I might my um definition of success has changed and you know I think when you’re young, you think.

13:48.80
charukaarora
Um, and I um.

13:53.62
Liz Lidgett
Just money right? like you feel like you just want to make a bunch of money and we were poor I was a poor grad student right? like we were. We could like barely rub two nickels together um and so you know living in a place like Los Angeles when you.

13:55.63
charukaarora
Um, he asked.

14:00.15
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah.

14:10.78
Liz Lidgett
Experiencing that is not super fun I mean it’s a great city I I Still love it to this day. Um, but anyway all of that’s to say is that my definition of success has changed So the fact that I can control my day and.

14:13.88
charukaarora
Um I.

14:26.27
Liz Lidgett
My schedule somewhat you know sometimes it gets lost pretty easily um, but the fact that I can come home to my kids and and be with them for dinner and be with them in the morning. Um, and then have a really solid intense work day and get to come home and and.

14:29.31
charukaarora
Um, yeah, that’s.

14:45.58
Liz Lidgett
And also just the fact that I’m happy right? like I get to do something that I really love and I get to be creative and I get to try different things and I feel like all of that together means that I’m successful like hopefully I can like put a roof over our head too. Um.

14:48.99
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

15:02.93
charukaarora
Um, you think that? yes.

15:04.83
Liz Lidgett
So that still matters but like the the definition has changed and so being here has completely released those limiting beliefs.

15:12.94
charukaarora
Yeah I I I completely I think I really resonate with the first one and you know as much as as much as you want to follow your heart Sometimes we think like I mean am I like not pushing myself enough or is it like.

15:25.62
Liz Lidgett
Um, yeah.

15:29.95
charukaarora
I Really want to do this but I’m doing this because my heart makes it happy or like it’s It’s a tough one you you just have to follow and then figure it out. But um I Also yeah, go ahead.

15:34.51
Liz Lidgett
Um, Well right? It’s because I think I think oh go ahead I was just thinking to say that I think that it’s ah it’s like you have to take some time to actually like sit with yourself and be like. Is this what I want or is this what people are telling me that I want and once you can discern that.

15:51.95
charukaarora
Yes, yes, and also I think. I think it’s also like something like what we’ve seen as possible like today if I see you you you run a successful business based out of Midwest and you’re doing anything and everything globally and it gives me an option. Okay, this is what is possible for her. It’s also possible for me like you are.

16:04.82
Liz Lidgett
Um, right? Yeah yeah, right? So true.

16:17.97
charukaarora
You making that path for yourself Sometimes so nobody else has done that and you have to believe in your vision and you’re like I will do this and maybe are you open a path for more people who would want to pursue this.

16:30.35
Liz Lidgett
I Hope so I truly do because I think the more that we can get people to understand that um an art career can happen anywhere and art can happen in any community is a good thing right? so.

16:39.40
charukaarora
Yes.

16:46.20
charukaarora
Yes, I absolutely got that. Okay, also I think you know when you said I when I of course saw your daughter and like this is something I keep asking myself. Also um.

16:47.64
Liz Lidgett
Yeah.

16:55.19
Liz Lidgett
Oh yes.

16:59.92
charukaarora
I think when you come to a point like that a lot of things come into consideration that it’s just not the work that you’re doing because it’s not like a 1 ne-time decision it’s also like especially for me like and I think it’s it’s also for creative people like I love enjoying being around nature um having access to space like um, working intimately in a community and.

17:12.60
Liz Lidgett
Right.

17:19.64
charukaarora
Um, knowing people and your social structure that you have in a place that you come from or a smaller town versus in a city that you you build your life I Know what it feels to be like when nobody knows you and you build your life from scratch like it’s not easy running a business is not easy and.

17:23.55
Liz Lidgett
Yeah.

17:34.30
Liz Lidgett
Um, ah no.

17:38.61
charukaarora
Like sometimes I feel like you have to ask yourself. What is my dream and what is the best place for realistically to make it happen without you know, looking at what world wants out of us.

17:49.58
Liz Lidgett
Right? It’s it’s it’s hard to figure out but I think if you’re intentional about it. The answers do come and and then also just trying a lot of things I think that has been a really important part of my business.

17:59.82
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

18:06.64
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

18:08.20
Liz Lidgett
And my career is that I’ve been really open to being like that sounds fun I’ll try it and sometimes it’s not actually fun and then I know not to say yes to something like that again, but you know as you were saying earlier that it’s important to know like.

18:15.68
charukaarora
Um, yeah, he has absolutely yeah.

18:25.10
Liz Lidgett
Where you don’t want to live too. It was important to me as I started my career and tried a couple of different things in the art world that I was like okay I checked that box I don’t want to do this I interned for a museum I don’t want to be I don’t want to work for a museum.

18:38.64
charukaarora
Ladoas.

18:42.83
Liz Lidgett
I Worked for a corporate collection. The corporate world isn’t for me so I never look back at those experiences as a failure or any of that because I I now know that that wasn’t for me and I had to go through some things and I think you get at least I.

18:44.19
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yes.

18:59.96
Liz Lidgett
Had in my mind like am I going to find what’s right for me because I’m I’m like I’m going through a lot of things I know I want to be in the art world I know this is where I belong but like what version of that because there’s so many things I mean you could work.

19:01.98
charukaarora
Oh yes.

19:12.28
charukaarora
Yes, so many.

19:15.80
Liz Lidgett
Could be an artist you could work in a gallery museum and auction house I mean there’s just on and on and on a studio. So so many things that you could do within that and then I was kind of like checking all of those boxes but it wasn’t for me yet.

19:25.97
charukaarora
And like and I think the idea that you you don’t what I really like about you is you’ve literally created your own definition of being a business or a gallery owner a design like.

19:41.19
Liz Lidgett
Yes.

19:44.11
charukaarora
You know you see a certain kind. You have to be a certain way like this is how you be an artist. This is how you be a gallerist This is how you become like what such something looks like like why can’t you be a gallery owner who has pink walls in ah, her in her gallery and who also you know.

19:55.13
Liz Lidgett
Um, right.

20:03.33
charukaarora
Like I Really like the energy in the way you like you have this mission like artist for everyone and it’s like how you’re blending a lot of things that a person like like a person like we like you don’t see art as like a whitewall isolated experience that only a certain class of a society can come and experience.

20:05.96
Liz Lidgett
Um, yeah.

20:21.12
Liz Lidgett
Oh.

