How to set your art goals in 2024 |Liz Lidgett|

Timestamp	Summary
0:00	Introduction to the Arts to Hearts podcast.
4:08	Liz’s early experiences with art in Des Moines.
9:29	The belief that art success requires being in a certain place.
13:01	Overcoming fears and limiting beliefs in pursuing a creative career.
17:06	Importance of defining one’s own dream and path.
25:16	Importance of respect, love, and kindness in collaborations.
31:04	Freedom in entrepreneurship and wanting to create that for artists.
37:34	Liz on her passion and knowledge about the artwork.
39:09	Organizing a creative retreat trip to France with artist Jesse Raleigh.
45:05	Emphasizing the importance of art for all and accessibility.
50:57	Advice on collecting art.
53:01	Buying artwork.
1:03:30	Counting failures as part of the journey.
1:04:58	Advice for women entrepreneurs.

[TRANSCRIPT]

**** – (): 0:00

**** – (): Welcome to the Arts to Hearts podcast a show for artists creators creative entrepreneurs to have harmful

**** – (): 0:06

**** – (): conversations about living a creative life and a career as you go into this show here your favorite creators talk

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**** – (): about money mindset business creativity and everything else that goes behind into making a life that we all adore as

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**** – (): an artist here the messy and the wonderful side of being a creative I am your host Char karora an artist Creator

**** – (): 0:24

**** – (): and founder of Arts to Hearts project thank you for joining me here let’s Jump Right In

**** – (): 0:32

**** – (): hello hi Liz hi thanks for having me thank you so much for coming and a big

**** – (): 0:39

**** – (): big welcome to the after Hearts podcast well thank you I’m it’s I’m really excited to talk art and be authentic and

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**** – (): and dive in absolutely I think we was even saying

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**** – (): before we started recording and I always say this on the podcast like why I love this podcast so much is like women

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**** – (): art and Entrepreneurship I think these are three three pillars of our

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**** – (): conversations always and I think it’s it’s just so exciting to always have someone to talk about there it’s like my

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**** – (): therapy time oh my gosh those are my three favorite things to talk about that’s my sweet spot you just like made my Venn diagram

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**** – (): so I love that I’m going to draw this one

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**** – (): and post it on Instagram right [Music]

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**** – (): welcome to the party before we dig into the episode um would you like to uh introduce

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**** – (): yourself who you are and what you do for people who are listening to us right now sure uh I’m Liz legit I’m a gallery

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**** – (): owner in Des Moines Iowa in the states and I started the gallery three years

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**** – (): ago before that I had my own business as an art advisor for about seven years

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**** – (): and um you know I got my masters at USC in

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**** – (): Los Angeles lived on the west coast for a bit and really wanted to come back to

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**** – (): the Midwest make an impact somehow there here

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**** – (): um and I really felt like I say this some a lot but in Los Angeles I felt like I had to be a

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**** – (): multi-millionaire to make a difference but enjoying in a smaller Community I

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**** – (): could make a difference with a good idea and people really rallied around you from your community so it has been

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**** – (): really special to build a business here in the Midwest and then also just with

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**** – (): all that goes on with online we ship about 80 of the work that we sell

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**** – (): and we have artists from around the world and around the country so you know it really is because we love being in

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**** – (): Iowa and that’s where our families and friends are and all of that but you know we think of ourselves as a global

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**** – (): business I love that I absolutely and this is a conversation I think

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**** – (): um is very close to me right now because I recently like moved back like I with

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**** – (): covet I think a lot of people move back to their hometowns or if they were right like I moved from I I was born and

**** – (): 3:11

**** – (): brought up in Agra which is city of Taj Mahal um and then I moved to a bigger city here in India and then with covert I

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**** – (): went back home and I think I felt like so so empowered in the sense that I just

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**** – (): think the comfort of being in a small town I’m a I’m a proud small town girl always and I think

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**** – (): I really resonate with that idea that um and I was speaking to another artist that we had Mac on the podcast recently

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**** – (): brilliant episode um and she was like you know I as an artist I felt this pressure continuously

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**** – (): while she was also living in La that you know the rents to cover the money it

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**** – (): would take and the pressure it would bring on her to make art and to make something and to make that impact

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**** – (): um yeah did you while growing up you know um here in the Midwest did you like

**** – (): 4:02

**** – (): um had like an artsy I I want to know like I experienced art very differently

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**** – (): as a small town girl here in India I want to hear how is it in the U.S for you

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**** – (): well you know that’s interesting I think I was really lucky to be raised in Des Moines because we have an incredible

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**** – (): Museum that’s free to go to and wow it hits well above its weight class

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**** – (): 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

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**** – (): all of these it’s an imp building and I mean it’s it’s just uh it’s it’s a

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**** – (): really really special place and I feel like my love of art was really fostered

**** – (): 4:46

**** – (): there my grandmother uh who I’m named after my grandmother Elizabeth saw that

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**** – (): I was like always carrying a sketch pad around when I was young and so she gave me for Christmas art lessons at the

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**** – (): Museum uh when I was five and from then on that museum

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**** – (): really shaped my experience because I got to hang out with like Francis bacons

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**** – (): and um yeah you know uh Mark rothko and like these were the things that I grew up

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**** – (): getting to be around and then when I went to college and started taking art history classes I would see in my

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**** – (): textbooks like image courtesy of the Des Moines Arts Center and so I I realized just how entirely lucky I was that I got

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**** – (): to be around the stuff that ended up being in textbooks and people would just love to be around and

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**** – (): it was for free so I think that that is part of the reason that I have such a

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**** – (): love of um introducing people to artwork and

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**** – (): feeling making people feel like art is for them to artists for everyone I think it was that like free admission that

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**** – (): come and go portion of the museum that made it feel so accessible they tried to

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**** – (): take down like as many barriers around the artwork as possible while still protecting it right and uh

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**** – (): that’s right and again it was just it really has shaped how I experienced the

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**** – (): art world and think of the art World um yeah it was it was a special place to

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**** – (): grow up for sure so I what I come from like what I didn’t see from your conversation here is that

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**** – (): um Community was a big um you know connect for you to

**** – (): 6:38

**** – (): um experience art while you were growing up uh did you experience the same when

**** – (): 6:43

**** – (): you were in LA because art wall is very different in all parts of the world actually yeah oh my goodness yes

**** – (): 6:51

**** – (): so you know it’s interesting the the degree that I got at USC is now called

**** – (): 6:56

**** – (): curatorial practice in the public sphere which is a very wordy way of saying

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**** – (): really anything outside of a it’s like public art it’s like outside of a museum space right yeah so because I was

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**** – (): looking at the art world through that lens it’s very specifically and

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**** – (): um I it was all about making sure that art could be where people where the people

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**** – (): are right so it’s like art at bus stops or art walking down your street or

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**** – (): murals or all of that and that program is part of the reason

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**** – (): that when I came back to Des Moines I was like we’re just gonna put murals everywhere there were a few here that

**** – (): 7:40

**** – (): became just a huge mission of mine because I wanted people to experience art where they were we also have an

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**** – (): incredible public art Park here just world class um that’s right in the middle of our

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**** – (): downtown so this was something that I thought about a lot for sure

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**** – (): um now I never really got into the gallery scene in Los Angeles because I

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**** – (): didn’t feel like it was for me and I didn’t feel like you know it just

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**** – (): had that same way kind of as a New York maybe a little more laid back than the New York Gallery scene but yeah it was

**** – (): 8:16

**** – (): snooty right there were like you if you had to ask what the price was you couldn’t afford it

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**** – (): so I think again I all of these experiences come together to create

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**** – (): a life right and um and so that is another thing that really

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**** – (): was like I never felt like the art world was for me there and that’s why I want

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**** – (): to create a longer table with what we’re doing not higher walls

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**** – (): 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

**** – (): 8:53

**** – (): rolled out yeah I think sometimes being in a place where you feel like you don’t want to be

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**** – (): that also makes you realize where you actually want to be I think that becomes

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**** – (): a very pivotal uh decision on like and also I think a a belief system that we

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**** – (): also have um that for our art business or art career to thrive you need to be in a

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**** – (): certain place where you know there are certain kind of um people and culture

