Paging Amy Stock and Co.
Artist mentioned above in the following order, from L to R: Katrina Rocha Absinthe. Lajon Miller: Charlie Chaplin. Katrina Rocha: Regent Bar
It's October in Long Beach, California. What's special about October in Long Beach? The Arts. Routinely, October is a celebration of the arts in Long Beach, California. There are photography contests, loud music pulsating every other Saturday from art venues being open, to LB Artwalk. Consequently, the art scene in Long Beach is emerging as quickly as the city. Local artists are taking over public spaces, retail slots and sidewalks to breathe a fresh vibrancy into the landscape of Long Beach. But, who has been at the forefront of capturing these artists? Amy Stock, Owner of Kennedy Grace Gallery.
Her eye and attention to detail has continued to make her a force to reckon with in the local arts communities. Nousprint was fortunate enough to snag a few minutes with Amy. The year 2020 is shaping up to be a whirlwind of a year for everyone. It was great to reconnect and pause with Amy and discuss Kennedy Grace Gallery, of course COVID, but also the future. Dive in and see how Nousprint and Amy Stock went back a few years to come forward to the present.
N: Good evening Amy, I know trying to schedule a time for us, has been increasingly
difficult, so I first wanted to say thank you. I’m excited that two Long Beach locals are
coming together to shed a spotlight on two aspects of our community, small business
and the arts. For me the arts, are a key aspect of every functioning city. I digress. How
are you these days?
A: As good as can be in these unprecedented times. I always love a good challenge, so
2020 has definitely kept me on my toes!
N: Good. These days, there’s been a lot of creative waves that have come and gone.
How are you tapping into the energy here in Long Beach?
A: Living and working in the East Village Arts District makes it pretty easy. Everywhere
you turn there are beautiful architectural buildings and murals. On top of that, there are
so many creative people living and working in the neighborhood whether that be an
artist, photographer, designer, musician, or performer. I’ve found that with my
personality, I really enjoy working as a team; yet, I also strive to be an entrepreneur. So
with these two traits, I’ve found that collaboration works really well for me. So being
surrounded by creative people and objects really helps keep my creative juices flowing
and playing off those around me.
N: Hmph, interesting. I know here at Nousprint, we really took a step back in production
to focus on what artists are saying. Which leads me to Kennedy Grace Gallery. How
did you begin your journey with Kennedy Grace Gallery?
A: In the late 2000’s I was managing an art gallery in Orange County. After the economy
crashed, I lost my job. When this happened, I knew that I wanted to start my own
business, but I needed a break from the art industry. That’s when I started my own
creative brand, Petals Wild. I loved what I did, but was realizing that it was a great side
hustle and wasn’t going to bring me in enough money to make a living out of it. So a few
years later, I was challenged with the question, “If I could do anything, what would it
be?” I missed so many aspects of the gallery: looking and talking about art every day,
working with artists, plus, the variety of activities that come with running a gallery which
meant not sitting at a desk all day. So I started to dive in to better understand the art
scene in Long Beach where I’d been living this whole time. I knew there were quite a
few artists in the city, but I wasn’t seeing the type of art I was drawn to displayed
anywhere. I learned that Long Beach has the highest percentage of artists per capita,
west of the Mississippi. So why wasn’t I seeing art I was drawn to? I learned that there
wasn’t a wide variety of gallerists and curators in the city. This is when I realized I
needed to start my own gallery. So we could see a broader selection of art in our city.
N: Stellar! There was a gallery in District Wine that is beyond phenomenal. So, with the
different galleries always rotating, how has this helped you stay true to yourself?
Secondly, your brand?
A: Thank you! Having multiple types of spaces with their own individual looks and
atmospheres, has definitely added an additional layer to what I do. Not only am I
selecting art that I like, I also have to consider how the art will look and fit in the space
as well as make sure the owner of that business also likes the art in their space. So
because of these factors, there’s a lot more thought that goes into selecting art than if I
had my own white walled gallery.
N: Nousprint, leans in heavily on being authentic, and I believe that’s why it takes so
long to post things. Sometimes, we do a quick shoot, want it up, but it’s not brand
ready, which can be frustrating. However, when choosing an artist, what do you look
for?