20:23.28
charukaarora
And you’ve like I feel like we sometimes limit to ourselves that this is how some if I want to become this is how it looks I can be this or that you can be both or more than 2 or whatever way like you reinvent the wheel for you become what you want to be and I really like how you’ve done that.

20:39.80
Liz Lidgett
Yes, preach. Yes, thank you well thank you I think you know when I started the gallery I first of all didn’t feel like I needed to reinvent the world ah wheel. So sometimes I feel like people are like trying to create something that’s like a hundred percent

20:54.56
charukaarora
Um, yes, and you yeah.

20:55.75
Liz Lidgett
Completely new that they’re so innovative and the things that I think really change the world sometimes are going back to something that exists but doing it really well and and doing it and a really yeah.

21:08.85
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, and also your own way I think what you saw? Yeah yeah now. Yeah.

21:15.58
Liz Lidgett
Yes, and doing it your own way and like kind of putting your own stamp on something that already exists. So when I started the gallery I think I had in mind what every business owner has it’s like well I think I can do this better right? And um.

21:27.68
charukaarora
Um, yes, yes, yes, absolutely.

21:32.64
Liz Lidgett
And after working with so many galleries as an art advisor I thought I’m seeing a lot of things that I don’t love and I want these artists to be treated really well I want my clients to be treated really? Well so what if I started my own. And it really kind of was like that and then Tina who is my director of operations had just started full time and I was like I know that you came on and I hired you to be a part of an art advisory business. But what if we started a gallery and she was like along for the ride. Let’s do this. So.

21:55.65
charukaarora
Yes.

22:04.77
charukaarora
Um, oh wow.

22:10.70
Liz Lidgett
I’m very thankful to Tina too because she has has done so much for this gallery. It’s really hers too and I am I’m I’m thrilled with what we’ve been able to do in just three years I think some of the things. Just to talk really quickly about the gallery is that we represent at least 50% women artists that was something that always really bothered me. It was the representation numbers in galleries. So and I had I you know I had these little meetings with people that were in the art world before I started the gallery and I’d say like.

22:29.54
charukaarora
Um, yes, not that.

22:44.84
Liz Lidgett
Give me your feedback I’m going to start a gallery tell me what you want to see like what do you think and I got so much advice that was status quo it was like you know don’t put yourself. Don’t put limitations on yourself like saying that you’re always going to represent 50% women artists.

23:01.40
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

23:04.60
Liz Lidgett
And I feel grateful if I could go back and hug past Liz because I really was like no this is not right and I don’t think that I can change the entire art world but I can do it right in my house.

23:10.64
charukaarora
Um.

23:13.81
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

23:22.52
charukaarora
Um, what? yes.

23:23.23
Liz Lidgett
And I feel that with my kids sometimes too right? like I can I can raise them right and I can put good people out into the world that will create maybe or influence other people to be good like that’s how I that’s how I’m like I can focus on home if I can focus on my business and do it right? And my artists.

23:26.27
charukaarora
Yes.

23:33.81
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

23:37.24
charukaarora
Yeah.

23:41.25
Liz Lidgett
Then it’s going to affect change Somehow it’s going to show other galleries that you can have this as a business practice and be Successful. You know you can you can show that like being kind and working hard is like the major tenets of having a successful business. You don’t have to be a jerk. We say this all the time at the gallery that there’s too many talented people in the world to work with Jerks So. It’s like it’s also like I know when I’m talking about my artists like they are super talented but also they’re good people and we and we love supporting Them. So.

24:13.66
charukaarora
Um, get I Love that now.

24:17.63
Liz Lidgett
You know it’s just stuff like that that we that’s how we run this gallery and um it it has been. It’s been really. It’s been an enjoyable thing too on top of being successful. So.

24:28.99
charukaarora
I think this is very powerful I I just feel like you’ve echoed every bit of what the like the hundred plus episodes and like like you’ve you’ve literally summed up. Like hundred episodes in 1 minute like even less than that like I can’t even like ah the moment like as he was saying I was like this is so powerful like this is so good like I love how you said it like this should be like our I will like make sure that we make this.

24:46.63
Liz Lidgett
Thank you, Thank you.

24:55.40
Liz Lidgett
Thank you, Thank you I.

25:03.84
charukaarora
Ah, spotlight like this is we need to? ah let’s repeat this a couple of times. It’s like a loop that needs to go into our heads like because it’s not like you know we were having this conversation that um, that’s here like just a few episodes away and.

25:07.86
Liz Lidgett
Kind of like yeah, he’s really right? because it’s not you know.

25:19.84
charukaarora
Um, one of her artists. Um make she mentioned one of her experiences with her gallery and why she left it and how unhappy she was and um, like for me I think personally I it’s It’s a lot of times the collaboration that we chase. Um, as artist as.

25:25.55
Liz Lidgett
Um, yeah.

25:38.56
charukaarora
On to pin as creative like it’s I think as basic as having respect for each other um loving each other being kind to each other and it’s it’s not too much. It’s it should have been there. It should have been there.

25:45.63
Liz Lidgett
Um, yeah, yes, it’s not too much. Yeah, you know that’s the other thing too is that I think we’re all happier for it. Um, but also we we were. Hard but I think we we beyond that try to work smarter too. You know we’re not working you know 20 hours a day. It’s it doesn’t take extra work to be kind to someone. It’s not extra. Yeah yes.

26:08.18
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

26:15.27
charukaarora
Yes, in fact I think it reduces the work if you if if everybody’s considerate. You know you’re not being like a baggage to each other and you really uplift each other in time and you know I think it’s even a better collaboration than.

26:23.90
Liz Lidgett
Yeah, yes.

26:31.94
charukaarora
Um, not being kind to each other because that you make each other miserable.

26:36.27
Liz Lidgett
Oh absolutely. Absolutely I Yeah I I Totally agree because the times that we’ve had um you know someone a client or an artist and it’s happened so rarely. Um, this is not the norm but you know we have like bad miscommunication or. Someone’s being rude or something along those lines I’m like that takes up so much more time because there’s there’s fires to put out and all of that stuff. Um, So anyway, yes I don’t It’s not extra work to be kind. It’s good business practice and I feel really.

26:59.73
charukaarora
Um, yeah I think yeah.

27:11.85
Liz Lidgett
We don’t always get it right? We also kind of go into that. That’s like we’ve got so many we are not perfect. We have so many learning opportunities that we say Okay, we’re not going to overly dwell on this. Let’s assess move on I just.