**** – (): 9:24

**** – (): and like stuff like that I mean I think this goes not only for artists but

**** – (): 9:29

**** – (): um for for Galleries and art curators and all kinds of creative business but I

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**** – (): 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

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**** – (): 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 just next to you right no

**** – (): 9:51

**** – (): yes they’re they’re shipping the artists are shipping from here from wherever they are all over the world to Iowa and

**** – (): 9:58

**** – (): then we ship it out um you know I think it’s really interesting when you look at our roster

**** – (): 10:03

**** – (): of 50 artists you will see people from all over the United States small towns big cities

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**** – (): um you’ll see people internationally we have an artist that is um from the United States and is moving

**** – (): 10:17

**** – (): internationally now I just there’s so much you can do

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**** – (): to make it seem seamless to for your clients that it really doesn’t matter

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**** – (): where you are so I think it’s really about living and being with the people that help

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**** – (): your creativity flow um yeah that make your heart sing all of

**** – (): 10:41

**** – (): that because that all goes back into your art into your work and I I just don’t think that that old adage

**** – (): 10:48

**** – (): of like you’ve got to be in New York or you’ve got to be in La yes it’s it’s just not it’s just not the case anymore

**** – (): 10:54

**** – (): I mean we’ve got an artist Kip Porter who is just phenomenally talented her

**** – (): 11:01

**** – (): artwork sells out just like that like five minutes and everything’s gone oh

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**** – (): wow um she’s she’s also a wonderful person so on top of all of that

**** – (): 11:12

**** – (): um but she’s from Beaufort South Carolina you know like she’s she’s outside she’s about an hour I think

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**** – (): outside of Charleston that’s where she wants to live and work it doesn’t matter

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**** – (): at all on her popularity her career any of those things so it’s it’s just a

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**** – (): different world especially post covid but yeah it had been it had been kind of going that way because people are

**** – (): 11:37

**** – (): finding people on Instagram now right yeah they’re finding people through galleries they trust and it doesn’t

**** – (): 11:43

**** – (): matter where you are I think that’s totally true and I think that’s why I think this was a game

**** – (): 11:50

**** – (): changer for me especially like um I always share this on the podcast that um like you said like I didn’t I

**** – (): 11:57

**** – (): didn’t really resonate with a lot of physical uh or people or Community immediate to me and I felt like I really

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**** – (): needed to go out and find people that I resonated with and the kind of

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**** – (): you know the kind of community or outward I wanted to work in and you know live in because you want to do something

**** – (): 12:15

**** – (): 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

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**** – (): and stories and experiences and if you don’t have them if you don’t enjoy them I really feel like there’s no purpose

**** – (): 12:27

**** – (): and with the internet I feel like it just gave us this power to especially

**** – (): 12:32

**** – (): with covert it was like you know uh you anyway have to talk to people and meet them virtually or whatever so you

**** – (): 12:39

**** – (): might as well you know kind the kind of people you want to be with and since everything is remote and virtual why not

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**** – (): to experiment and explore a wall that you want to live in yes agreed I yes second that

**** – (): 12:54

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 13:01

**** – (): trying to deal with a lot of on my own but something about like moving back like it’s it’s it’s just not like a

**** – (): 13:08

**** – (): creative decision but it’s also a practical business decision and you know there are so many things that you like to consider like you know make opening

**** – (): 13:16

**** – (): up a gallery in a smaller town and the challenges and you know being like did

**** – (): 13:21

**** – (): you have any if if yes then what were they and how you dealt with it yeah you know

**** – (): 13:28

**** – (): um I was mostly really excited but there were my my husband I I think he would

**** – (): 13:35

**** – (): say if you were sitting next to me would say he was a little less excited he is really Des Moines as well

**** – (): 13:42

**** – (): um but um what I I think it felt like maybe if you were listening to like the

**** – (): 13:49

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 13:55

**** – (): little harder yeah you know you made it somewhere else

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**** – (): or whatever um I think as I get older though I have

**** – (): 14:07

**** – (): completely released that because I my my

**** – (): 14:12

**** – (): um definition of success has changed I am and you know I think when you’re

**** – (): 14:18

**** – (): young you think just money right like you feel like you just want to make a bunch of money and

**** – (): 14:24

**** – (): we were poor I was a poor grad student right like we were you could like barely rub two nickels together yeah

**** – (): 14:32

**** – (): um and so you know living in a place like Los Angeles when you are

**** – (): 14:37

**** – (): experiencing that is not super fun I mean it’s a great City I still love it to this day

**** – (): 14:43

**** – (): um but anyway all of that’s to say is that my definition of success has changed so the fact that I can control

**** – (): 14:50

**** – (): my day and my schedule somewhat you know sometimes it gets lost pretty easily

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**** – (): yeah the fact that I can come to my kids and

**** – (): 15:02

**** – (): and be with them for dinner and be with them in the morning um and then have a really solid intense

**** – (): 15:09

**** – (): work day and get to come home and and and also just the fact that I’m happy right like I get to do something that I

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**** – (): really love and I get to be creative and I get to try different things and I feel like all of that together means

**** – (): 15:24

**** – (): that I’m successful hopefully I can like put a roof over our head too

**** – (): 15:30

**** – (): um so that still matters but like the the definition has changed and so being

**** – (): 15:36

**** – (): here has completely released those limiting beliefs yeah I I

**** – (): 15:43

**** – (): quickly I think I really resonate with the first one and you know I

**** – (): 15:49

**** – (): know as much as you want to follow your heart sometimes we think like are we am I like not pushing myself enough

**** – (): 15:54

**** – (): or yeah is it like 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

**** – (): 16:01

**** – (): one you you just have to follow and then figure it out it’s a it’s like you have

**** – (): 16:06

**** – (): to take some time to actually like sit with yourself and be like is this what I

**** – (): 16:12

**** – (): want or is this what people are telling me that I want yes I think it’s also like something like what we’ve seen as

**** – (): 16:19

**** – (): possible like today if I see you you run a successful business based out of the Midwest and you’re doing anything and

**** – (): 16:26

**** – (): everything globally and it gives me an option okay this is what is possible for her it’s also possible for me so true

**** – (): 16:32

**** – (): like you are you making that path for yourself sometimes nobody else has done that and you have to believe in your

**** – (): 16:39

**** – (): vision and you’re like I will do this and maybe you open a path for more people who would want to pursue this

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**** – (): I hope so I truly do because I think the more that we can get people to

**** – (): 16:51

**** – (): understand that um an art career can happen anywhere and

**** – (): 16:56

**** – (): art can happen in any community is a good thing right yeah

**** – (): 17:06

**** – (): I think you know when you said I I when I of course saw your daughter

**** – (): 17:11

**** – (): and like this is something I keep asking myself also um I think when you come to a point like

**** – (): 17:17

**** – (): 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 one-time decision it’s also like

**** – (): 17:24

**** – (): especially for me like and I think it’s it’s also for Creative people like I love enjoying being around nature

**** – (): 17:29

**** – (): um having access to space like um working intimately in a community and

**** – (): 17:35

**** – (): knowing people and your social structure that you have in a place that you come from or a smaller town versus in a city

**** – (): 17:41

**** – (): that you you build your life I know what it feels to be like when nobody knows

**** – (): 17:46

**** – (): you and you build your life from scratch like it’s not easy running a business is not easy and

**** – (): 17:53

**** – (): like sometimes I feel like you have to ask yourself what is my dream and what is the best place for me realistically

**** – (): 18:00

**** – (): to make it happen without you know looking at what world wants out of us

**** – (): 18:06

**** – (): right it’s it’s it’s hard to figure out but I think if you’re intentional about it the

**** – (): 18:13

**** – (): answers do come yeah and uh and then also just trying a lot of things I think

**** – (): 18:18

**** – (): that has been a really important part of my business and my career is that I’ve

**** – (): 18:26

**** – (): been really open to being like that sounds fun I’ll try it and sometimes it’s not actually fun and then I know

**** – (): 18:33

**** – (): not to say yes to something like that again but yeah you know as you were saying earlier that it’s important to

**** – (): 18:39

**** – (): know like where you don’t want to live too it was important to me as I started my

**** – (): 18:46

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 18:53

**** – (): do this I interned for a museum I don’t want to be I don’t want to work for a museum I worked for a corporate

**** – (): 18:59

**** – (): collection the corporate world isn’t for me so I never look back at those

**** – (): 19:04

**** – (): experiences as a failure or any of that because I I now know that that wasn’t

**** – (): 19:11

**** – (): for me and I had to go through some things and I think you get I at least I had in my mind like am I gonna find

**** – (): 19:17

**** – (): what’s right for me because yeah I’m like I’m going through

**** – (): 19:22

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 19:28

**** – (): because there’s so many things I mean you could be an artist you could work in a gallery a museum an auction house I

**** – (): 19:34

**** – (): mean there’s just on and on and on a studio so so many things that you could do within

**** – (): 19:40

**** – (): that and then I was kind of like checking all of those boxes but it wasn’t for me yet

**** – (): 19:45

**** – (): and I think the idea that you you don’t what I really like about you is

**** – (): 19:52

**** – (): you’ve literally created your own definition of being a business owner Gallery owner a design yeah like you

**** – (): 19:59

**** – (): know you see a certain kind you have to be a certain way like this is how you be an artist this

**** – (): 20:05

**** – (): is how you be a gallery is this is how you become like what search something looks like like why can’t you be a

**** – (): 20:12

**** – (): gallery owner who has painful in her gallery and who also you know

**** – (): 20:18

**** – (): like I really like the energy and the way like you have this Mission like art is for everyone and yeah it’s like how

**** – (): 20:25

**** – (): you’re blending a lot of things at a person like like a person like we like I

**** – (): 20:30

**** – (): You Don’t See Art as like a white wall isolated experience that only a certain class of a society can come and

**** – (): 20:37

**** – (): experience and you like I feel like we sometimes limit to ourselves that

**** – (): 20:42

**** – (): 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 two or

**** – (): 20:50

**** – (): whatever way like you reinvent the wheel for you become what you want to be yes

**** – (): 20:56

**** – (): thank you well thank you I think you know when I started the gallery I first

**** – (): 21:02

**** – (): of all didn’t feel like I needed to reinvent the world uh we all so sometimes I feel like people are like

**** – (): 21:08

**** – (): trying to create something that’s like 100 completely new and they’re so

**** – (): 21:13

**** – (): Innovative and the things that I think really change the world sometimes are going back to

**** – (): 21:22

**** – (): something that exists but doing it really well yeah and doing it and also

**** – (): 21:28

**** – (): you don’t know anyway I think what you’re yeah sorry yes and doing it your own way and like kind of putting your own stamp on something that already

**** – (): 21:34

**** – (): exists so when I started the gallery I think I had in mind what every business

**** – (): 21:40

**** – (): owner has it’s like well I think I can do this better right yes yes yes absolutely

**** – (): 21:47

**** – (): and after working with so many galleries as an art advisor I thought I’m seeing a

**** – (): 21:53

**** – (): lot of things that I don’t love and I want these artists to be treated really well I want my clients to be

**** – (): 22:01

**** – (): treated really well so what if I started my own and it really kind of

**** – (): 22:07

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 22:15

**** – (): came on and I hired you to be a part of an art advisory business but what if we

**** – (): 22:20

**** – (): started a gallery and she was like along for the ride let’s do this so I’m very

**** – (): 22:25

**** – (): thankful to Tina too because she has has done so much for this Gallery it’s

**** – (): 22:31

**** – (): really hers too and I um I’m I I’m I’m thrilled with what

**** – (): 22:37

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 22:43

**** – (): that we represent at least 50 women artists that was something that always really yeah that was the representation

**** – (): 22:49

**** – (): numbers and galleries so and I had I you know I had these little meetings with

**** – (): 22:55

**** – (): people that were in the art world before I started the gallery and I’d say like give me your feedback I’m gonna

**** – (): 23:01

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 23:09

**** – (): it was like you know don’t put yourself don’t put limitations on yourself like

**** – (): 23:14

**** – (): saying that you’re always going to represent 50 women artists and I feel

**** – (): 23:19

**** – (): grateful if I could go back and hug past Liz because I really was like no

**** – (): 23:28

**** – (): this is not right and I don’t think that I can change the entire art world but I can do it right

**** – (): 23:35

**** – (): in my house right and I feel that with my kids sometimes too right like I can I can raise them right and I can put good

**** – (): 23:42

**** – (): people out into the world that will create maybe or influence other people to be good like that’s how I that’s how

**** – (): 23:48

**** – (): I’m like if I can focus on home if I can focus on my business and do it right and

**** – (): 23:54

**** – (): my artists then it’s gonna affect change somehow it’s gonna show other galleries that you can have this as a business

**** – (): 24:00

**** – (): practice and be successful you know you can you can show that like

**** – (): 24:05

**** – (): being kind and working hard is like the major tenets of having a successful

**** – (): 24:10

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 24:16

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 24:23

**** – (): super talented but also they’re good people and we and we love supporting

**** – (): 24:29

**** – (): them so yeah you know it’s just stuff like that that we that’s how we run this gallery and um

**** – (): 24:37

**** – (): it has been it’s been really it’s been an enjoyable thing too on top of being

**** – (): 24:42

**** – (): successful this is very powerful I just feel like you’ve echoed every bit of what we like did 100 plus episodes and

**** – (): 24:50

**** – (): like like you’ve you’ve literally summed up like 100 episodes in one minute like

**** – (): 24:58

**** – (): even less than that like you I can’t even like the mom like as you were

**** – (): 25:03

**** – (): saying I was like this is so powerful like this is so good like I I love how you said it like this should be like oh

**** – (): 25:10

**** – (): I will like make sure that we make this Spotlight like this we need to uh

**** – (): 25:16

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 25:22

**** – (): know we were having this conversation that um that’s your like just a few episodes

**** – (): 25:28

**** – (): away and um one of our artists um like she mentioned one of her experiences with

**** – (): 25:34

**** – (): her gallery and why she loved it and how unhappy she was and

**** – (): 25:39

**** – (): um like for me I think personally I it’s it’s a

**** – (): 25:45

**** – (): lot of times the collaboration that we Chase uh as artists as entrepreneurs as creative like it’s I think as basic as

**** – (): 25:53

**** – (): having respect for each other um yeah loving each other being kind to each other and it’s

**** – (): 25:59

**** – (): it’s not too much it’s it’s not happening today yeah you know that’s the other thing too

**** – (): 26:06

**** – (): is that I think we’re all happier for it um but also we we work hard but I think

**** – (): 26:14

**** – (): we we beyond that try to work smarter too you know we’re not working

**** – (): 26:19

**** – (): you know 20 hours a day it’s it doesn’t take extra work to be kind to someone

**** – (): 26:26

**** – (): yes in fact I think it reduces the work

**** – (): 26:32

**** – (): you know you’re not being like a baggage to each other and you really uplift each other uh in time and you know I think

**** – (): 26:39

**** – (): it’s even a better collaboration than um not being kind to each other because that you make each other miserable oh

**** – (): 26:46

**** – (): absolutely absolutely I yeah I I totally agree because the times that we’ve had

**** – (): 26:52

**** – (): um you know someone a client or an artist and it’s happened so rarely

**** – (): 26:57

**** – (): um this is not the norm but you know we have like bad Mis communication or someone’s being rude or something along

**** – (): 27:04

**** – (): those lines I’m like that takes up so much more time because there’s there’s fires to put out

**** – (): 27:10

**** – (): and all of that stuff um so anyway yes I don’t it’s not extra work to be kind it’s good business

**** – (): 27:17

**** – (): practice and I feel really we don’t always get it

**** – (): 27:22

**** – (): right we also kind of go into that that’s like we’ve got so many we are not perfect we had so many learning

**** – (): 27:31

**** – (): opportunities that we say Okay We’re Not Gonna overly dwell on this let’s assess

**** – (): 27:37

**** – (): move on I just yeah I I don’t know what it I think maybe

**** – (): 27:42

**** – (): because we do a lot of different things and I just don’t have time to dwell but

**** – (): 27:48

**** – (): that also makes me a happier person because I just can say like okay what are we gonna learn from this let’s move

**** – (): 27:54

**** – (): on I think it also makes it’s better for my staff too like nobody wants a boss

**** – (): 28:01

**** – (): that dwells and holds grudges right yes absolutely right so anyway so

**** – (): 28:08

**** – (): it’s it’s all of that I just um we don’t always get it right but we are still learning

**** – (): 28:15

**** – (): yeah right and that’s how companies are built so yeah um I feel very thankful for the stage

**** – (): 28:21

**** – (): that we’re at right now I love that do you think it’s also like I really do think our experience is

**** – (): 28:27

**** – (): really shape who we are um I think like why I feel so passionate

**** – (): 28:33

**** – (): about like being a Creator like I always struggled with this um idea that I had

**** – (): 28:38

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 28:46

**** – (): know like when you experience certain things and you feel like okay this is pulling me back and you have your own

**** – (): 28:52

**** – (): experiences you become very passionate about creating something for that um yeah what I’m trying to ask is is it

**** – (): 29:00

**** – (): also because your own experience in LA or in just other parts of the world and

**** – (): 29:05

**** – (): seeing what you were missing you really feel passionate about it and that is what you’re also building for yourself

**** – (): 29:13

**** – (): I you know that’s interesting to think about I’ve never really kind of dived into that what I would say

**** – (): 29:20

**** – (): is more so is that I’ve had such a wonderful experience in the art World

**** – (): 29:25

**** – (): overall oh wow I love that and I want people to feel that too

**** – (): 29:32

**** – (): I understand I understand that people are not always

**** – (): 29:38

**** – (): um they don’t always feel welcome here and yeah so I kind of want to like

**** – (): 29:44

**** – (): go through all of the weeds and and clear out the path for them yeah I think that’s a great way to put

**** – (): 29:50

**** – (): it yeah so I it’s interesting growing up I feel very

**** – (): 29:56

**** – (): lucky to have the parents that I do they were entrepreneurs they were in Insurance not creative at all but they

**** – (): 30:02

**** – (): were entrepreneurs um and you know growing up they

**** – (): 30:08

**** – (): always looked at what I was interested in as cool it was never like art really didn’t have

**** – (): 30:16

**** – (): a super positive or negative connotation it just was it was just a part of me and

**** – (): 30:24

**** – (): um they really accepted that and I know that so many people are like oh how do

**** – (): 30:30

**** – (): you feel about being an artist or they’ve got negative connotations around being an artist

**** – (): 30:36

**** – (): um I I never had that and then when I was gonna start my business my parents just were like that’s great great like

**** – (): 30:43

**** – (): go for it it again it was not like a overly amped up thing it was not an overly it was not a negative thing so it

**** – (): 30:50

**** – (): just like okay this feels logical for you it’s what you grew up around so yeah and

**** – (): 30:58

**** – (): I also I had older ish parents um and they were entrepreneurs and I saw

**** – (): 31:04

**** – (): like the freedom that they had too and that was something that I ended up really craving

**** – (): 31:11

**** – (): um so you know I I was when I was in LA I interned for an organization called

**** – (): 31:17

**** – (): United States artists and they give 50 50 000 unrestricted grants to Artisan

**** – (): 31:23

**** – (): United States every year and it was it started it’s an amazing organization

**** – (): 31:28

**** – (): um it started from the fact that there was a survey probably you know 20 years ago now but

**** – (): 31:36

**** – (): there was a survey that said that people uh valued art in their communities but

**** – (): 31:42

**** – (): they did not value artists in their communities and so it was all about the

**** – (): 31:48

**** – (): fact that art comes from artists and we need to be supporting these artists and that is an

**** – (): 31:55

**** – (): experience that really um kind of carved out things in my

**** – (): 32:01

**** – (): career as well because I know that you know for whatever reason and I think

**** – (): 32:06

**** – (): less so these days 20 years ago probably more so but that artists it was not like

**** – (): 32:12

**** – (): a viable income stream or like it wasn’t like a real job right yeah I think

**** – (): 32:18

**** – (): people get it now in in a new way especially just with like the Creator economy and all of those things that

**** – (): 32:25

**** – (): people do now with Etsy and all of it but um I really think about that is that I

**** – (): 32:31

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 32:39

**** – (): of those things that like separates us from animals right um the way that we like tell our stories

**** – (): 32:45

**** – (): and express ourselves and all of that so um it’s incredibly valuable and it’s what makes this Society Rich so I want

**** – (): 32:52

**** – (): to make sure these artists feel like they can keep creating too I love that but then let’s also talk about how you

**** – (): 33:00

**** – (): as I as as lit less legit calorie as yourself what

**** – (): 33:07

**** – (): what is your definition or the way you want to work with artists and you currently work with like

**** – (): 33:14

**** – (): um how you curate them and I also like to love like I said artists for everyone

**** – (): 33:19

**** – (): um I also love how you create content for your own gallery and I think that also feels like like more approachable

**** – (): 33:26

**** – (): like like you said like a typical Gallery owner images of the snooty

**** – (): 33:31

**** – (): person who has like this Gallery who has someone who’s managing and you know you

**** – (): 33:37

**** – (): know usually shifting that definition and it making it more approachable sharing advices you know talking about

**** – (): 33:44

**** – (): art um hanging art I love your Phoebe I love you all um and I was like this is really smart

**** – (): 33:51

**** – (): like thank you thank you yeah well you know um

**** – (): 33:57

**** – (): I you it’s I I feel like the the way that I am approaching the art world is not overly

**** – (): 34:05

**** – (): calculated it is just the way that I experience it and I oh I’ve always felt

**** – (): 34:11

**** – (): like it in my business I think like if I like this artist or if I like this thing

**** – (): 34:19

**** – (): then somebody else will too you know what I mean I like kind of use myself as my as my customer and like yeah and also

**** – (): 34:26

**** – (): now that I I have as many clients as I have as I see the questions that they have repeatedly

**** – (): 34:32

**** – (): and so I want to make sure that I can just go out there and like give that

**** – (): 34:37

**** – (): content and and part of that ends up being I think that they then have a trust relationship

**** – (): 34:45

**** – (): with me that I take as a huge responsibility they know that because I put my face out there on the internet

**** – (): 34:51

**** – (): and I talk about like hanging the artwork and and being with it and curating it and all of that is that they

**** – (): 34:58

**** – (): know that when they buy something through our website it’s something that I’ve seen I’ve looked at I’ve touched

**** – (): 35:04

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 35:11

**** – (): Tina we’re the ones like putting it together and making sure that it arrives safely to you all of that is Trust

**** – (): 35:18

**** – (): and yes I I do take that as a huge responsibility working with our artists

**** – (): 35:25

**** – (): you know I I’ve talked a lot about like how we just kind of go with kindness

**** – (): 35:30

**** – (): but beyond that it’s like simple things that aren’t always the case it’s like paying on time right yes absolutely

**** – (): 35:39

**** – (): because as linear or a small this is how important and how not a regular practice

**** – (): 35:45

**** – (): it is like I am amazed to hear from people yes right people like

**** – (): 35:51

**** – (): I there’s there’s so many incidents I’ve heard on the podcast like after record that I really can’t like

**** – (): 35:57

**** – (): of course share without anybody’s permission but like it’s surprising and I’m amazed at so many times like it’s

**** – (): 36:04

**** – (): not even for real like you really don’t expect and you know what’s even more stories

**** – (): 36:10

**** – (): yeah and what’s surprising I’ve always heard great experiences with smaller businesses who really show up right and

**** – (): 36:18

**** – (): then you know sometimes it’s even when you’re working with like Mammoth businesses that it’s like a 60-day payout and all of these things and yes

**** – (): 36:24

**** – (): when artists or Freelancers even when artists are having to spend time

**** – (): 36:30

**** – (): tracking down where the money is then they’re not getting to put that time

**** – (): 36:37

**** – (): energy creativity towards their work so it’s simple things like that that

**** – (): 36:43

**** – (): we’re trying to remove obstacles for them we want to make sure that we have a

**** – (): 36:48

**** – (): client a consistent client base for them um and part of that is me going on

**** – (): 36:55

**** – (): Instagram or whatever and yeah talking about the work

**** – (): 37:01

**** – (): and I think that video shows art so well so much better than a photo does because

**** – (): 37:07

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 37:13

**** – (): of view the artwork like you would if you were there in person with it uh but beyond that I can speak to what

**** – (): 37:21

**** – (): the artist was not always but what the artist was thinking what their what their mediums were

**** – (): 37:28

**** – (): um what their technique was about all of the things that go into the artwork that you don’t automatically know just by