A: The first thing that draws me to an artist is obviously their artwork. I tend be initially
drawn to color and the quality of how the finished product looks. From there, the next
layer I look at is, is the artist consistent? What I mean by this is, does the artist have
more art in their collection that is in a similar style and/or color palate to the initial piece
of artwork that I was drawn to? I’m looking for an artist that has figured out their style.
Lastly, I look at the artist’s personality. Is the artist easy to work with? Are they going to
be open to ideas, suggestions and opportunities?
N: I will say in reviewing your artist, there is a wide range of perspectives. Some artist
seems to be very clinical, while others are expressive. Your diversity in range is
astounding. Do you find it hard to keep new talent coming to Kennedy Grace Gallery?
A: Not at all, there are so many talented artists here in Long Beach! My problem is the
opposite, trying to narrow down the artists I work with who have art that not only I like,
but also fits in the spaces I curate. There are plenty of artists in this city that I wish their
artwork would work in the spaces I work with, but because they don’t, I haven’t had the
chance to work with them yet.
N: With that in mind, what is your advice for new artist that are looking to be featured?
A: First of all, make sure you have a nice selection of artwork, a minimum of 6 pieces
that all would work well together as a collection. As I usually like to pick and choose the
art I showcase from an artist’s collection, the more you have, the better. Also, having an
online presence either on Instagram or a website is important. This shows me that you
are serious about being an artist and this isn’t just a phase. Lastly, reach out to me. A
lot of the artists I work with, I was already familiar with their work via Instagram, but
taking that extra step to introduce yourself let’s me know you’re serious.
N: Truly insightful. Do you see bigger challenges, or opportunities at the road ahead for
artist and small business owners?
A: Now is definitely a time of change. On an almost weekly basis, I’m checking in with
myself to see what is working and what needs to be changed up. From an art
perspective, I think the art market is going to look completely different moving forward
from COVID. I think there are going to be a lot less traditional gallery spaces to go see
art; the economy just can’t support the industry to make it feasible for the gallery
owners. On the plus side, I think this industry is going to really move towards being
heavily online. There are so many more affordable features that are now accessible to
show artwork online. Plus, this gives all of us more opportunity to reach an international
audience. As for small businesses, most great ones come out of times when there’s a
recession. Currently, there are so many tools out there for small businesses. I’ve been
attending 1 – 2 free webinars a week on ways I can improve my business. And with less
time being spent going to meetings and social events in person, it gives us more time to
work on the core elements of the business.
N: Where do you see Kennedy Grace Gallery in the coming months, and possible
years?
A: As I’m riding the wave of the art market, I know that more expensive art sales are
going to be less frequent and I have started to focus on smaller paintings and prints.
Where before, my average price point was around $300. I’m now looking at bringing in
more price points below $100. Also, pre-COVID, I was very seriously looking into
opening my own brick and mortar gallery. Now that this model is just not feasible, I am
looking into creating this experience as an online version. I’m really excited to continue
to think out of the box and make my ideas a reality.
N: That is awesome. One final question. I feel the year 2020 has been a year of great
change. How do you see the voices of artist growing in the coming near future?
A: You often hear that the best creativity comes from those lowest points in your life.
Between the pandemic and social justice coming into the forefront, I’m seeing some
amazing creativity from artists. Some of my favorite artists that I’m watching right now
are those that usually spend most of their time painting murals all around the world.
With travel being reduced, I’m really loving what these artists are now creating in their
studios, especially on a smaller scale.
Amy, firstly, thank you for your insight and perspective on the arts scene in Long Beach. Secondly, it is always good to sit for a few moments and take a breather, on where we are in these uncertain times. Here at Nousprint, we hope that you continue to thrive and remain safe; as we tackle 2020 in style and through art.
For our readers www.pinterest.com/nousprint you will find featured selected artists from Kennedy Grace Gallery. Vivamus mollis sed arcu at consequat. Fusce ut massa quis diam dignissim ornare at a arcu. In posuere porta massa, eget maximus sem feugiat eu. Nulla facilisi. Pellentesque sit amet semper mi. Praesent ac porttitor nunc, eu rutrum ligula. Praesent tincidunt justo vel laoreet imperdiet. Pellentesque viverra bibendum facilisis. Suspendisse purus ante, volutpat id aliquet tristique, iaculis vitae justo. Nulla posuere orci in ante vehicula accumsan. In sed nulla ipsum. Integer aliquam purus nec elit luctus vulputate.