27:12.60
charukaarora
Yes. Yes.

27:26.80
charukaarora
Um, you do this? yeah.

27:31.70
Liz Lidgett
I Don’t know what it I think maybe because we do a lot of different things and I just don’t have time to dwell. But that also makes me a happier person because I just can say like Okay, what are we gonna learn from this. Let’s move on I think it also makes it’s better for my staff to like nobody wants.

27:35.86
charukaarora
Um, yeah us.

27:49.97
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

27:50.87
Liz Lidgett
Boss that dwells and holds scrudges right? Um, right? So anyway, so it’s it’s all of that I Just um, we don’t always get it right? but we are still learning and it you know, just yeah, right? Then that’s how companies are built. So um.

27:54.81
charukaarora
Um, yes, yes, absolutely.

28:03.87
charukaarora
But that’s how also we built Yanna do I Love that. Do you think it’s also like I Really do think our experiences really shape who we are um I think like.

28:10.20
Liz Lidgett
I Feel very thankful for the stage that we’re at right now.

28:18.32
Liz Lidgett
Yes.

28:21.78
charukaarora
Why I feel so passionate about like being a creative like I always struggled with this idea that I had like I know how to run a business but I also know like I’m a creative at heart and it’s not this or that or like you know like. When you experience certain things and you feel like okay this is pulling me back and you have your own Experiences. You become very passionate about creating something for that. Um, what I’m trying to ask is is it also because your own experience in L A or in just other part of the world and seeing what.

28:45.21
Liz Lidgett
Yeah, yeah.

28:57.14
charukaarora
You were missing. You really feel passionate about it and that is what you’re also building for yourself.

29:01.97
Liz Lidgett
I You know that’s interesting to think about I’ve never really kind of dived into that what I would say is more so is that I’ve had such a wonderful experience in the art world overall and and I want.

29:15.27
charukaarora
Oh Wow I Love that.

29:20.89
Liz Lidgett
People to feel that too I understand I understand that people are not always um, they don’t always feel welcome here and so I kind of want to like go through all of the weeds and and clear out the path for them.

29:23.30
charukaarora
Um, oh yes.

29:31.26
charukaarora
Um, yeah, extend that? yeah I think that’s a great way to put it.

29:39.34
Liz Lidgett
Um, yeah, so I it’s interesting growing up I feel very lucky to have the parents that I do they were entrepreneurs. They were an insurance not creative at all but they were entrepreneurs. Um, and you know growing up. They.

29:55.20
charukaarora
Um.

29:59.22
Liz Lidgett
Always looked at what I was interested in as cool. It was never like art really didn’t have a super positive or negative connotation. It just was It was just a part of me and they really accepted that and I know that so many people are.

30:10.23
charukaarora
Um, negative. Yeah.

30:18.76
Liz Lidgett
Like how do you feel about being an artist or they’ve got negative connotations around being an artist. Um I I never had that and then when I was going to start my business. My parents just were like that’s great honey like go for it it again. It was not like a.

30:23.60
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

30:35.70
charukaarora
Um, oh wow. Yeah again.

30:36.27
Liz Lidgett
Overly amped up thing. It was not an overly. It was not a negative thing so it just like okay this feels logical for you. It’s what you grew up around. So um and also I had older ish parents um and.

30:45.35
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah.

30:53.38
Liz Lidgett
They were entrepreneurs and I saw like the freedom that they had to and that was something that I ended up really craving. Um, so you know I I was when I was in l a I interned for an organization called United States artists

30:57.60
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah.

31:08.98
Liz Lidgett
And they give fifty fifty thousand dollars unrestricted grants to artists in the United States every year and it was it started. It’s an amazing organization. Um, it started from the fact that there was a survey probably you know.

31:09.83
charukaarora
Um I can.

31:13.83
charukaarora
Wow.

31:25.50
Liz Lidgett
Twenty years ago now but there was a survey that said that people ah valued art in their communities but they did not value artists in their communities and so it was all about the fact that art comes from artists and we need to be supporting these artists.

31:36.48
charukaarora
Owns my time.

31:42.60
charukaarora
Yes.

31:44.33
Liz Lidgett
And that is an experience that really, um, kind of carved out things in my career as well because I know that you know for whatever reason and I think less so these days twenty years ago probably more so but that artists. It was not like a viable income stream or like it wasn’t like a real job I think people get it now in in a new way, especially just with like the creator economy and all of those things that people do now with Etsy and all of it. But um.

32:05.62
charukaarora
Um, yes, absolutely yeah, yeah, yes.

32:20.80
Liz Lidgett
Really think about that is that I want these artists to know how much we value the work that they’re putting out into the world and you know art is one of those things that like separates us from animals. Um, the way that we like tell our stories and express ourselves and all of that. So um, it’s incredible.

32:34.73
charukaarora
Um.

32:39.35
Liz Lidgett
Valuable and it’s what makes this society rich. So I want to make sure these artists feel like they can keep creating too.

32:42.93
charukaarora
Um, yeah I love that. But then let’s also talk about how you as as little less limiteded calorie as yourself. What.

32:58.37
charukaarora
What is your definition or the way you want to work with artists and you currently work with like how you curate them and I also like love like I said artists for everyone. Um I Also love how you create content for your own gallery and I think that also feels like.

33:12.70
Liz Lidgett
Thank you.

33:15.74
charukaarora
Like more approach you will like like you said like a typical gallery owner images of this snooty person who has like this gallery who has someone who’s maning and you know you know you’re really shifting that definition I need making it more approachable sharing advises. You know.

33:22.85
Liz Lidgett
Um.

33:34.33
charukaarora
Talking about art hanging art I love your Phoebe I love your and I was like this is really smart like really smart. So yeah.

33:39.86
Liz Lidgett
Um, thank you. Thank you? Thank you? you? yeah you know, um I you it’s I feel like the the way that I am approaching the art world is not.

33:54.28
charukaarora
Um, now.

33:55.17
Liz Lidgett
Overly calculated. It is just the way that I experience it and I have always felt like it in my business I think like if I like this artist or if I like this thing then somebody else will too. You know what I mean I like kind of use myself as my.

34:12.12
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah.

