Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alexandra Fresch. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alexandra, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I have been very fortunate to be able to support myself financially in working only in the creative arts sector. After being exposed to glass in high school, I attended The Ohio State University for glass art. During and after college I worked at Cedar Point Amusement Park’s Glassblowing Theatre doing daily public demonstrations on the process of glassblowing. This taught me how to not only how to make work under the pressure of many visitors watching, but also how to describe the process so that everyone watching could understand. That skillset I still use daily as glassmaking is really a performance art, that people love to experience live. I then worked at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Glass Pavilion, continuing daily glassblowing demonstrations, but also began teaching hand-on glassblowing classes. In addition to selling their artwork, glass artists survive by teaching classes and doing demonstrations as that is practically every glass studio’s business model unless they solely make production work. Although I was working in glass, it was not enough to support myself as both were part time or seasonal jobs. Therefore, I had to consider where I could live and have more art opportunities. This lead me to relocating to Columbus, Ohio. It is the city where I attended college and I knew there were several studios that I could work at as well as they have multiple organizations in the city such as the Greater Columbus Arts Council, which offer grant funding for artists. Another advantage to the city, is that the community celebrates and supports the art. Although I loved my hometown, I wasn’t able to make a living selling my glass there, however, that is available being in a bigger city.

I began working at the Columbus Glass Art Center, formerly Glass Axis, as a volunteer as they had just moved into a new studio space and weren’t open for business yet. After witnessing my dependability, I was offered both a teaching position and a job as their social media coordinator. Over the next decade, I worked my way up to be the gallery manager, the marketing & events manager, until getting the opportunity to be the Assistant Director. My greatest advice to anyone wanting to pursue a career in the arts, is to just show up. By continuing to show up, I have been able to always have a job in the arts. Even now, as the assistant director, I have unfortunately seen many prospective artists reach out once then never show up for interviews or finish their teacher training. I am able to support myself because I have income from multiple revenue streams. First is selling my glass art, second is through doing demonstrations and teaching hands-on glassmaking classes, and lastly is as my position as the Assistant Director. None of these would be enough on they own, but combined make a full-time career in the arts. I would love to inspire others to know that yes you can make a full-time career in the arts, but you can’t be afraid to show up, put in the work and hustle, as there are opportunities out there but just selling your work won’t always be enough. And don’t be afraid to work for an arts organization as well, that way you can still have a career in the arts and most likely the stable paycheck that goes along with it.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

The Columbus Glass Art Center was formed in 1987 by a group of Ohio State University Students that were looking for a place to make glass after graduating college. Glassblowing takes a lot of specialized equipment that bring with it, a high gas and electric bill. That’s difficult for most people to have at home, so by creating a nonprofit public access facility, they were able to make a space for all to use and enjoy. It started out under the name Glass Axis and was just a small mobile unit that would travel around to local schools doing demonstrations, until getting their first brick and mortar. Since then, the organization has moved 4 times throughout the city and with this last move, rebranded into the Columbus Glass Art Center, as it better describes the organization. We offer access for artists to make glass art affordably and are proud to offer space for all types of glassmaking including glassblowing, kilnforming, flameworking, stained glass, mosaics, and neon.

Our mission is to spread the art, science, and history of glass. We achieve this through hands-on glass making classes geared toward those wanting to just make it a one time date night and those wanting to learning the craft and then become artist members, using the facility like all our trained artisans. We also perform glassblowing demonstrations to groups and narrate the process to educate the viewers. Our onsite gift shop and gallery allows artists to sell their art as we are open year round and constantly have the public here to make work and shop. Plus, after someone takes a class, they have a greater understanding of the difficulty of glass and therefore their new found appreciation for glass, usually leads to their purchase of our artists works. Our facility also makes custom glass upon request and repairs, which allows another opportunity for our artists to get paid for their time. We hope to be a happy place for people to come and experience their creativity, while supporting the arts in Central Ohio.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Society needs to appreciate the importance of all arts. As we saw during COVID, when everyone was quarantined, the only thing that people turned to for entertainment, solace, however you want to put it was the arts. Whether it was watching live streamed performances of theatre or dance online or binging Netflix, it was art that kept everyone going. I wish that people remembered that even when they are not trapped at home. For as long as I can remember, people worship celebrities and the celebrity culture, but these people are just artists that were once theatre kids in acting classes or choir kids that like to sing. Why is it that we as a society only show value in artists once they reach the Hollywood pinnacle, but forget that celebrities are just artists with more fame. If schools cut art programs, there will be no future celebrities.
In addition, even if you do not become an artist, the arts teach valuable critical thinking skills, science, math, problem solving, and the list goes on and on. All these are valued skills yet, society doesn’t always view art as these important humanities, only a fun class where people make pretty things. So my hope is that we as a society do better to change the narrative of the importance of the arts and the mindset of arts and artists, so you get a society that values its importance in all aspects of our lives. I often notice that the first thing people do when going on a trip is look up things to do, and they are 90% of the time arts, whether it’s a Broadway show in NYC or ancient frescoes in an Italian Cathedral, it is art that we as a humanity search for and it feeds our soul.

Everyone can do their part, and a simple way is the next time you need a gift or want to redecorate your house, go to a local art gallery first. Supporting a local artist makes a huge impact and usually costs less than what you can buy similarly from a large retail store anyways.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

The Columbus Glass Art Center has now moved 4 times in its 38 year history. Every time we have to, it bankrupts an organization in addition to burning out everyone involved. This past move we were able to successfully move on less than half the budget that we had in 2014, when inflation costs have risen exponentially in the past 10 years. On top of that, we have a staff of 4 people and all but one are part time. We had just gotten through COVID when we were told we had to move, due to the gentrification of the area we were in, designating our building into apartments. It has tested everyone in the organization to get to this point and illustrates the resiliency not just of the organization, but of the artists working there.

I would like to appeal to local governments to consider making designated arts districts with affordable buildings for organizations to buy so that every 10 years, when leases are up, the arts that did their part to make the area a destination, do not get forced out of the destination they helped create, because if all the arts that made it special leave, then it’ll no longer be a desired place to visit.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.columbusglassartcenter.org
• Instagram: @cbusglass
• Facebook: @cbusglass
• Youtube: @cbusglass
• Other: @alexfreschglass (instagram)
  www.alexandrafresch.com