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

Cece, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Over the last year, I curated, planned, and produced Every Day is Earth Day, an outdoor exhibition. With help from my friend Jaclyn Taylor, the effort culminated in a neighborhood/community arts event with live music by young artists Honey Bananas, Tatum Shum, Conner Shumway, and Jojo Daly. It turned out to be a great day of conversation and engagement!! A series of community tables with conversational prompts moderated by ASU Curator Emeritus Heather Lineberry were scattered throughout the exhibit area. Most of the artists created brand new, temporary installations and earthworks specifically for this show that featured work by Erika Lynne Hanson, Rachel Hayes, Matt Magee, Joan Barron, Kara Brooks, James Angel, Jimmy Fike, and Adriene Jenik with her Eco Tarot Project.
Prior to the exhibition we visitied each participating artist in their studios and produced a featured artist series of short videos that allowed insight into their various approaches to making work. It gave us an opportunity to build interest in the project but most importantly to highlight how these artists are activley engaging in the broader discussion on the climate crisis.
Funds generated by artist-designed merchandise and the donations bar were donated on behalf of all of us to Justice Outside. https://justiceoutside.org/

Cece, 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 a studio artist, curator, and small business owner. As a sole proprietor, I am responsible for maintaining a disciplined studio practice that involves researching, marketing, budgeting, networking, writing, critical thinking, problem-solving, seeking, and fulfilling exhibition and curatorial opportunities, visiting artist studios, developing web and social media content, creating informed art and design, supporting and showcasing other artists that create accomplished artwork and designs, collaborating, art directing, inventing, organizing, installing, presenting, and hosting the opening and closing receptions, events, and exhibitions.

I currently have work on view in a group exhibition titled Various Fibers and Other Ingredients at Ada Gallery in Richmond, VA. (July/August 2022)

Over the last year, I independently planned, curated, and presented (in April 2022) a community art exhibition event titled Every Day is Earth Day that highlighted the climate crisis through the lens of the artist. The exhibition included temporary installations by a curated selection of local and national artists, a series of conversational table prompts moderated by ASU’s curator emeritus, and music.

I am the curator at the Gallery at Mountain Shadows Resort. I rotate exhibitions every two. I work collaboratively with the hotel marketing team and the resort provides professional catering for our opening and closing receptions. Among my list of services, I offer private gallery tours with clients such as local insurance companies, arts groups, and community organizations. My role at Mountain Shadows opens doors and provides the media and community exposure that uplifts my freelance endeavors.

Also, in 2020, I started Good Company Contemporary Art and Design. For the last two years, I have been building the website, developing the project studio, and establishing the online shop to include original and limited-edition artwork and designs by sought-after artists. I am in the process of growing a community listings page that supports local micro-businesses and is intended to connect entrepreneurial creatives, fabricators, and friendly gallery/retail spaces.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist/creative to me is the feeling of freedom to explore, experiment, and invent. While it is also required to do all of these in order to gain a deeper understanding of the work and to thoughtfully develop your concepts, it is also part of the fun! In my observation, people who work in the arts measure success differently than most. It is nice to celebrate the small things sometimes. From the tiny move that completes a thought to the happy accidents and studio messes full of promise.

In general, I believe that it is important to take time to process and absorb what goes on around you. Studio practice is a great excuse for that! We should all find ways to tune out the noise, the abundance of calls and emails, Instagrams and news feeds, and the expectation that you are going to post something or answer everything, right now, all the time.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Assuming the role as a gallery curator in 2021 has been a bit of an adjustment. I am energized by working with other artists, problem-solving, and making new connections. However, because curating is still my part-time job, it is becoming more important for me to establish boundaries so that during the time I am off I can focus on my own projects. With the job comes new responsibilities but also great leadership opportunities and exposure.

This fall, I will take a deeper dive into my role as curator and artist within the community as I was recently accepted into the Scottsdale (AZ) Leadership Program.* Arts professionals tend to be underrepresented in community and business discussions, so I am especially excited to be part of this program. It will be a great learning experience!

https://www.scottsdaleleadership.org/

*Scottsdale Leadership is a non-profit community leadership development organization that works closely with city partners offering access to community decision-makers; opportunities to discuss current community issues; leadership development programming and opportunities; behind-the-scenes tours of community facilities; and connecting with Scottsdale Leadership’s alumni of more than 1,161 individuals from 35 previous classes.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.cccole.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cccolestudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cece.cole.33
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cece-cole-81765b30/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/CeceCole13
• Other: https://goodcompanyaz.com/ https://www.instagram.com/goodcompanyaz/ https://www.colelab.art/ https://www.instagram.com/cccolelab/

Image Credits
Fausto Fernandez and Cece Cole