34:14.21
Liz Lidgett
As my customer and like and also now that I I have as many clients as I have as I see the questions that they have repeatedly and so I want to make sure that I can just go out there and like give that content and and part of that ends up being I think that they. Then have a trust relationship with me that I take as a huge responsibility. They know that because I put my face out there on the internet and I talk about like hanging the artwork and being with it and curating it and all of that is that they know that when they buy something through our website. It’s something that I’ve seen.

34:38.40
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

34:53.39
Liz Lidgett
I’ve looked at I’ve touched I’ve put my stamp of approval on but more than that we’re the ones packing your art like they know that Liz Ali Tina we’re the ones like putting it together and making sure that it arrives safely to you. All of that is trust and.

34:57.74
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

35:09.95
charukaarora
Ness.

35:10.77
Liz Lidgett
I Do take that as a a huge responsibility working with our artists. You know I I’ve talked a lot about like how we just kind of go with kindness but beyond that it’s like simple things that aren’t always the case of like paying on time right? um.

35:26.30
charukaarora
Yes, absolutely as much as as linear or small this is how important and how not a regular practice. It is like I am amazed to hear from people. Yes, and people like I This there’s so many incidents I’ve heard on the podcast like off the record that.

35:30.15
Liz Lidgett
Because when artists will.

35:37.36
Liz Lidgett
Um, it’s unfortunate, right.

35:46.17
charukaarora
I Really can’t like of course share without anybody’s permission but like it’s surprising and I’m amaze at so many times like is that even for real like you really don’t expect and you know what’s even more surprising.

35:51.54
Liz Lidgett
Um.

35:54.58
Liz Lidgett
I know I know I’ve heard more I’ve heard horror stories. Yeah yeah.

36:01.59
charukaarora
And what’s more surprising I’ve always heard great experiences with smaller businesses who usually show up.

36:05.21
Liz Lidgett
Right? And then you know sometimes it’s even when you’re working with like mammoth businesses that it’s like a sixty day payout and all of these things and when artists or freelancers. Even when artists are having to spend time tracking down where the money is.

36:10.95
charukaarora
Um, yes.

36:24.61
Liz Lidgett
Then they’re not getting to put that time energy creativity towards their work. So it’s simple things like that that we’re trying to remove obstacles for them. We want to make sure that we have a client a consistent client base for them. Um, and part of that is. Me going on Instagram or whatever and talking about the work and I think that video shows art. So well so much better than a photo does because it ends up you can like get in there and you can like show the texture and you can get up close and far away and kind of.

36:48.72
charukaarora
Um, yeah, um, yeah.

37:03.74
Liz Lidgett
View the artwork like you would if you were there in person with it. Ah, but beyond that I can speak to what the artist was not always but what the artist was thinking what their what their mediums were um what their technique was about. All of the things that go into the artwork that you don’t automatically know just by looking at a photo and that helps build their client base too because when they see how excited and passionate I am about it passion rubs off yeah and and it transfers and so.

37:28.75
charukaarora
Um, yeah, um, it delivers the and yes.

37:39.26
Liz Lidgett
I Think we have so many clients that say I have never been this excited about artwork and I love to hear that because I’m excited about artwork you know and and that means that I’m doing my job of really expressing how I feel about it.

37:47.80
charukaarora
Um, no, what? yes.

37:57.81
charukaarora
Yeah, and also I think like ah realness as a business and um, it’s not just the energy because when you’re also packing an artwork. It’s like it’s you as a build up that and excitement and when you see someone equally excited receiving that and because it’s also a lot of handmade like. The whole experience. It’s not like a run of the mill and like you know everything is automated and it’s happening on ah on its own and it’s like an Amazon parcel that gets delivered and you open like it’s a lot of personalized experience and when you delivers that energy and when you receive the same energy pack I think.

38:19.44
Liz Lidgett
Right? right? yes.

38:32.32
charukaarora
Like this whole purpose of like why you’re doing what you’re doing it really comes together.

38:35.12
Liz Lidgett
Thank you, Thank you I I I feel I so feel really lucky to do this I mean I think that’s what it comes down to is I feel super lucky to do this and as long as people keep wanting to work with us both clients and artists I.

38:44.76
charukaarora
I Love that.

38:53.47
Liz Lidgett
I Just I’ll keep going.

38:54.50
charukaarora
You we’re all chering for you. We’re all enjoying all your artives like move a lot more a lot more France steps and you visiting different studios and shows and like we’re all all rooting for you.

38:57.40
Liz Lidgett
Um, thank you? ah.

39:07.30
Liz Lidgett
That was awesome. Yeah, we we did just skip. Yeah so we just got back from France about six seven months ago we put the opportunity on our website to be able to buy a spot.

39:11.48
charukaarora
Yeah, tell us more about that.

39:24.10
Liz Lidgett
On this trip to France we have an incredible artist named Jesse Ralet you may know her from her work. She has a company called EdAV that is named for her grandmothers. Ah, people always think her name’s edda. It’s Jesse so we represent the.

39:32.97
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah.

39:40.47
charukaarora
Um.

39:43.68
Liz Lidgett
Basically the fine art portion of her business and and she sells on her own as well. But we are the only gallery that represents her in the United States she is american that she met um, her husband who’s a french pastry chef as one does um and.

39:48.90
charukaarora
The end.

40:00.42
charukaarora
Um, wow.

40:01.95
Liz Lidgett
She moved to Strasbourg France which is on the border of France and Germany ten years ago and so we’ve been working with her and have become great friends with her but had never. Been with her in person and we thought well we need to come to you. But also what if we bought a bunch of people because Jessie is such a bright light. Her personality is so wonderful. Her energy is so good and people really respond to her so anyway, long story short the trip sold out in 24 hours and that was like six months ago

40:14.91
charukaarora
Met.

40:33.24
charukaarora
Um, wow.

40:34.66
Liz Lidgett
And then we just got back and it what we kind of branded it as a creative retreat it was for people who are artists or not artists but really wanted to like kind of bring some creativity back into their life and we painted with Jesse a few times we. Got sketchbooks and sketched while we were on a river cruise that was really great. Um, it was amazing. We we went and did a west african dance class that Jesse does every week but we got a private lesson and I think even um.

40:56.93
charukaarora
Um, oh my God This is like the dream.

41:04.13
charukaarora
Oh goodness.

41:10.81
Liz Lidgett
What was really special about that is that when you move your body differently. You think differently I have always found thislation and so it was so special to um.

41:14.89
charukaarora
Um, yes.

41:25.68
Liz Lidgett
Really learn Claudine was the dance teacher name and she really went into the west african culture and their traditions and why they danced this way and the stories that they were telling and it was phenomenal. Um.

41:36.53
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

41:41.52
Liz Lidgett
So really, we wanted to come Up. We just wanted to have all of these different experiences that made us think a little bit differently that made us learn something new and I think seeing a new place for me does that too is just like so Inspirational. So and all of that to say we’re I think we’re going to do more. We’ve had so many people reach out saying that trip looked Amazing. Can I come next time and I’m like guys I just got back I’m still jet lagged. But yeah, we’re talking about it We It was cool.

41:58.40
charukaarora
Um, yes.

42:03.81
charukaarora
Come to India now I can’t like I think this this is like a brilliant It’s a brilliant idea and I think what’s even more exciting is like. You don’t only experience a new space. But you’re also experiencing a new space from a local but that’s a local that is a creative person because I truly feel like how creatives experience and build their lives is very different from like a lot of 9 regular people 95 like you know, um, like.

42:25.44
Liz Lidgett
Yeah.

42:37.71
Liz Lidgett
Um, yeah, totally.

42:38.86
charukaarora
Just as you were saying I’m like how exciting this would be to have someone here and like take them to yoga and like you know you experience someone’s culture through a creative like you know it’s It’s super exciting I think this is like a brilliant brilliant idea.

42:42.17
Liz Lidgett
Um, yeah, yes.

42:55.21
Liz Lidgett
You got to bring people to India I think that’s amazing. Yeah yeah, no I should I’m like okay let me get over my jet lag and then I’m coming. Um, yeah so I yeah really um, you know it’s cool because.

42:56.82
charukaarora
When are you coming I’m more than happy to host. Yeah I will yeah you let’s do that.

43:11.58
Liz Lidgett
We have been thinking about at the gallery just as a creative person I’m constantly like okay I Love what I’m doing but also like what’s next what? what can we do? What can we build and one of those things if we’re going it is yeah it’s just about that’s like being a creative person. But I think.

43:12.27
charukaarora
Um.

43:20.91
charukaarora
Um, yeah, this unending urge. Um.

43:30.30
Liz Lidgett
The the thing that like comes back to me is the why of it all and it’s about getting people to experience and love art and fall in love with art. That’s my why And so yes, we can do that through the gallery and I hope that we are. But maybe we can do that through a trip and get them to experience something in a new way.

43:48.42
charukaarora
Um, yes.

43:49.94
Liz Lidgett
Or you know maybe we do that where we just started a podcast so we’re we’re talking about masterpieces So there’s there’s a lot of things that I think that we can do that Go back to that. Why But when you lose the why that’s when you’re like doing too many things and juggling too many balls but it feels.

44:01.43
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

44:09.20
Liz Lidgett
Even though we’re doing a lot of things. It feels really centered because we keep thinking like does this come back to our mission our core.

44:13.16
charukaarora
Yeah I get that? Yeah I Really like that because you know to be honest, like a lot of times how I experience things and like we see gallery or like a business is like ah. How you want to sell like how people sell art but like you know you can do it just more than that. It’s just not about selling art. It’s like it’s the experience the community the relationships um the conversations like.

44:38.12
Liz Lidgett
None It’s my experience. Do.

44:46.89
charukaarora
All of it that you want to build like it’s not just one like selling an art or opening a gallery’s one part like for me even with arts too hard like my practice like being a created is a top of the funnel for me with that I want to create art but I also want to have these conversations I Also want to build something that helps other artists I Also want to.

44:52.49
Liz Lidgett
Name that is father as. Know just 1 we want to be know and I was going.

45:06.51
charukaarora
Ah, travel and meet all these people like it’s this whole holistic like we have one life 1 creativity like one creative life that we can build and then you give it it all and what works works and and what doesn’t you you always have a chance to scrap it out.

45:06.78
Liz Lidgett
And so we have Legal City Yeah is that plastic.

45:12.31
Liz Lidgett
Why yeah I.

45:21.50
Liz Lidgett
Yeah, absolutely I Yes I I totally I Totally agree with you. There’s There’s so much I I want to do and the gallery is just kind of the beginning of that. But also I know that people walk in.

45:33.77
charukaarora
I See that.

45:39.90
Liz Lidgett
On a Saturday and they walk around and they don’t buy anything but that’s our first experience together right? and they’re still getting to experience artwork and then I have people come back six months later and say I came into your gallery once I didn’t buy anything then it’s just you know it’s like it’s ah it’s the beginning of a royal relationship.

45:44.95
charukaarora
Um, yes.

45:56.88
charukaarora
Um, yes.

45:59.49
Liz Lidgett
And so and I know that there are people on Instagram they they tell me all the time that I love what you’re doing I’m saving so it may not be an immediate purchase right? but like the work that you’re doing matters and people are watching and.

46:06.79
charukaarora
Um, yes.

46:17.59
Liz Lidgett
You may be more in their future plans than you realize, but you have to start? yeah.

46:21.12
charukaarora
Yeah, yes I love that I am like it’s it’s been 45 minutes and I loved every bit of her conversation like truly loved it same here. Okay before 1 last question.

46:31.63
Liz Lidgett
Um, um, I’m so glad this was lovely to talk I Really appreciate it. Yeah oh yes, um.

46:39.91
charukaarora
1 last question tell me something about you making? ah the idea of you know something that you really do even on your website. You’ve been speaking about it like art for all art for everybody I know we say this a lot It’s a word thrown around everywhere but truly how um art on budget like you know I I experienced art very differently I grew up in a small town. Um a town which which never had a gallery and honestly in India the gallery culture is very aristocratic and on the top of the funnel where. Only the major cities have and we don’t have a lot of museums like culture. We do have ah amazing museums but the culture of experiencing art is very different I experience a lot of craft and that is why my own work as an artist is hugely impacted by my own culture and you know textiles and um, you know.

47:31.26
Liz Lidgett
Sure.

47:35.91
charukaarora
So I experienced art as a major like crafty like that was my experience. Um, and I always saw like art was never accessible. It is and even today like art is someone only like people who have a certain kind of background money like it’s this notion because.

47:38.98
Liz Lidgett
The head.

47:55.69
charukaarora
That’s how it’s been in a system. How are you I know you patronize this. You’ve been working around this. What are the tips on anyone I know a lot of my like I have started collecting art. Whatever small, big whatever time and you know your budget ah does because I never knew that was past.