**** – (): 37:34

**** – (): looking at a photo and that helps build their client base too because when they see how excited

**** – (): 37:40

**** – (): and passionate I am about it passion yes and and it transfers and so I think

**** – (): 37:49

**** – (): we have so many clients that say I have never been this excited about artwork

**** – (): 37:55

**** – (): and I’d love to hear that because I’m excited about artwork you know and yeah

**** – (): 38:00

**** – (): and that means that I’m doing my job of really expressing how I feel about it

**** – (): 38:07

**** – (): yeah and also I think like uh realness of a business and

**** – (): 38:13

**** – (): um it’s not just the energy because when you’re also packing an artwork it’s like it’s you also build up that in

**** – (): 38:18

**** – (): excitement and when you see someone equally excited receiving that and because it’s also a lot of handmade like

**** – (): 38:24

**** – (): the whole experience it’s not like a run of the mill and like you know everything is automated and it’s happening on a on

**** – (): 38:30

**** – (): its own and it’s like an Amazon parcel that gets delivered in European like it’s a lot of personalized experience

**** – (): 38:37

**** – (): and when you deliver that energy and when you receive the same energy pack I think like this whole purpose of like

**** – (): 38:43

**** – (): why you’re doing what you’re doing it really comes together thank you thank you I I I feel

**** – (): 38:50

**** – (): I 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

**** – (): 38:57

**** – (): as people keep wanting to work with us both clients and artists I I just I’ll

**** – (): 39:04

**** – (): keep going we are beautiful you we’re all enjoying our

**** – (): 39:09

**** – (): tips like a lot more a lot more France tips and you visiting different Studios

**** – (): 39:15

**** – (): and shows and like awesome yeah we yeah

**** – (): 39:23

**** – (): yeah so we just got back from France uh about six seven months ago we put the

**** – (): 39:29

**** – (): opportunity on our website to be able to buy a spot on this trip to France we

**** – (): 39:36

**** – (): have an incredible artist named Jesse Raleigh you may know her from her work

**** – (): 39:42

**** – (): um she has a company called edavi yes named for her grandmothers uh people

**** – (): 39:47

**** – (): always think her name’s Etta it’s Jessie so we represent the basically the Fine

**** – (): 39:54

**** – (): Art portion of her business and and she sells on her own as well but

**** – (): 39:59

**** – (): we are the only gallery that represents her in the United States she is uh American that she met um her husband

**** – (): 40:06

**** – (): who’s a French pastry chef as one does um and she moved to Strasbourg France

**** – (): 40:14

**** – (): which is on the border of France and Germany and years ago and so we’ve been working

**** – (): 40:20

**** – (): with her and have become great friends with her but had never been with her in

**** – (): 40:25

**** – (): person and we thought well we need to come to you but also what if we bought a bunch of people because Jesse is such a

**** – (): 40:30

**** – (): bright light her personality is so wonderful her energy is so good and people really respond to her so

**** – (): 40:36

**** – (): anyway long story short the trip sold out in 24 hours and that was like six

**** – (): 40:43

**** – (): months ago and then we just got back and it was we kind of branded it as a creative Retreat it was for people who

**** – (): 40:51

**** – (): were artists or not artists but really wanted to like kind of bring some creativity back into their life and we

**** – (): 40:58

**** – (): painted with Jesse a few times we got sketchbooks and sketched while we were

**** – (): 41:04

**** – (): on a river cruise that was really great oh my God this is like a dream it was amazing we we went uh and did a

**** – (): 41:13

**** – (): West African dance class that Jesse does every week but we got a private lesson

**** – (): 41:18

**** – (): and I think even um what was really special about that is that when you move your body differently

**** – (): 41:25

**** – (): you think differently I I’ve always found this correlation and so it was so special to

**** – (): 41:34

**** – (): um really learn Claudine was the dance teacher name and she really went into

**** – (): 41:40

**** – (): these the West African culture and their traditions and why they dance this way

**** – (): 41:45

**** – (): and the stories that they were telling and it was phenomenal

**** – (): 41:50

**** – (): um so really we wanted to come up with we just wanted to have all of these different experiences that made us think

**** – (): 41:56

**** – (): a little bit differently that made us learn something new and I think seeing a new place for me

**** – (): 42:03

**** – (): does that too is just like so inspirational so all of that to say we’re I think

**** – (): 42:08

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 42:15

**** – (): like I’m doing this I just got back I’m still jet-lagged

**** – (): 42:20

**** – (): but yeah it was like a brilliant it’s a brilliant

**** – (): 42:25

**** – (): idea and I think what’s even more exciting is like you don’t only experience a new space

**** – (): 42:31

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 42:37

**** – (): like how creatives experience and build their lives is very different from like a lot

**** – (): 42:43

**** – (): of nine regular people 95 like you know um like

**** – (): 42:48

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 42:53

**** – (): you know you experience someone’s culture to a creative like

**** – (): 43:00

**** – (): you know it’s it’s super exciting I think this is like a brilliant brilliant idea you got to bring people to India I

**** – (): 43:06

**** – (): think that’s amazing when are you coming I’m more than happy to host yes but I’m like okay let me get

**** – (): 43:13

**** – (): over my jet lag and then I’m coming um yeah yeah really

**** – (): 43:19

**** – (): um you know it’s cool because we have been thinking about at the gallery just as a creative person I’m

**** – (): 43:25

**** – (): constantly like okay I love what I’m doing but also like what’s next what what can we do what can we build yeah

**** – (): 43:30

**** – (): and one of those things it is yeah it’s just about it’s like

**** – (): 43:37

**** – (): being a creative person but I think the the thing that like comes back to me is

**** – (): 43:42

**** – (): the why of it all and it’s about getting people to experience and love art and

**** – (): 43:48

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 43:55

**** – (): we can do that through a trip and get them to experience something in a new way or you know maybe we do that where

**** – (): 44:02

**** – (): we just started a podcast so we’re talking about masterpieces so there’s there’s a lot of things that I think

**** – (): 44:08

**** – (): that we can do that go back to that why but when you lose the why that’s when

**** – (): 44:13

**** – (): you’re like doing too many things and juggling too many balls but it feels even though we’re doing a lot of things

**** – (): 44:20

**** – (): it feels really centered because we keep thinking like how does this come back to our mission our cool yeah

**** – (): 44:27

**** – (): I I really like that because you know to be honest like a lot of times how I experience things

**** – (): 44:34

**** – (): and like we see a gallery or like a business is like uh how you want to sell

**** – (): 44:40

**** – (): like how people sell out but like you know you can do it just

**** – (): 44:46

**** – (): more than that it’s just not about selling art it’s like no it’s the experience the community the

**** – (): 44:52

**** – (): relationships um the conversations like all of it that you want to build

**** – (): 44:59

**** – (): like it’s not just one like selling an art or opening a gallery is one part like for me even with us too hard like

**** – (): 45:05

**** – (): my practice like being a Creator is a top of the funnel for me with that I want to create art but I also want to

**** – (): 45:11

**** – (): have these conversations I also want to build something that helps other artists I also want to like travel and meet all

**** – (): 45:17

**** – (): these people like yeah it’s this whole holistic like we have one life one creativity like one creative life that

**** – (): 45:24

**** – (): we can build and then you give it at olm what works what’s it and what doesn’t you you always have a chance to scrap it

**** – (): 45:31

**** – (): out yeah absolutely I yes I I totally I totally agree with you I there’s there’s

**** – (): 45:38

**** – (): so much I I want to do and the gallery is just kind of the beginning of that

**** – (): 45:44

**** – (): but also I know that people walk in on a

**** – (): 45:50

**** – (): Saturday and they walk around and they don’t buy anything but that’s our first experience together right and they’re

**** – (): 45:56

**** – (): still getting to experience artwork and then I have people come back six months later and say I came into your gallery

**** – (): 46:03

**** – (): once I didn’t buy anything then it’s just you know it’s like it’s a it’s the beginning of a royal relationship and so

