We recently connected with Amy Regan and have shared our conversation below.

Amy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

A risk that I took was opening See Saw Art. I knew I wanted to create more exhibition opportunities for artists, learn more about being a curator, owing a business, and help build community. Through my work at the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts, I had 10 years of experience in grass roots curating, and a large network of artists. Taking the leap to run my own gallery was both exciting and scary. I wasn’t sure how a different city would feel, or if there was a need for what I wanted to create.

Right now, about 2 1/2 years after our founding, I am glad I did. Owing See Saw Art is difficult in many ways, but also so worth the efforts. I have been able to help spotlight artists from primarily the Northeast, as well as national and international artists and build the arts community in Manchester by being a very welcoming and thoughtful space. Personally, I have learned a ton about being a small business owner, an art dealer, and curator. I am much more confident in my decisions than when I began, and hope that my experiences will inform future ideas and choices to keep See Saw Art forever relevant.

Amy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an independent curator based in New Hampshire. In 2008, I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts, with a concentration in fine art photography, from the New Hampshire Institute of Art in Manchester, New Hampshire. In 2011, I became a founding board member of the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts, a community art initiative dedicated to the accessibility of contemporary artworks made by regionally, nationally, and internationally recognized artists.

The Rochester Museum of Fine Arts works to enrich people’s lives through the presentation of fine art. The permanent collection and other temporary exhibitions are prominently displayed in the halls and Suite 135 of the James W. Foley Memorial Community Center and Rochester Public Library.

In 2022, I opened See Saw Art, a 120-square-foot exhibition space in Manchester, New Hampshire. See Saw Art hosts invitational and open call group exhibitions on a monthly basis, with goals centered around creating opportunities for artists, art accessibility, community engagement, and presenting high quality artwork in a traditional, welcoming gallery environment.

Through my work in curation, I have produced exhibitions each month since 2011. I have worked with over 1,200 local, national, and international artists at all stages of their careers, at a variety of spaces, from local coffee shops to museums. Creating exhibition opportunities in both traditional and innovative spaces is foundational to my overall mission. I believes that high quality fine art should be accessible by everyone. I also believes the art community is filled with talented, generous artists who work on their craft each day. Being able to showcase and uplift this work is my greatest pleasure, as well as meeting and learning from so many genuine people along the way.

Learn more about my curation at www.rochestermfa.org and www.seesaw.gallery.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal of creating exhibition opportunities for artists is very grounding. I am able to present and support artists in a high quality, thoughtful way through traditional gallery exhibitions, social media, print, on my website, and during virtual artist talks.
While there are many artists who are full time artists, there are many more that find a way to continue their practice while juggling jobs and families. I am often working with the latter. Creating an exhibition and celebrating the artist is a huge joy of mine. It is meaningful for artists to share their work with their community and an important part of the artists’ career. Being seen, heard, and given space to be themselves is validating and powerful.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of my work is making connections and opportunities for the artists I work with and my community. I work hard to show up and support my community, and this has resulted in many, many friendships and partnerships. This lasting, human element of my work is very affirming. I love to see when an artist is able to land new opportunities after having an exhibition at See Saw Art, I love being a reference for an artists’ application for school, a residency, or other opportunity. It is wonderful to have a small part in so many artists’ careers.

Contact Info:

• Website: seesaw.gallery
• Instagram: @see.saw.art_
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/See-Saw-Art
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@seesawart

Image Credits

All photos are courtesy See Saw Art.