48:12.74
Liz Lidgett
Line that was possible and twice. Loved it.

48:13.77
charukaarora
Well, but now I do thankfully um, a lot of artists love to collect art. A lot of people who are are patrons but they want to start small. How do people without feeling overwhelmed without feeling like am I doing too much or the fear of. You know there’s so many things that come in when you’re trying to buy something and what what is your advice I know you have a lot of great advices.

48:37.20
Liz Lidgett
Well, you know something that we do at our gallery is that we we get artists that create large works really large and you know sometimes cost- prohibitive works but we always ask them to come back and also do like a 10 by 10 a 12 by 12 um, because I want people to have that like entry point and I don’t want there to be any barriers to entry for them. So I think one is that if you can find a gallery whether it’s us or so another gallery that you trust cause there’s a many that are great out there. Um.

48:59.95
charukaarora
Um, yes.

49:16.36
Liz Lidgett
Sometimes going back to a gallery and being like what do you have does this artist make anything smaller even asking that sort of question um, falling in love with an artist and seeing if they do smaller works. Is a really great way because then you can start to patron them as as your budget grows you can start to buy larger works by them. But I think it’s great if you’re working with an artist or a gallery that also puts an emphasis on small works and then you know you can create this incredible gallery wall over time whether it’s over yourself or what.

49:44.18
charukaarora
Yam.

49:49.80
Liz Lidgett
Um, but you know smaller works bring together works that you build and put together over time that like create that large wall and that large look that you may be looking for. Um I Also think it’s worth asking and talking to galleries if they do payment plans sometimes.

50:00.92
charukaarora
Um, me ask.

50:06.76
charukaarora
Yes, good-bye.

50:08.51
Liz Lidgett
It’s just about asking the question because we work with a company called art money and it puts an artwork over $1000 into 10 payments interest-free and so it’s just stuff like that that we’re trying to.

50:12.86
charukaarora
Yes.

50:25.59
Liz Lidgett
Again, take down those barriers to entry making sure that people can find artwork at a variety of price Points. We’ve got artwork in the gallery that starts at $150 but then goes up to $15000 So it’s it’s all it’s all there. Um, it’s just about finding a piece that you truly love and and going to the right spot and then when you’re getting collected. It’s about I think looking at as much art as possible. Um, you know going to Galleries. You don’t have to buy anything galleries. Don’t expect every single person to walk that walks in to buy something. So.

50:50.59
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

50:58.28
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah.

50:59.41
Liz Lidgett
Feel comfortable hold hold your head up high and just go to look at the artwork. Um, go to museums go to look at the artwork try and and then Beyond looking at the artwork. It’s all about like being able to articulate what you like about a piece. So. You may not have that vocabulary in the beginning. No One’s expecting you to be a curator or you know whatever it is but it could be as simple as I Love that shade of blue because it reminds me of the ocean. Whatever it is like it doesn’t have to be.

51:22.71
charukaarora
Yes, yes.

51:34.52
charukaarora
Um, yeah, you don’t have to like yes yes this constant pressure.

51:35.97
Liz Lidgett
You know so erudite right? Um, it it can be whatever. Yes, yes, you don’t have to feel that pressure. It can be truly something that um is what it’s whatever you connect with that’s what’s important here and.

51:48.30
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah.

51:53.85
Liz Lidgett
And if you truly love a piece then that’s when you know to buy because it sounds kind of like going back to what we were saying earlier in the episode is like you don’t know if you’re going on this career path or being in a city or whatever it is because people are telling you. That’s what you should want. You got to get everybody else’s.

52:00.60
charukaarora
Um.

52:09.60
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

52:13.98
Liz Lidgett
Voices out of your head and look for the piece of artwork that you truly connect with on whatever level for whatever reason if that work makes you smile if it brings back a really wonderful memory if it feels like something you want to spend time with that’s the other thing too I always think is this a piece I want to spend some time with. Is it something that I like want to sit on the couch next to and watch the Tv or whatever you know it’s like what? ah and then is it a piece that feels like it’s going to reveal itself to you over time that you’re going to notice new things. All of those questions are questions that I ask myself when I’m buying artwork.

52:34.11
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

52:50.37
charukaarora
I Love that.

52:52.32
Liz Lidgett
And um I I’m not asking myself. Do I think this is going to appreciate in value is this the right type of artists to buy is this something is this an artist or a piece that my friends are going to think I’m cooler for none of that matters to me. It is so yes, yes.

52:56.90
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

53:09.56
charukaarora
Um, hearts to hearts.

53:12.29
Liz Lidgett
It’s just so it’s just so personal. So if you ask yourself those questions and look at a lot of artwork and figure out what you’re responding to what you are responding to then you’ll be able to find a piece that you love.

53:14.72
charukaarora
Um, yes.

53:22.17
charukaarora
Yeah, um I love that I love that you know I think this is something a lot of us have experienced especially during covid I remember I gave my partner a painting um, just resonating with his story because he loves like. Being on like a train station and I had this painting that he spends and he has no connect with the art world creative world and this was the first painting he ever owned and I I gifted it and today when I see him. It’s tried on top of his like in front of his computer and he’s like I’m like it it and because of it was covid. It.

53:43.28
Liz Lidgett
Um, yeah, that’s lovely.

53:58.40
charukaarora
It wasn’t well framed and I was like let me just switch the frame and it’s like no I see it every day I can’t even tell you how much like it’s like a companion to me every day on my desk and I spend that and I’m looking at it I’m like that’s true. That’s that is so true.

53:59.76
Liz Lidgett
Yeah.

54:07.80
Liz Lidgett
Yeah.

54:14.34
Liz Lidgett
Yeah, yeah, that’s the connection you’re hoping for right when you create a piece that somebody connects with it that deeply. Um I have this kind of like woo-woo thought that every artwork is created for someone and it’s my job.

54:17.95
charukaarora
Yeah.

54:30.20
charukaarora
Um, go out.

54:31.34
Liz Lidgett
To get that piece in front of the right person there are times where an artwork hasn’t sold for maybe six months seven months whatever it is and I think it’s not that this piece is not worthy or bad. Any of those things. It’s just that the right person hasn’t seen it and then someone walks through the door and they find the piece that no one else purchased but it was so right? they’re so excited. They’re so right and I’m like this is what we were waiting for it just feels like this like really perfect.