**** – (): 46:09

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 46:17

**** – (): so it’s it may not be an immediate purchase right but like the work that you’re doing matters and people are

**** – (): 46:25

**** – (): watching and you may be more in their future plans than you realize but you

**** – (): 46:32

**** – (): have to start start yeah yes I love that I am like it’s it’s been

**** – (): 46:39

**** – (): 45 minutes and I loved every bit of a conversation like oh I’m sorry this was

**** – (): 46:44

**** – (): lovely to talk same here okay I really appreciate it one last question one last question

**** – (): 46:52

**** – (): tell me something about you making uh the idea of I you know

**** – (): 46:58

**** – (): something that you really do even on your website you’ve been speaking about it like art for all art for everybody I

**** – (): 47:06

**** – (): know we say this a lot it’s a word thrown around everywhere but truly how

**** – (): 47:12

**** – (): um art on budget like you know I I experienced art very differently I grew up in a small town

**** – (): 47:18

**** – (): um a town which never had a gallery and honestly in India the Calgary culture is very aristocratic and on the top of the

**** – (): 47:24

**** – (): funnel where only the major cities happen we don’t have a lot of museums like culture we do have amazing museums

**** – (): 47:31

**** – (): but the culture of experiencing art is very different I experience a lot of graph and that is why my own work as an

**** – (): 47:37

**** – (): artist is hugely impacted by my own culture and you know textiles and

**** – (): 47:43

**** – (): um you know so I experienced art as a major like craftly like that was my

**** – (): 47:49

**** – (): experience um and I always felt like art was never accessible it is and even today like art

**** – (): 47:57

**** – (): is someone who only like people who have a certain kind of background money like it’s this notion because that’s how it’s

**** – (): 48:05

**** – (): been in a system how are you I know you patronize this you’ve been working around this what are your tips on anyone

**** – (): 48:13

**** – (): I know a lot of my like I have started collecting art whatever small big whatever time and you know your budget

**** – (): 48:19

**** – (): uh does because I never knew that was possible but now I do actually

**** – (): 48:24

**** – (): um a lot of artists love to collect art a lot of people who are our patrons but they want to start small

**** – (): 48:30

**** – (): how do people without feeling overwhelmed without feeling like am I

**** – (): 48:36

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 48:43

**** – (): is your advice I know you have a lot of great advices well you know something that we do at

**** – (): 48:50

**** – (): our Gallery is that we we get artists that create large works really large and

**** – (): 48:57

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 49:04

**** – (): 12. um because I want people to have that like entry point and I don’t want there to be

**** – (): 49:11

**** – (): any barriers to entry for them so I think one is that if you can find a

**** – (): 49:18

**** – (): gallery whether it’s us or another gallery that you trust because there’s a many that are great out there

**** – (): 49:24

**** – (): um sometimes going back to a gallery and being like what do you have does this artist make anything smaller even asking

**** – (): 49:32

**** – (): that sort of question um falling in love with an artist and seeing if they do smaller works is a

**** – (): 49:39

**** – (): really great way because then you can start to Patron them as as your budget grows you can start to buy larger works

**** – (): 49:44

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 49:52

**** – (): then you know you can create this incredible Gallery wall over time whether it’s over yourself or what

**** – (): 49:58

**** – (): um but you know smaller Works bring together works that you build and put together over time that like create that

**** – (): 50:05

**** – (): large wall and that large look that you may be looking for right um I also think it’s worth asking and

**** – (): 50:12

**** – (): talking to galleries if they do payment plans sometimes it’s just about asking the

**** – (): 50:18

**** – (): question because we work with a company called Art money and it puts uh an

**** – (): 50:25

**** – (): artwork over a thousand dollars into 10 payments interest free and so it’s just

**** – (): 50:31

**** – (): stuff like that that we’re trying to again take down those barriers to entry making sure that people can find artwork

**** – (): 50:38

**** – (): at a variety of price points we’ve got artwork in the gallery that starts at 150 but then goes up to fifteen thousand

**** – (): 50:45

**** – (): dollars so it’s it’s all it’s all there um it’s just about finding a piece that

**** – (): 50:51

**** – (): you truly love and and going to the right spot and then when you’re getting collected it’s about I think looking at

**** – (): 50:57

**** – (): as much art as possible um yeah you know going to galleries you don’t have to buy anything galleries

**** – (): 51:04

**** – (): don’t expect every single person to walk that walks in to buy something so feel comfortable hold your head up high and

**** – (): 51:11

**** – (): just go to look at the artwork um go to museums go to look at the

**** – (): 51:16

**** – (): artwork try and and then beyond looking at the artwork it’s all about like being able

**** – (): 51:22

**** – (): to articulate what you like about a piece so you may not have that

**** – (): 51:27

**** – (): vocabulary in the beginning no one’s expecting you to be a curator or you

**** – (): 51:33

**** – (): know whatever it is but it could be as simple as I love that shade of blue

**** – (): 51:38

**** – (): because it reminds me of the ocean whatever it is like it doesn’t have to be

**** – (): 51:44

**** – (): you know you don’t have to erudite right yes yes

**** – (): 51:51

**** – (): you don’t have to feel that pressure it can be truly something that um is what it’s whatever you connect

**** – (): 51:58

**** – (): with that’s what’s important here and and if you truly love a piece then

**** – (): 52:05

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 52:12

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 52:18

**** – (): telling you that’s what you should want yeah you gotta get everybody else’s voices out of your head and look for the

**** – (): 52:24

**** – (): piece of artwork that you truly connect with on whatever level for whatever reason if that work makes you smile if

**** – (): 52:32

**** – (): it brings back a really wonderful memory if it feels like something you want to spend time with that’s the other thing

**** – (): 52:38

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 52:44

**** – (): couch next to on and watch the TV or whatever you know it’s like what and then is it a piece that feels like it’s

**** – (): 52:50

**** – (): going to reveal itself to you over time that you’re going to notice new things

**** – (): 52:55

**** – (): all of those questions are questions that I ask myself when I’m buying artwork and

**** – (): 53:01

**** – (): um I I’m not asking myself do I think this is going to appreciate in value

**** – (): 53:07

**** – (): is this the right type of artist to buy is this something is this an artist or a

**** – (): 53:13

**** – (): piece that my friends are going to think I’m cooler for none of that matters to me

**** – (): 53:19

**** – (): yes yes it’s just so it’s just so personal so if you ask yourself those

**** – (): 53:24

**** – (): questions and look at a lot of artwork and figure out what you’re responding to what you are responding to then you’ll

**** – (): 53:32

**** – (): be able to find a piece that you love I love that I love that you know I think

**** – (): 53:37

**** – (): this is something a lot of us have experienced especially during covet I remember I gave my partner a painting

**** – (): 53:44

**** – (): um just resonating with his story because he loves like being on like a train station and I had this painting

**** – (): 53:50

**** – (): that he spends and he has no connect with the art World creative world and this was the first painting he ever

**** – (): 53:56

**** – (): owned and I I gifted him but today when I see him it’s right on top of his like

**** – (): 54:01

**** – (): in front of his computer and he’s like I’m like it and because of it was covered it it wasn’t well framed and I

**** – (): 54:08

**** – (): was like let me just switch the frame and he’s like no I see it every day I can’t even tell you how much like it’s

**** – (): 54:15

**** – (): 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 yeah that

**** – (): 54:23

**** – (): is so true yeah that’s the connection you’re hoping for right when you create a piece that somebody connects with it

**** – (): 54:30

**** – (): that deeply um I have this kind of like woo-woo thought that every artwork is created

**** – (): 54:36

**** – (): for someone and it’s my job to get that piece in front of the right

**** – (): 54:43

**** – (): person there are times where an artwork hasn’t sold for maybe six

**** – (): 54:49

**** – (): months seven months whatever it is and I think it’s not that this piece is not

**** – (): 54:55

**** – (): worthy or bad or any of those things it’s just that the right person hasn’t seen it and then someone walks through

**** – (): 55:00

**** – (): the door and they find the piece that no one else purchased right but it was so

**** – (): 55:06

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 55:11

**** – (): really perfect moment every time somebody finds a piece of artwork that they love

**** – (): 55:17

**** – (): and it’s not their designs thank you [Music]

**** – (): 55:24

**** – (): it’s like them connecting with it and that artwork was meant for them and the artist probably didn’t have them

