The new Art Studio & 18th Street Art Gallery talks to Noveltown - By N.L. Belardes

Jenn Williams adds finishing touches to the gallery

February 10th there's an art event in Bakersfield! (And a Soulajar show). But before I get to the art event, here's some quick business with the site...

As you can see, we've made a few changes to Noveltown's Paperback Writer blog. Interviews are now plugging the Noveltown name, and photos are now tagged with Noveltown. It's all part of this blog helping the Noveltown name grow in the community.

With that said, on to my latest interview. This talk is with Jenn Williams of the new Art Studio & 18th Street Art Gallery (Join their myspace crew). Yes, the gallery has been around, but there have been a few changes. Jenn Williams has made a corporate decision in her life and is going for the gusto by committing herself to being part of an exciting new art studio here in Bakersfield.


It's a colorful place to learn art

Here's our conversation:

Noveltown: Looks like you kind of fell into this art gallery position. Is this part of a long-time dream come true, or part of a sudden great opportunity, or...?

Jenn: Well, I actually got involved with the studio a year and a half ago. Then it was managed by Claudia True, and I just rented a space to do my artwork from. I liked to call it an art cubicle. Now Claudia has moved out of state, and since there were still six months left on the lease, I took it over. I've never planned to be a gallery manager, and all of my "training" comes from participating in group shows, and my work at a frame shop. But I have a pretty broad knowledge of art, and artist's needs, and all the retail experience I care to have, so this should be a good adventure. I want this, for the time it exists, to be a positive, arts and artist friendly place. As for long-time dreams, some day, when I grow up, I want to be an illustrator.


A couple of cats temporarily live in the studio

Noveltown: You're working with other folks, including a photography studio. Anyone else? How are you sharing the space? How are you all working together?

Jenn: The layout of the place hasn't changed much. The front part is the gallery, followed by a wide classroom/presentation area, and then the work spaces, or studios. The difference now is that the gallery will have a new show every month, and will include group shows of artists outside of the Art Studio & 18th Street Gallery as well. The wall space in the classroom area is different, now, too. It is divided up into display spaces, or "boutiques", for artists to rent to display their works from. In the back, I've still got my art cubicle, and we have Chris, of Christopher Taylor Portrait Design. Jen Raven, myself, and others will be using the classroom space to teach art lessons, and we have "art gym members" - people who are using the space to work in, almost like an art club. We have a master schedule, so that everyone knows who is where and when, what classes are available, what that month's show is in the gallery, that sort of thing. It looks like we'll even have the Blacklist using us as a home base for performances.


Photo studio fun: Foozball

Noveltown: There's going to be a gallery show coming up. How often are these shows going to take place? Are the prices going to be affordable?


Getting ready for the show...

Jenn: Our first show is the larger-than-life, vibrantly colored works of Jen Bowles. I wanted something very splashy to start off with, so Jen fit that bill perfectly. But we will have a different exhibit every month, alternating group shows with studio shows- that is, shows open to everyone with shows that are for the folks that are actually working out of the Art Studio & 18th Street Gallery. As far as affordable prices goes, that's completely dependent on the artists. I'm not an art manager, just a person lucky enough to have a really awesome spot and an opportunity to contribute to the art community. I encouarge artists to charge appropriately, and encourage potential buyers to consider the time and skill required to make art. Anybody can go buy a poster. If you want something really significant and unique, buy original art. If original pieces are out of your budget, try for prints. There's a lot of wiggle room when it comes to selling or buying art.


Jen Bowles art is larger than life, and colorful!

Noveltown: What do you personally hope to accomplish with the 18th Street Gallery?

Jenn: To give people a starting place. An access point to entering the professional side of art. It isn't an easy thing to jump off into- I know, here I am in my thirties and I'm only just now really getting to put "artist" down as my job description. It's very easy to talk about what you don't like about the art scene, or life in Bakersfield in general, and it's easy to let the day to day things keep you from doing art. It's something else entirely to actually do something about it. This is only very small, but it gives people a chance to get their work out there, to network with other artists, and hopefully have a positive experience with art. And if I can just manage to get that done, pay the bills and still eat at the end, that's perfect.


The neighborhood...


The community...

Noveltown: How would you describe the Bakersfield art scene and how the 18th Street Gallery fits in?

Jenn: Like everything else in Bakersfield, the art scene seems to be spread out, sporadic, and hard to find or get into if you don't know people already into it. But we have an amazing amount of truly great artists and creative people here in town, and I think the Art Studio helps fill the gap between being alone and being a part of the scene.

Noveltown: Thanks for talking to me today. I can't wait to check out the gallery.

Jenn: You are more than welcome! Thank you, Nick! We're happy to have you anytime!

Calculated Spontaneity:
The Art of Jen Bowles
Artist Reception, February 10th 6pm
18th st. Gallery, 835 18th st., 93301
661-323-5088

This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on Friday, February 09, 2007. You can leave your response.