54:59.74
charukaarora
Um, ah.

55:04.49
Liz Lidgett
Moment every time somebody finds a piece of artwork that they love and it’s not their designer coming in. Thank you, It’s not their designer coming in. It’s like them connecting with it and that artwork was meant for them and the artist probably.

55:08.70
charukaarora
I Love how you put it I Love our you I Love this? Yeah yeah.

55:22.00
Liz Lidgett
Have them in mind or didn’t realize they were making it for them but it it was meant to be with them. So that’s my job is finding the people that want the exact right piece of artwork.

55:31.33
charukaarora
This is I Love I Love Love Love what? you just said? Oh my God I have had a fantastic I think this was one of my favorite conversations I think it was just amazing. Amazing.

55:37.95
Liz Lidgett
Um, thank you me too. Thank you! It was really lovely. Thank you for asking such nice questions. Do I appreciate it.

55:48.28
charukaarora
No I really appreciate you ask like you are answering them so honestly, but I have 1 last thing before I let you go which is the rapid fire. Are you ready? So no right.

55:54.83
Liz Lidgett
Oh yes, Okay, oh yeah, okay, let’s do it. Yeah maybe okay okay, okay.

56:05.17
charukaarora
No, right? No wrong, just give me what comes to you? Okay, 1 thing you want to convey through your work in the arts.

56:13.75
Liz Lidgett
Oh man, um, 1 thing that I want to do while I’m working in the arts is um, make people feel welcome I think that’s that’s that’s it like I just want to make him feel welcome. Thank you.

56:24.90
charukaarora
Um, you just had you’re doing a big job with that what’s that 1 word that describes you the best.

56:30.41
Liz Lidgett
Thank you.

56:36.40
Liz Lidgett
Oh ah, passionate.

56:40.10
charukaarora
Definitely I can see that if you could have a studio or a gallery anywhere in the world where would it be.

56:47.83
Liz Lidgett
This is gonna be lame if I say des Moines I kind of do love it. Yeah I know I I love traveling so much but gosh coming home is good. No.

56:51.12
charukaarora
No absolutely not I guessed I felt I felt that coming.

57:03.63
charukaarora
Um, oh Wow I Love that your biggest source of inspiration.

57:10.93
Liz Lidgett
Um, um I the poof probably just going back to my family I mean I think my work why is getting people to love artwork. But my why is my family and um. So I think you know I I feel like such love and happiness with them every day and if I can transfer that into my work world too. Then it’s great I feel I feel good.

57:35.70
charukaarora
Um, oh that’s that’s amazing. Beauty said who’s your favorite woman artist any point of time lives.

57:43.25
Liz Lidgett
Um, thank you oh my gosh I have so many oh I’ve got so so so many um oh gosh that is so hard. Um. You know I I really do love yo yoi Kasama I I think she yeah I mean I mean she’s just like the end all’ll be all for me I I love her work I love her ideas as an artist.

58:03.39
charukaarora
Um, oh yes.

58:13.82
Liz Lidgett
Love her experiences that she creates. It’s like she’s got artwork but then she’s got these experiences that you walk into it’s really hard for me to say I mean we represent so many incredible women artists and I know them personally like that’s really hard So I’m just going to go with one that I don’t know. But.

58:19.27
charukaarora
Um, yes, yes, yes.

58:29.96
charukaarora
Smart 1 get wise one who’s your go to person when you’re in trouble or in need of advice.

58:32.82
Liz Lidgett
Ah, yeah, yeah.

58:43.13
Liz Lidgett
Oh my parents. They’re the best um and they live they live 3 blocks from me so you know yeah, it’s great. It’s great like there. There are different mom questions and dad questions. But.

58:47.55
charukaarora
Um, ah, that’s even in fighting.

58:57.58
Liz Lidgett
You know, depending on whatever the question is it’s one of them. But.

58:59.10
charukaarora
Um, I Also love this part of being in a small town like how everything is approachable. How you we have people accessible and like it’s warm and beautiful I think it’s just I.

59:02.52
Liz Lidgett
Um, yeah.

59:12.17
Liz Lidgett
It’s really great. Yeah.

59:14.36
charukaarora
Amazing. What? Okay this is a little more than a rapid question I’m sure there must have been many and I can see that for sure. Um, can you say well like share 1 moment that you feel like a special moment of your time in your work.

59:19.60
Liz Lidgett
Okay.

59:32.92
charukaarora
And your life as a creative that you really savor and keep close to like you feel very grateful for doing the work that you do something that really made you feel special anything. It could be anything.

59:45.32
Liz Lidgett
Well I think one moment was when we opened the gallery it was 2019 so we’re a little pre covid and it was the the gallery was so full of people.

59:59.86
charukaarora
Um, yes.

01:00:05.50
Liz Lidgett
Hundreds of people were there for the opening and they were spilling out onto the sidewalk because it was a beautiful day in May and it just felt like. All of the moments in my career and the uncertainty that I had felt at times and all of these things it was like it was all for a reason it was all for this place to open for this place to exist and um. The support from the community was incredible too. But um, it just felt like a real culmination. A real a real turning point. It was yeah exactly it felt it was really special. Also I was wearing a great outfit so I felt good about that too. Ah.

01:00:43.21
charukaarora
Um, everything starts to make sense I love that I love that. Okay, that’s that’s a good thing. Yes, yes for sure like these are I think little joys of being a creative for sure.

01:00:54.41
Liz Lidgett
Um, totally um.

01:01:00.10
charukaarora
Like like oh this color I remember I enjoy this moment because so I like how like you know like I I Really enjoy this part yes and like a lot of people say like I’m a huge like I don’t say I’m I’m a collector I’m a who like I love collecting small small like.

01:01:05.24
Liz Lidgett
A hundred percent you remember those things. Yeah.

01:01:16.93
Liz Lidgett
Um, oh yeah, yeah, it has purpose if it’s bringing you joy though. Yeah yeah.

01:01:19.18
charukaarora
I’ll find something and I mean I know I will never use it in my life but I need to have it I need to have it and like people keep asking me. Yes, yes, and like it makes me feel. It makes me happy. It makes my eyes happy. It makes my aesthetics happy.

01:01:34.82
Liz Lidgett
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s awesome.

01:01:38.90
charukaarora
And that’s enough for me. Okay, if you were to meet younger list today. What advice would you give up.

