We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Andrea Guzzetta. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Andrea below.
Andrea, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Looking back on your career, have you ever worked with a great leader or boss? We’d love to hear about the experience and what you think made them such a great leader.
All of my Best Bosses have had one thing in common: trust in my work as a creative and in me as a person.
One of my favorite bosses ever was Dave Fode, whom I worked under at Conrad-Schmitt Studios. He has since passed, so sharing stories about him feels more meaningful than ever.
In 2011 I graduated art school with little to no direction on how to make a living. I started doing murals and other odd jobs before getting hired as a painter at Conrad Schmitt Studios. I did some faux finishing and stencil work before Dave Fode took me under his wing in the stained glass department.
Fode saw something in me, and encouraged me to push myself and hone my skills as a glass artist. In the 3 years I worked for the studio, I went from just tracing the most basic borders to cutting, designing, painting, and full-sizing my own windows.
This experience took me to Los Angeles to work for Judson Studios and has connected me to a community of glass artists around the world. So much of where I am today is due to Dave Fode’s belief in me as an artist, his patience to teach me new skills, and his celebration of my work.
One person’s kindness can truly change your life, and part of my belief system as an artist revolves around uplifting young artists in the same ways that people like Dave Fode did for me.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
One of my earliest memories is being 5 years old and sitting on the floor of a therapist’s office, refusing to speak until she gets out the paint markers.
As long as I can remember, making art is all I have wanted to do and one of the only times I have experienced true peace. I started showing in 4H at the age of 10 and haven’t stopped since.
The art I make all holds a little bit of magic. I believe that the natural world and our own, tiny place in it are beautiful, powerful, and mysterious. I try to capture that beauty and mystery in every piece I create.
Most recently, my terrarium series is all about the fleeting beauty of the natural world, focusing on mortality both as a part of life, and larger themes of habitat destruction and an endangered world.
Above all, my work exists in a cheery palette of lavenders, pinks, and baby blues. It is feminine, but powerful. In a world that is always asking women to shrink themselves and labeling women-made and women-centered objects as “less than,” creating art that is unashamedly femme is a quiet sort of protest for me.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE, FREE HIGHER EDUCATION, AND A LIVING WAGE
Art has become very much a world of the privileged. Those of us from working-class backgrounds have a much harder time creating the level and type of work we want because the barrier of entry into elite art spaces is getting pricer by the minute.
Elitism in the art world is rampant. Many residencies are little more than vacations with other artists where you still have to foot the bill yourself. Few actually offer housing, travel, and a livable stipend to create work meaning artists need to have other sources of income, which wind up being family wealth or other resources.
Many opportunities require MFA degrees or want to see residences, but few offer financial compensation that make those opportunities truly equitable.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Make friends.
The best thing I’ve done to build a social media presence is to make friends and truly use Instagram as a tool to network with other creatives. I reject the idea that instagram is just a shallow tool or a way to “play the game.” Many of my IG friends have become my closest IRL friends including homies like @Coloradoglassworks (Meggy), @Abby_Aceves, @DevonWalzArt and @AllisonBamcat
All the best shows I’m in are because I made friends and someone recommended me or thought of me.
How do you make friends? Find art you like, share it and tag them, comment on their posts. Collab with friends and make new stuff together. If I see an opportunity that makes me think of someone, I ALWAYS share it with them. Over time, you will build a community of people that you love and respect and you’ll have the privilege of seeing your friends grow with you as you come up together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.andreaguzzetta.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreaguzzetta/