Director Colby Smith is a sort of chameleon. He’s as comfortable wearing grubby work clothes and a beat-up cowboy hat as he is wearing a suit and tie. The space he helps direct is also a sort of chameleon that has been camouflaged near downtown, but like a chameleon, red lettering spelling out STUDIOS INC may be the start of stepping into the light.
Studios Inc started in 2004 with the hope to offer mid-career artists residencies of two to five years. After some evaluation, the decision from the board was to offer three-year residencies with current artists able to apply for an additional three-year stay. “We don’t want any artist to move out of here when he or she is on the cusp of major projects, installations or significant exhibitions,” Smith says.
The 51,000-square-foot building at 17th and Campbell has space for 13 artists and gallery space. Smith says at least two artists are rotated out during the annual process. “It’s a joy to see artists who are at the point they can move forward with all this knowledge they gained here. The progress is always so substantial.”
Substantial also describes the process for the artists and the selection committee. “It’s a tough task. We have a couple of our board members, four arts professionals and one artist who is exiting to help with the process.” The process can stretch from August to December. “Once the artists are vetted, they have to create a plan,” Smith says. “We usually have between 40 and 50 applicants which are narrowed down to 20 to 25 and the panel then looks at 6 to 9 finalists. They visit current studios. For me, it’s a great part of the job to invite the selected artists to join us.”
Before the story moves any further, let’s define mid-career. Smith says an artist must be seven years past being in the educational system, actively showing work and seeking out more opportunities. “Our goal is to find the best and brightest who can articulate what they are doing and their needs. There is a great deal of support for emerging artists, but those working artists with a modest career and often families to support are fighting the good fight but need more support. We at Studios Inc try to lift the burdens that are hindering them. We alleviate some of the stresses.”
And here’s one more piece of background information from Smith. “When I was in sixth grade in Emporia, Kansas, I would pass by this hotel and former art professor Rex Hall took me in and showed me the art he did and the grand hall. In my young mind, I thought about how artists could use this space. They could have rooms and then a great area to show their art. It really all started there.”
In 2003, he opened Gallery HQ, an alternative contemporary art space that occupied locations in the West Bottoms and in the Crossroads Gallery District. A year later he teamed with Brad Nicholson to found the Studios Program. “There really was no existing model for us so we developed in an organic way. There is a somewhat clear pathway for an artist. You get degrees and then start looking at ways to build your career. The trajectory can be upward, but then often a plateau. It’s not a sprint, but a long distance race and often not a lot of people will lift you up when you stumble. We realized we could fill that void.”
Recent visitors to Studios Inc have come from China. Smith says a contemporary art specialist was thrilled with the facility as well as with the contemporary artist movement she saw in Kansas City. “We are looking at ways to let people know about the artists working in their own backyards. They are folks who are helping make Kansas City a great place.” The facility has played host to the Alliance of Artists Communities where 60 directors from programs around the United States marveled at Studios Inc. “We have had people tell us ‘you can’t do this’ and we just smile and say we can.”
As an example, working artists are rotated in the gallery space and the community is invited in. On Sept. 13, the second Friday, Diana Heise’s works will be on display. She is a contemporary artist whose works include photography, video, sound and installation. Smith says she runs the artistic gamut. The exhibition is up through most of October. Studios Inc’s gallery is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays when exhibitions are up.
Smith says the success of the artists pleases him. In the future, expect steps toward even more sustainability through local foundation support and creating an endowment to be used for the long-term care of the building. He also expects the Corporate Collector’s Program to expand and the Studios Patron Program to continue to provide the opportunity for a heightened level of dialogue between resident artist and patron through studio visits and exhibitions. As with the patronage concept during the Renaissance, the patron funds an artist’s studio, learns about the creative process and tries to provide additional career advancement assistance.
Along with supporting mid-career artists, Studios Inc also supports art interns who get a robust education in the way the “art machine functions,” Smith says. “The interns can’t believe how it all works and connects. The trick is to be approachable. We are always encouraging the artists to see that every endeavor is linked.”
Artists work according to their schedules and not one forced on them, Smith says. So it can be a bit of a surprise as to which artists are in and working. One day, only a couple of artists were in. First, Robert Bingaham was in his studio. He paints large American landscapes, but the residency is allowing him to explore some new concepts. He’s working on 16 palm tree paintings with colors inspired by fashion magazines. “Palms symbolize luxury and paradise,” he says.
Bingaman has been producing and exhibiting his work professionally since 2007. He earned a BFA from the University of Kansas in 2005, and an MFA from the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis in 2007. He is currently a lecturer in Painting and Foundations at the University of Kansas, where he also serves as the Union Galleries Curator and Fine Arts Advisor. “It’s a huge honor to be part of Studios Inc. I knew about the place for years and I wanted to get in,” he says. “I respect the process and the other artists. It is a chance to have an art space, freedom, respect, shows and exposure. It’s a reward and an award to get what you need and want as an artist. This can be a game changer.”
Matthew Dehaemers graduated in 2002 with a master of fine arts from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Dehaemers was one of 10 graduating master’s students in the country to receive the Joan Mitchell Art Fellowship. Five of Dehaemers’ projects have received national recognition by Public Art Network’s Year in Review as outstanding and innovative public art projects. Recently, he completed a public art project for the L.A. County Public Art Commission.
Right now, he is working on a piece for Arrowhead Stadium. He is using Osage orange wood, a common tree on the Great Plains, which was used for bow making by many native tribes. Dehaemers takes branches that attach to these finely-hewn pieces of Osage orange to depict how a team is shaped. “There is the rough, raw material and in the center is a football or seed that is nurtured. Lamar Hunt had a playful side and the folks at the stadium are keeping that,” he says.
In March 2014, Dehaemers will have his solo show at Studios Inc. He has created some large structures such as a monster truck that people will interact with, thanks to the toys of his children. “Being a dad is inspiring,” he says. “Being here affords me the ability to create large projects and make connections. I have a great work space and I’m in proximity with other artists. We are forming relationships with each other and the patrons.” Smith agrees. The goal is to be welcoming to everyone.
“We can use the art as an educational opportunity. We can have more engagement. We can help represent the Crossroads and the art scene in this cool metropolitan area.”