01:01:47.79
Liz Lidgett
You know, honestly I would probably give her a hug and walk away because I want her to make the mistakes you know I want her to experience life I I ended up in the right spot. You know? and.

01:01:56.65
charukaarora
Are.

01:02:05.32
charukaarora
Um, now.

01:02:06.34
Liz Lidgett
I had guidance of course from wonderful friends and mentors and family and all of that but I would do it all over again. So you know I I think every past lez is could use a hug and just being like it’s okay sweetie and then what.

01:02:13.26
charukaarora
Yeah.

01:02:21.70
charukaarora
You guys this I.

01:02:25.99
Liz Lidgett
But but other than that like I just wanted I would do it all over.

01:02:28.85
charukaarora
Oh wow you know, but you even if it feels like you’re not saying anything I feel like that Huck says a lot it does and I think and I think a lot of times even in our hard times we are. We always don’t look for advice or like you know.

01:02:35.64
Liz Lidgett
Yeah, yeah, it does I think it would yeah.

01:02:48.19
charukaarora
What’s right? and like what’s you sometimes all you need is ah is a warm hug from someone and so reminding you like you know you’ll figure this out. You will.

01:02:54.28
Liz Lidgett
Yeah, yeah, exactly right? you can trust yourself you can trust your gut All I think I think that’s an important reminder you know, um, and and then again you know I met somebody recently I.

01:03:05.54
charukaarora
Um, in.

01:03:10.27
Liz Lidgett
She was talking about the businesses that she had and I said oh and then you did also X Y Z I remember you doing that and she said oh I don’t count the failures and I was like oh girl. Yes, it’s all a part of it. It’s all a part of it and you know I mean I know there’s all those like cliches. It’s like.

01:03:21.41
charukaarora
Um, yes.

01:03:29.10
Liz Lidgett
If you learn from it. It wasn’t a failure and all of that. But you know sometimes things are just failures and that’s okay, that’s part of it too. So I don’t know count the failures.

01:03:39.11
charukaarora
Yes, and also I think like you said earlier like unless you don’t know what you don’t want or what you don’t didn’t get right? You probably will never know what you really want and what you can actually get right? So it’s it’s okay, it’s okay, okay.

01:03:46.00
Liz Lidgett
Yeah, yeah.

01:03:54.60
Liz Lidgett
That’s right, yeah exactly right? It’s all okay, is the point of it. Um.

01:04:02.18
charukaarora
Ah, Sarah to an artist especially with an artist who you are currently enjoying on social media I love this question.

01:04:10.88
Liz Lidgett
Oh goodness. Um, that’s interesting. Um, Alison James is a ah, really wonderful artist out of Georgia but beyond that she talks so much about like her inspiration and. Working through a piece or when there’s like a sticky point and like how she worked through it and she talks about like her process and I think that’s a fascinating thing to hear about and I think also wildly helpful for other artists. She’s awesome. Yeah.

01:04:38.79
charukaarora
Okay I am going to check her out and I’m also going to link her in the show notes perfect last question as a woman creative entrepreneur as a woman entrepreneur creative entrepreneur. What’s that one piece of advice that you would like to give to people who are.

01:04:45.18
Liz Lidgett
Ah, good. Yeah great. She’s awesome. Um.

01:04:56.44
charukaarora
And you’re listening to this episode or we’re just following your lead.

01:05:01.43
Liz Lidgett
Being You is a strength So Don’t try to be something else or you know look at what other artists or other galleries or other entrepreneurs are doing like the things that make you you. Are your strength so lean into them and share them with the world and you’ll find your people that’s you know that’s that’s the thing the times that I have swayed from my myself or strayed.

01:05:27.62
charukaarora
Yes I Love that.

01:05:38.91
Liz Lidgett
Those are the times it didn’t feel right that weren’t successful the times that I’m true to me what excites me what I’m passionate about the people find you they they come and they they connect with you on a very real level. That’s incredibly important so you know. You You are the strength your your personality. Your characteristics are the strength lean into that.

01:06:01.75
charukaarora
I Love that advice and I saw how surprisingly now how natural it is to be ourselves yet. How difficult it is to be ourselves I penny of the situation. Yes, messed up.

01:06:10.65
Liz Lidgett
My now isn’t a weird being a human is weird. Ah.

01:06:18.80
charukaarora
But that’s the journey I think that’s the journey that we all like it. That’s the creative process like you’re you’re creating like you know? yeah you know figuring it out.

01:06:24.97
Liz Lidgett
Yeah, don’t feel alone because we’re all going through it just in our own ways. But yeah, yeah, well anyway, thank you so much. Oh, that’s okay.

01:06:36.45
charukaarora
I Love that my God Thank you I could talk to you for hours Honestly I had such a blast. Thank you? Okay, for anyone who’s listening to this episode. Ah where can they find you you know share Love shop.

01:06:43.39
Liz Lidgett
Thank you me too. Thank you.

01:06:53.51
charukaarora
Um, any upcoming projects that you have that you would like to share anything that you want feel free.

01:06:57.33
Liz Lidgett
sure sure thank you um so you can find us on our website lizliit.com and then I have a personal Instagram where I talk about art and creativity at Liz Legit and then the gallery is at Liz Legit gallery um they they. also do awesome different content. So if you’re all about the arts and then also we have a podcast that just started recently called 10 minute masterpieces where we spend 10 minutes on the most famous works of art in the world and kind of what makes them famous and what’s interesting about them. You may. Be able to close your eyes and picture starry night. But what do you really know about it. So um, yeah, that’s what we’re doing right now. So come visit us at the gallery or online or on Instagram and we’ll talk about smart.

01:07:40.49
charukaarora
Out. Yes, and I I can vouch for that that it’s going to be really really fun and learn like you learn a lot but you’ll also have a lot of fun along that so I will I will link all these links Liz has mentioned images and.

01:07:55.89
Liz Lidgett
Yeah, thank you.

01:08:04.87
charukaarora
Ah, few for videos I think that I really like and you’ll find them all in the show notes and you can find and like support I think that’s more than anything that you would like to say but I would also like to say a big thank you to you Liz. Thank you so much for your honesty and for.

01:08:05.83
Liz Lidgett
Yeah, thanks.

01:08:21.26
Liz Lidgett
Um, oh gosh. Thank you I I appreciate the opportunity. But bye.

01:08:21.63
charukaarora
For your time I Really appreciate this.. Thank you I’ll see you soon. Or just to answer.