Written by Alexis Schramel | Photos by Amanda Rose

Drum roll please! Congratulations to Amanda Rose ‘23! Amanda has been selected as the new gallery assistant for Homewood Studios as part of our latest Launch Program. Homewood Studios is located in the Homewood neighborhood of North Minneapolis and run by Beverly and George Roberts. Their dedication to nurturing the community shines through the artists, classes, and neighborhood-focused activities they support.

This Launch Program is a paid opportunity for a gallery assistant to work on installing and de-installing exhibitions. It includes hanging work, installing vinyl lettering, painting/spackling, and mounting wall tags, among other tasks.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Amanda about her experience as the gallery assistant of Homewood Studios. Below is the transcription of my interview with Amanda.

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Alexis:
Congrats on being selected for the Homewood Studios Launch Program! I am wondering if you would be willing to share your experiences with this new opportunity? My first question is, what interested you about this launch program?

Amanda:
Thank you so much for reaching out! I was drawn to this launch program because I wanted to learn more about how art galleries operate and gain more experience with working in a gallery setting. I wanted to meet local artists, make new connections, and become part of a creative community. I was also eager to learn more about the process of pricing and selling work. In the past, I worked as a Gallery Attendant for the Flaten Art Museum at St. Olaf College. I was also Curatorial Assistant for We No Longer Consider Them Damaged, an exhibition curated by Professor Hannah Ryan of St. Olaf College. In addition, I served for two years as Co-Curator of UPRISING, a student-led exhibition. UPRISING is an exhibition focused on Black history, culture, and experiences. The exhibition creates space for marginalized Black voices on campus and fosters community interactions between students, faculty, and staff. These past experiences have strengthened my interest in using gallery spaces to uplift artists from diverse backgrounds and share their perspectives.

Part of Homewood Studios’ mission is to build community and create a gathering place for artists. This strongly aligns with my personal goal of getting more emerging artists and artists from underrepresented backgrounds into gallery spaces. I’m extremely grateful to have the opportunity to support Homewood Studios as their Gallery Assistant.

Alexis: 
It’s great to hear about Homewood Studio’s passion for building community which strongly aligns with your goals! Would you tell me more about how Homewood Studios stands out from other galleries/meeting spaces?

Amanda:
Homewood Studios is not only a gallery, but also a workspace for eight resident artists! The current resident artists are George Roberts, Bill Jeter, Linda Maylish, Mieko Yamazaki, Jack Mader, Kristen Treuting, Julie Landsman, and Laura DuFrane Murphy. I have observed that the studios are a thriving community full of artists with various different styles and practices. Unlike most other galleries, Homewood Studios does not charge commission for artwork sold. Instead, a small rental fee is charged for the use of the gallery space. This is because Homewood Studios recognizes that many emerging artists cannot afford to give up a large percentage of their profit. This practice also allows the artists to offer their work at affordable prices without fear of paying a large commission fee. I really admire the fact that Homewood Studios is supportive of artists at any stage of their career. Furthermore, the artists are provided with an excellent platform to share their work. They even have a small exhibition space called Gallery 1x1xOne that features a piece of art by a young artist for one month, and the display changes each month. I think that this small exhibition space is a great way to show young people that they have the potential to become successful in the art world.

Alexis:
It sounds like this is opportunity is so special for a variety of artists and practices. Could you tell me more about how this opportunity will shape your future?

Amanda: 
This experience will allow me to gain new installation skills, provide me with relevant career experiences, and allow me to form new connections with local artists. In the future, I would like to teach college-level art classes and work as a freelance artist. I believe that the skills I gain at Homewood Studios will serve me well in my future career as an artist and educator.

Alexis: 
Other than what you’ve previously stated, are there other ways this launch program has positively impacted you?

Amanda:
Since becoming Gallery Assistant, I have already learned a variety of new installation skills. George Roberts has taught me some of his tips and tricks for maintaining the gallery, and I continue to learn new things during every shift. I also believe that this program has impacted me by providing me with a larger support base. I feel very comfortable with asking the resident artists questions, and I am eager to learn more about their processes for creating work. I may also get the opportunity to show some of my own work at Homewood Studios one day. I am certain that I will continue learning from George, the resident artists, and visitors throughout my time at Homewood. Overall, I feel very excited to be part of this community!

Alexis:
Lastly, are there any other tips from an artist point of view that you have learned?

Amanda:
This experience has reinforced my belief that artists from diverse backgrounds deserve to be featured in galleries, even if they are not very established in their field. I also believe that all people deserve to have access to art in their communities. I feel deeply inspired by Homewood Studios’ history and the work that George and Beverly Roberts have done to establish the gallery. This makes me feel even more motivated to continue following my dreams and focusing on my art!

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Thank you so much Amanda for sharing your experience! Make sure to stop by Homewood Studios to see their latest exhibition, SPRAYFINGER, a student exhibition of young and emerging graffiti writers! This exhibition is up until December 29, 2021.