**** – (): 55:31

**** – (): in mind or didn’t realize they were making it for them but it was meant to be with them so that’s my job is finding

**** – (): 55:36

**** – (): the people that want the exact right piece of artwork this is

**** – (): 55:43

**** – (): I love I love love what you just said oh my God thank you I have had a fantastic

**** – (): 55:48

**** – (): I think this was not your favorite conversations I think it was just amazing amazing it was really lovely

**** – (): 55:55

**** – (): thank you for asking such nice questions too I appreciate it no I I really appreciate you ask like you um answering

**** – (): 56:02

**** – (): them so honestly but I have One Last Thing Before I Let You Go oh yeah which is the rapid fire okay oh yeah okay let’s do it are you

**** – (): 56:09

**** – (): ready yeah maybe so no right okay no right no wrong just give me what

**** – (): 56:15

**** – (): comes to you okay okay one thing you want to convey through your work in the Arts

**** – (): 56:22

**** – (): oh man um one thing that I want to do while I’m working in the Arts is

**** – (): 56:29

**** – (): um make people feel welcome I think that’s the that’s that’s it like I just want to make him feel welcome

**** – (): 56:35

**** – (): you’re doing a great job with that thank you what’s that one word that describes you

**** – (): 56:41

**** – (): the best uh

**** – (): 56:48

**** – (): definitely I can see that if you could have a studio or a gallery anywhere in

**** – (): 56:53

**** – (): the world where would it be [Music]

**** – (): 56:58

**** – (): this is gonna be lame if I say Des Moines no absolutely not I guess I felt I felt

**** – (): 57:05

**** – (): that coming I know I I love traveling so much but gosh coming home is good oh wow

**** – (): 57:12

**** – (): I love it your biggest source of inspiration

**** – (): 57:20

**** – (): um I poof probably just going back to my family I

**** – (): 57:26

**** – (): mean I think my work why is getting people to love artwork but my why is my

**** – (): 57:31

**** – (): family and um so I think you know I feel like such

**** – (): 57:37

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 57:45

**** – (): good [Music] that’s that’s amazing

**** – (): 57:52

**** – (): thank you who’s your favorite woman artist anybody oh my gosh I have so many oh

**** – (): 57:59

**** – (): I’ve got so so so many um oh gosh that is so hard

**** – (): 58:06

**** – (): um you know I I really do love you yoy kasama I I think she yeah I mean I mean

**** – (): 58:13

**** – (): she’s just like the end-all be-all for me I love her work I love her ideas as an artist I

**** – (): 58:22

**** – (): love her experiences that she creates it’s like she’s got artwork but then she’s got these experiences that you walk into yes it’s really hard for me to

**** – (): 58:30

**** – (): say I mean we represent so many incredible women artists and I know them personally like that’s really hard so

**** – (): 58:35

**** – (): I’m just gonna go with one that I don’t know

**** – (): 58:44

**** – (): who is your gorgeous person when you’re in trouble or in need of advice

**** – (): 58:50

**** – (): oh my parents they’re the best um and they live they live three blocks

**** – (): 58:56

**** – (): from me so that’s even exciting yeah it’s great it’s great like they’re they’re

**** – (): 59:02

**** – (): different mom questions and Dad questions but you know depending on whatever the question is it’s one of

**** – (): 59:08

**** – (): them I also love this part of being in a small town like how everything is

**** – (): 59:13

**** – (): approachable how you have people accessible and like it’s warm and beautiful I think it’s just it’s really

**** – (): 59:20

**** – (): great I mean foreign

**** – (): 59:26

**** – (): there’s a little more than a rapid question okay I’m sure there must have been many and I can see that for sure

**** – (): 59:33

**** – (): um can you say well like share one moment that you feel like a special moment of your time in your work in your

**** – (): 59:41

**** – (): life as a creative that you really Savor and keep close to like you feel very

**** – (): 59:46

**** – (): grateful for doing the work that you do something that really made you feel special

**** – (): 59:52

**** – (): anything it could be anything well I think one moment was when we opened the

**** – (): 1:00:00

**** – (): gallery it was 2019 so we’re a little pre-covered and

**** – (): 1:00:07

**** – (): yes it was the the gallery was so full of people hundreds of people were there for the

**** – (): 1:00:14

**** – (): opening and they were spilling out onto the sidewalk because it was a beautiful

**** – (): 1:00:20

**** – (): day in May and it just felt like all of the moments

**** – (): 1:00:27

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 1:00:34

**** – (): reason it was all for this place to open for this place to exist

**** – (): 1:00:41

**** – (): and um the support from the community was incredible too but um it just felt

**** – (): 1:00:47

**** – (): like a real culmination a real a real Turning Point everything starts to make sense yeah

**** – (): 1:00:53

**** – (): exactly it felt it was really special I love that also I was wearing a great outfit so I felt good about that that’s

**** – (): 1:01:01

**** – (): that’s a good thing yes yes coffee shop like these are foreign

**** – (): 1:01:14

**** – (): [Music] yeah yes and like a lot of people say

**** – (): 1:01:20

**** – (): like I I’m a huge like I don’t say I’m a collector I’m a holder like I love collecting small small like yeah I’ll

**** – (): 1:01:27

**** – (): find something and I mean I know I will never use it in my life yeah but I need to have it I need to have it and my

**** – (): 1:01:33

**** – (): purpose you enjoy though yeah yeah yes like it makes me feel it makes me happy

**** – (): 1:01:41

**** – (): it makes my eyes happy yeah it makes my Aesthetics happy and that’s enough yeah

**** – (): 1:01:47

**** – (): yeah that’s awesome okay if you were to meet younger list today what advice would you give up

**** – (): 1:01:54

**** – (): [Music] you know honestly I would probably give

**** – (): 1:01:59

**** – (): her a hug and walk away because I want her to make the mistakes you know I want

**** – (): 1:02:05

**** – (): her to experience life I I ended up in the right spot you know

**** – (): 1:02:12

**** – (): and I had guidance of course from wonderful friends and mentors and family

**** – (): 1:02:18

**** – (): and all of that but I would do it all over again so

**** – (): 1:02:24

**** – (): you know I I think every past lives is could use a hug and just being like it’s

**** – (): 1:02:31

**** – (): okay sweetie but other than that like I just wanted I

**** – (): 1:02:36

**** – (): would do it all over oh wow you know but you even if it feels like you’re not saying

**** – (): 1:02:43

**** – (): anything I feel like that Hawk says yeah yeah it does I think it would yeah and I

**** – (): 1:02:48

**** – (): think and I think a lot of times uh Even in our hard times we are we always don’t

**** – (): 1:02:54

**** – (): look for advice or like you know what’s right and like what’s you sometimes all

**** – (): 1:02:59

**** – (): you need is a is a warm hug from someone and yeah so reminding you like you know you’ll figure this out yeah exactly

**** – (): 1:03:06

**** – (): right you can trust yourself you can trust your gut all I think I think that’s an important

**** – (): 1:03:12

**** – (): reminder you know um and and then again you know I met somebody recently I she was talking

**** – (): 1:03:18

**** – (): about the businesses that she had and I said oh and then you did also XYZ I remember you doing that and she said

**** – (): 1:03:24

**** – (): oh I don’t count the failures and I was like oh girl yes it’s all a

**** – (): 1:03:30

**** – (): part of it it’s all part of it and you know I mean I know there’s all those

**** – (): 1:03:35

**** – (): like cliches it’s like if you learn from it it wasn’t a failure and all of that but you know sometimes things are just

**** – (): 1:03:42

**** – (): failures and that’s okay that’s part of it too so I don’t know count the failures yes

**** – (): 1:03:49

**** – (): 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 that you

**** – (): 1:03:56

**** – (): probably will never know what you really want and what you can actually get right so it’s that’s right

**** – (): 1:04:02

**** – (): it’s okay yeah exactly right it’s all okay it’s the point of it

**** – (): 1:04:10

**** – (): shout out to an artist especially with an artist who you are currently enjoying

**** – (): 1:04:15

**** – (): on social media I love this question oh goodness

**** – (): 1:04:20

**** – (): um [Music] that’s interesting um Allison James is a a really wonderful

**** – (): 1:04:27

**** – (): artist out of Georgia but beyond that she talks so much about like her

**** – (): 1:04:32

**** – (): inspiration and working through a piece or when there’s like a sticky point and like how she worked through it and she

