Our Guest Artists: Tristesse Seeliger, Julia Kreutz and Luiza Brenner

Our Host Artist: Carol McQuaid

Our Bar: South Main Gallery

This time, we’re 3 artists and a curator, and our location is one of my favourite Vancouver Galleries, the South Main Gallery on 6th Ave, just off Main Street. At the time of this recording they’re featuring four fabulous collage artists in a show entitled In Situ.  The artists are the incredible Aimee Henny Brown, Jessie McNeill, whose work we have hanging in our own home, and two artists who I’m super excited to get to know; Tristesse Seeliger  and Julia Kreutz.  Tristesse and Julia join us on the mic today, along with gallery manager Luiza Brenner

If you’re hearing this in time, head to the South Main Gallery in real life and catch In Situ while it’s up.  Meanwhile, have a listen while Tristesse, Julia, Luiza and I talk about some pretty real stuff; art, life, the works.  In the end, Julia lays down a punchline that I think gets the loudest laugh in show history.  Big thanks to Julia, Tristesse, Luiza, and to our listeners.  Your feedback is awesome and I love having the chance to share these artists and their stories with you.  Cheers

 In this episode you’ll hear about:

* What drew these four artists together

* Luisa shares what it’s like for a gallery when these kinds of proposals come in. Later in the episode she shares some great do’s and don’ts for approaching galleries in general

* Tristesse’s “Tenenbaum” upbringing. All my fellow Wes Anderson fans out there will love this metaphor as much as I do.

* Julia talks about the Gam Gallery and studios – successfully started by Julia and colleagues fresh out of art school and thriving now 8 years later.  She runs it with Tara Hogue, who’s career is rocking at the moment

* Julia on opening the Gam Gallery: “The biggest step was just saying yes.”

* Combining teaching art in the school system with managing thriving art practices of their own. How cool to have one of these amazing artists as your teacher!

* Tristesse shares a major life event that prompted her decision with husband photographer David Crompton, also represented by South Main Gallery to get busy living their dreams of pursuing their art careers.

* Tristesse “I was doing so much to look good on paper and I wasn’t actually really enjoying it and so I just decided that it was time to start living my life the way I wanted to.”

* Tristesse shares her project taking daily photos over several years as she navigates cancer treatment and recovery, art career and life.

* Julia’s art start “I really saw that being an artist was just a beautiful way to examine the world.” Her combo of tech-focused Red Deer College followed up with finishing her degree at the more conceptual Emily Carr prepared her for working within the art world

* We talk about the community aspects of art and why collaboration is so important

* Luiza “I think that’s something common in all art schools. They don’ teach you how to go into the business side.” She talks about strategies for approaching galleries, how they plan their year of shows, and programs like Summer 7 at SOMA to introduce new artists to their clientele

* We each talk about how we embrace the entrepreneurial side of the art biz

* Tristesse “What I’m learning as I go is it’s really important not to pigeon-hole yourself  It’s a really organic business. “

* Julia sparks a great conversation about teaching students to see colour

* And of course, as per our usual arrangement, there’s a little humour at the end to send you on your way