We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amanda Baker. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amanda below.

Amanda, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

I started my gallery career in New York City at a prominent gallery in Chelsea. This gallery, long established, had a roster of veteran and respected artists. At the moment I started, the son of the President was assuming directorship with an aim to bring in a new era of Contemporary artists. Seeing the downtown gallery roster grow from 0 to 16 artists by the time I left, cemented my interest in the business of art, creating markets, and providing opportunities for artists to make work, have shows, and earn a living. The most valuable lesson I learned early on in my career was that ‘difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week’. Obstacles are to be expected, never looking back except to learn, and always leaning forward is how to make anything happen. Showing artists you love, and making a splash of it, was also an important lesson. There is nothing that brings me more personal pleasure than my artists having a packed gallery opening filled with adoration and support.

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

I am a Miami based gallery owner and curator with over twelve years experience working in New York City and San Francisco galleries.

I consider myself lucky as I had the opportunity to discern early on in life that I wanted to enter the art industry. Fourteen year old Amanda, did not imagine in what capacity whether museum or gallery or teaching but I made a decision that I was not an artist but I would work in art. This was after taking an art history course in high school in NYC where we visited museums and galleries throughout the city. My love of art and creative makers was cemented. I realized art is a verb, not just in creating but in seeing. Going on pilgrimages to see exciting things, learn about points of view not innate to you, and sometimes, when the moment is right taking in a beauty or a concept that fully enthralls you to your core.

This experience of participating in art and how it enriches life is what I aim to share with the world. In 2021, I started my own gallery in Miami, FL called Club Gallery. I aim to make an inclusive community. I accompany every show with at least two or three activations to invite audiences to further interact with the artist and their work.

The location of the gallery provides a lot of foot traffic, with many never having experienced art. During my first couple shows, I showcased artworks that were not in entry level price points. I noticed visitors would walk in, fall in love with a work of art only to ask the price and be told it was priced in the tens of thousands of dollars. I could see the disillusionment in their eyes, to fall in love with something unattainable. I could tell they were never going to walk into an art gallery again. I realized I was not doing a service to anyone. I pivoted the goal of the gallery to encourage understanding and accessibility in contemporary art.

I began showing young emerging artists creating a platform to start their careers. I also began reaching out to established artists explaining I wanted to create shows that would engage their wider audiences. All were enthusiastic to create something special for their shows that was at an accessible price point. My gallery is a place for burgeoning art lovers to become collectors and allow established collectors an opportunity to discover emerging talent.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Opening a gallery to me, in the beginning, was more of an altruistic endeavor. I wanted to provide opportunities for artists and create a new and inclusive community within Miami. That was honestly all I needed to know. If I had known the intricacies of starting a business from the legalities to finances and accounting, etc. I would have probably been too scared to start. If I had known how difficult it was going to be to be responsible for everything with no one to turn to, I probably would have been too scared to start. The reality of entrepreneurship is nothing to dwell on and potentially overthink to the point of inaction.

As the formalities of business come up, I learned I can trust myself to deal with them when they do. When I have made mistakes, which usually cost money, I only allowed myself the option to pick back up with whatever I had left and make do. That is what worked for me, granted of course, being more organized in the beginning would have been more helpful. Setting up systems, ongoing procedures, paperwork templates for example. But I want to be clear to new business owners, I did not have a business plan, I had adrenaline and my previous experience. Once the initial push of opening settled, I was able to know more of what my intention was and how to best organize my business.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield has been one of the most pivotal reads in developing my entrepreneurship. It is a book aimed for writer’s block but holds so many truths to overcoming any obstacles in the way of success. Starting a business with no employees requires a level of discipline and courage that I had never had to reach before. Overcoming fear and resistance is vital, accepting what you can change and can’t and maintaining a daily serenity is key. It is a marathon in an endless journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: clubgallerymiami.com
• Instagram: clubgallerymiami

Image Credits
all installation views – Photography Courtesy of Zachary Balber