Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mary Beth Magyar. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Mary Beth, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, let’s start with a hypothetical – what would you change about the educational system?
I just finished a Masters in Education program at Hamline University in Minnesota. My focus was to create a curriculum based website that was inclusive and diverse and highlighted the talented artists that live and work in Minnesota. The website has a list of artists, museums, galleries, resources, lessons and other online guides to help art educators. Art matters and has been systematically whittled down in schools through curriculum narrowing or “teaching to the test”. As No Child Left behind era rules are slowly fading, and the original tenets have not produced well rounded, critically thinking students, it is time to make a push back for art programs. Not only should art be reinstalled and robustly taught, it should be inclusive. Students, all colors, genders, have the right to see artists that look like them. The curriculum should include living, diverse, successful artists. Art can help with decision making, critical thinking, handling failures, questioning ideas and self expression. The belief that art class just teaches students to be artists is outdated. Research shows that creative thinking is paramount in a myriad of occupations. Science benefits from creative thinkers; they come up with new questions to tackle an old problem. Art teaches students to work with their hands and produce things; another skill for many jobs . Finally art as self expression is a great way for students to develop an enriching hobby or can be a way to mitigate stress. Art matters and we need more of it, not less.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
As an artist I have a solo practice where I ask questions about community, protection and beliefs about protection. My sculptures combine metal and ceramics. Drawings, prints and mixed media are also part of my studio practice. Alongside my studio practice I do Community Engagement (CE) work. My recent CE work has been the building of the diverse index of Minnesota artists, www.alloftheartists.com. Another CE arm is my 501(C)3 public art project, smallärt galleries. The galleries are strategically placed in areas where they can be viewed outside and in areas where art isn’t supported. Currently there is one in a park and one in front of a community center. A third is being fabricated for a local busy hotel. My community relies quite heavily on people visiting Mayo Clinic and often do not venture outside. A hotel placement is a way for visitors to see art easily, accessibly and for free at any time or during any season. These galleries also provide affordable ways for artists to produce many types of mediums of work to be shown cost effectively and to a larger audience. A website, www.mnsag.com supports the project and offers more information. Schools are another place where I work to provide art activities to students. The schools I choose to work with have the highest rates of poverty and many of the students do not get many art rich experiences outside of schools. Currently I am working with an elementary school to make tile mosaics to mark different areas of their school. As I get older and more established as an artist I feel that it is vital to my own practice to make art that is expressive of me, while simultaneously providing that experience for students; each practice inspires the other.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Grants are the way that I fund my work, particularly with students. I wish I knew more about how to get them, how to write them etc. a long, long time ago. In 2014 I got an excellent piece of advice from a fellow artist, Kjellgren Alkire, to sit on panels that read and grade grants. Once I started reading other artist grants it really helped me understand which ones were getting funded and why. Now I write regularly and still sit on panels to discuss other grant applicants. It is a great learning experience and a good way to meet other artists and expand your network of people.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Community work takes time and lots of communication. It is vital to answer emails and calls promptly and deliver on any deadlines or tasks. Trust is such a large part of working in the community outreach arena. If you are difficult to get ahold of or miss deadlines you will find yourself quietly, but firmly being boxed out. There are many people throwing around a lot of words about inclusivity, diversity, equity and in time those words are just that; no action just talk. As a leader I suggest in any situation, meeting, conversation there be a task or duty that can be completed towards the long goal of diversity, equity, inclusion. Be on what I call Team GSD, Get sh*t done. Be the person people know they can rely on to get the work off of the table and into the community. Take the time to help connect other community workers in your area. Also, be careful that you do as much doing as taking. We all know those people that keep asking, but when it is time for the doing they seem to disappear. Plan for things to take a long time and then double that time; authentic, meaningful connections take time. Finally, the biggest mistake I see with other community workers is “mission creep” or they try to be everything to everyone. If someone asks me to do face painting at a community picnic, I say thank you for asking, that is not what I do but here are two names of people that would be great. Support other artists, but be careful not to overdo and end up doing random stuff that has no place in your personal mission.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.magyarstudio.com
- Instagram: @marybethmagyar
- Linkedin: Mary Beth Magyar M.Ed.
- Other: my public art project smallärt galleries, www.mnsag.com, my graduate thesis project, a diverse index of MN artists, lessons and resources, www.alloftheartists.com
Image Credits
All images by Mary Beth Magyar