**** – (): 1:04:40

**** – (): talks about like her process and I think that’s a fascinating thing to hear about and I think also wildly helpful for

**** – (): 1:04:46

**** – (): other artists okay I am going to check her out and I’m also going to leave in

**** – (): 1:04:52

**** – (): the show notes oh good yeah great she’s awesome last question as a woman creative

**** – (): 1:04:58

**** – (): entrepreneur as a woman entrepreneur creative entrepreneur what’s that one piece of advice that you would like to give to people who would you know you’re

**** – (): 1:05:04

**** – (): listening to this episode or just following your lead being you is a strength

**** – (): 1:05:12

**** – (): so don’t try to be something else or you

**** – (): 1:05:18

**** – (): know look at what other artists or other galleries or other entrepreneurs are doing like the things that make you you

**** – (): 1:05:25

**** – (): are your strength so lean into them and share them with the world

**** – (): 1:05:32

**** – (): and you’ll find your people yeah that’s I love that you know that’s that’s the thing the times that I have

**** – (): 1:05:39

**** – (): swayed from my myself or strayed

**** – (): 1:05:44

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 1:05:52

**** – (): passionate about the people find you they they come and they they connect with you on a very

**** – (): 1:05:59

**** – (): real level that’s incredibly important so you know you you are the strength

**** – (): 1:06:04

**** – (): your your personality your characteristics are the strength lean into that

**** – (): 1:06:10

**** – (): I love that how natural it is to be ourselves yet how difficult it is to be ourselves I know isn’t it yeah being a

**** – (): 1:06:18

**** – (): human is weird messed up yeah

**** – (): 1:06:25

**** – (): but that’s the journey I think that’s the journey that we all like that’s the creative process like you’re

**** – (): 1:06:31

**** – (): you’re creating like you know don’t feel alone because we’re all going through it just in our own

**** – (): 1:06:38

**** – (): ways yeah well anyway thank you so much

**** – (): 1:06:43

**** – (): thank you I could talk to you for hours honestly I had such a blast thank you me

**** – (): 1:06:48

**** – (): too thank you okay for anyone who’s listening to this episode uh where can

**** – (): 1:06:54

**** – (): they find you you know shop um any upcoming projects that you have

**** – (): 1:07:00

**** – (): that you would like to share anything that you want feel free sure thank you um so you can find us on our website

**** – (): 1:07:06

**** – (): lizlajit.com and then I have a personal Instagram where I talk about art and

**** – (): 1:07:12

**** – (): creativity at Liz legit and then the gallery is atlas legit Gallery

**** – (): 1:07:18

**** – (): um they we they also do awesome different content so if you’re all about the Arts and then also we have a podcast

**** – (): 1:07:26

**** – (): that just started recently called 10 minute masterpieces where we spend 10 minutes on the most famous works of art

**** – (): 1:07:32

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 1:07:39

**** – (): picture starry night but what do you really know about it so um yeah that’s what we’re doing right now

**** – (): 1:07:46

**** – (): so come visit us at the gallery or online or on Instagram and we’ll talk about tomorrow

**** – (): 1:07:52

**** – (): yes and I’m I can pause for that that it’s going to be really really fun and

**** – (): 1:07:58

**** – (): learn like you learn a lot but you’ll also have a lot of fun along that yeah so I will I will link all these

**** – (): 1:08:06

**** – (): links Liz has mentioned um images and a few of our videos I think that I really like and you’ll find

**** – (): 1:08:13

**** – (): them all in the show notes and you can find and like support I think that’s more than

**** – (): 1:08:19

**** – (): 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

**** – (): 1:08:25

**** – (): honesty and for for your time I really appreciate this oh gosh thank you I

**** – (): 1:08:30

**** – (): appreciate the opportunity thank you I’ll see you soon bye

**** – (): 1:08:37

**** – (): thank you so much for listening to this episode you can find all the details and links mentioned in the show notes of

**** – (): 1:08:43

**** – (): this episode available on www.ast2hatchproject.com and if you like this episode please don’t forget to tag

**** – (): 1:08:50

**** – (): us in your stories and leave us a review here on iTunes or any of your favorite platforms it really helps us to keep the

**** – (): 1:08:57

**** – (): show going thank you so much I’m sending you lots of love and I can’t wait to be back here soon again bye

About The Guest(s): Liz Lidgett is a gallery owner in Des Moines, Iowa. She started her own business as an art advisor before opening her gallery three years ago. Liz is passionate about making art accessible to everyone and creating a welcoming space for artists and art lovers alike.

Summary: Liz Lidgett, gallery owner and art advisor, shares her journey of starting her own gallery in Des Moines, Iowa. She emphasizes the importance of making art accessible to all and creating a welcoming space for artists and art lovers. Liz also discusses the changing landscape of the art world, the power of kindness in business, and the value of building relationships with artists and clients. She shares insights on collecting art on a budget and offers advice for aspiring artists and entrepreneurs.

Key Takeaways:

• Art can happen anywhere, and success in the art world is not limited to major cities like New York or Los Angeles.
• Building relationships and treating artists and clients with kindness and respect is essential for a successful gallery.
• Collecting art on a budget is possible by exploring smaller works, asking galleries about payment plans, and looking for artists who create smaller pieces.
• Trusting your own instincts and being true to yourself is a strength in the creative and entrepreneurial world.

Quotes:

• “Being kind and working hard is the major tenet of having a successful business.” – Liz Lidgett
• “Art is what separates us from animals, it tells our stories and expresses ourselves.” – Liz Lidgett
• “Every artwork is created for someone, and it’s my job to get that piece in front of the right person.” – Liz Lidgett

Key Takeaways:

• Art can happen anywhere, and success in the art world is not limited to major cities like New York or Los Angeles.
• Building relationships and treating artists and clients with kindness and respect is essential for a successful gallery.
• Collecting art on a budget is possible by exploring smaller works, asking galleries about payment plans, and looking for artists who create smaller pieces.
• Trusting your own instincts and being true to yourself is a strength in the creative and entrepreneurial world.

Quotes:

• “Being kind and working hard is the major tenet of having a successful business.” – Liz Lidgett
• “Art is what separates us from animals, it tells our stories and expresses ourselves.” – Liz Lidgett
• “Every artwork is created for someone, and it’s my job to get that piece in front of the right person.” – Liz Lidgett

Charuka Arora is the founder of the Arts to Hearts Project and Host of the Arts to Hearts Podcast. She is also an acclaimed Indian artist known for her contemporary embellished paintings. Her unique blend of gouache, collage, embroidery, painting, and drawing explores the intersection of art, culture, heritage, and womanhood. Through her work, she tells stories of female strength and encapsulates them in pieces that can be treasured for generations.

Charuka’s work draws inspiration from Hindu mythology, recognizing women as vessels of Shakti, the cosmic energy. She beautifully portrays powerful goddesses like Durga Maa riding a tiger or lion, symbolizing their unlimited power to protect virtue and combat evil.

Through her art, Charuka invites us into the world of women, showcasing their beauty, strength, and resilience. Her creations not only exhibit exceptional talent but also serve as an inspiration and a symbol of hope for those challenging societal norms.

Arts to Hearts Podcast is a show delving into the lives and passions of renowned artists. From running creative businesses and studio art practices to cultivating a successful mindset, Charuka Arora engages in heartfelt conversations with her guests. Experience your personal happy hour with your favorite artists, right in your studio.

Through candid discussions, Charuka and her guests reveal the joys and challenges of a vibrant creative life, both within and beyond our studios. Get ready to be inspired and uplifted as you tune in.

Liz Lidgett

Liz Lidgett’s passion for art allowed her to see that competent art consulting for private companies and corporations was a need that wasn’t being filled. With that in mind, she began her art consultation business, Adore Your Walls, in 2013.

Since then, her business has grown. She recognized once again that online and national consulting – the type that exists for furniture and interior design – was completely absent in the art world and has expanded her services, including a gallery space.

With her developed expertise, Adore Your Walls has evolved into her new brand: Liz Lidgett Gallery + Design. Within the rebrand, Liz continues to consult, partner with artists, and regularly contribute to design publications across the country.