I grew up in North Little Rock, Arkansas, and attended college at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music and another in Theater. After college, I moved to Washington, D.C. and attended graduate school at The American University. While at AU, I interned in Washington at Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts, the Smithsonian Institution, Arena Stage, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and, in Charleston, South Carolina, the Spoleto Festival.
After graduating from AU with a Master’s Degree in Performing Arts Management, the Governor of my home state ran for President and, as luck would have it, I landed a job at the White House and served as Director of Presidential Student Correspondence for 8 years. For more on that, you’ll have to talk to me in person!
If you don’t believe in fate, listen up…the gallery closed at 5pm, but for some reason the owner stayed open late that night; she has no idea why. I walked in with another person at about 5:45, and we were the only two people in the gallery. As we walked around, I remarked that I’d always wanted to own an art gallery and I wondered what it would take to own one such as ArtSpace. The owner overheard me and said before I did anything to talk to her because she had plans to sell her gallery. We were complete strangers, and she had not told anyone of her plans to sell and didn’t know why she chose to tell me. I went back the next day and talked with her further, and six months later ArtSpace was mine. Some might call it fate; I call it Mom and Dad (by then both deceased) looking out for me. To this day, I keep their picture visible in the gallery, and I wear their wedding rings to remind me of their influence.
Before I owned ArtSpace, I’d never worked in a retail environment in my life. In fact my first day as owner, I had never even used a credit card machine! Needless to say, the past few years have been an enormous learning process for me and everyday presents a new challenge. 99% of the success of ArtSpace is not due to me, but the artists I represent. From day one, they’ve all been extraordinarily supportive and helpful as I’ve learned my way through this extremely competitive business.
As the gallery continues to grow and change, I work hard to keep my priorities in check. My first priority is always the artists I represent. Without them, I’d look pretty silly with blank walls and tables! They are what make the gallery successful, and I’m merely the vehicle that gives them exposure for their work.
The second is my customers. ArtSpace is huge, and I don’t have any employees, but I have lots of customers who come in time and time again, sometimes just to pet my dog, and I want to be sure they’re getting consistency in their visits to my gallery. You definitely won’t find ArtSpace to be an intimidating gallery environment. With no employees, I’m usually hanging from a ladder changing light bulbs, sweeping a floor, or doing a number of administrative things for the gallery in-between customers.
My third priority is the community in which my gallery does business. I’m proud that ArtSpace is part of 2nd Friday Art Night, a time once-a-month when all of the downtown galleries are open late and visited by patrons onboard trolleys. The response has been overwhelming, and it’s great to be a part of something in conjunction with my neighbors. During occasional Art Night events, I donate a portion of the night’s proceeds to a non-profit in the area; it’s a great way to give back to the community that supports my gallery and my artists.
I hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about me, and I welcome your comments or suggestions for the gallery. Please feel free to e-mail to me at artspacegallery@sbcglobal.net. I look forward to hearing from you!
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
501.324.ARTS (2787)
Copyright © 2002-2007 River Market ArtSpace