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

Dr. Valerie, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

If I could go back in time, I would have definitely started my creative career sooner. Without a doubt! I had always been interested in the arts. I started painting from a very young age as my mother often sketched and designed my clothing. I learned the beauty of creativity at a young age through her brilliance. I feel like being a visual artist was always a part of my being and still is today. When it comes to opening our gallery, alongside my husband, Emmanuel, I wish I had believed in my ability to own my own business sooner. I knew I always wanted to be a gallerist and work with my community; I just took the very long road to getting there. I felt like I needed all of the experience, I needed all of the schooling and education, and I needed all of the planning before I could start. I felt as though I had to prove myself to everyone first, before taking the leap.

I often wonder where Pencil on Paper Gallery would be now if had I just went for it, before the Masters degree, before the Doctorate, before the 20 years in education… As I navigate through my 40s, I am very much aware that I did not need any of those things. My ability to serve my community and create a safe space for artists was within me all along.

Dr. Valerie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was destined to be in the arts. I had amazing creative women as mentors growing up. I was surrounded by the guidance of artists as a child. Watching my middle and high school art teacher, Marilu Gruben navigate our art world in the 90s provided me with much fascination, adoration, and passion for all things creative. I watched her for many years in school teach and create, sell her work, exhibit in shows, give lectures, work in her studio, and travel the world.

She believed in my ability to succeed as an artist and played an integral role in my development as a young artist. She taught me how to draw, paint, sculpt, and most importantly, see. Right after high school I went to college for studio art. Later, I received my masters degree in art and studied abroad in Spain and Italy. I fell in love with learning about art history and Spanish architecture while I was abroad. Throughout my time in school, I worked as a teacher’s assistant to help pay for tuition. It is there where I developed a love of teaching.

After graduate school, I knew I wanted to utilize my love of art and teaching, and provide a space where creatives could gather, share ideas, and network with each other. Creating opportunities to exhibit work from local emerging and established artists was also of importance to me.

Pencil on Paper Gallery was the brainchild of my husband, Emmanuel and myself. We both invested much of our time after the teaching day was over to pour into the gallery. We are most proud of the fact that we have managed to sustain and develop a space for artists for over four years now. While we are still balancing the nuances of teaching full-time while we run an art gallery, I truly believe my time as a full-time artist/gallerist is coming.

I think one of the things that truly sets our gallery apart from others is the fact that we are visual artists and educators. There is a natural understanding that we possess as creatives that aid in the gallerist and curatorial process. I think it’s important for artists to know that we get it! I think it is also important that clients and patrons know that our ability to see both sides of the art industry makes us leading experts in this field.

Our brand is about building community through relationships and sharing the joy of the artistic process with everyone. Education pays a key role in much of what we do at our gallery as we strongly believe that the arts save, and the youth are an important part of our growth as a society. It has been so wonderful being able to merge our love of teaching and art into one space!

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I feel that society plays such an important role in supporting artists. I believe that attending local art exhibitions and collecting work from artists is a way in which we can keep the creative ecosystem thriving! The beauty of collecting is that there is no wrong or right way to do it. Finding art that you love and feel connected to is a wonderful way to start. There are so many artists to choose from! Investing in art is extremely beneficial to both creatives and collectors. It’s an investment that often can create and build beautiful legacies and lifelong relationships.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Our main goal and the mission of Pencil on Paper Gallery is to share the beauty of the arts and arts education to the greater community at large. This is what drives much of what we do at POP Gallery. While we still have a ways to go in our journey, keeping this goal at the forefront of what we do helps us stay true to our mission and our community.

There are so many brilliant Black gallerists, artists, and community leaders that have come before us, and are still with us here in Dallas, paving the way and carrying the joys of establishing and maintaining our art community. We are blessed to be able to help in this very important work and be part of the team.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pencilonpapergallery.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pencilonpapergallery/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pencilonpapergallery
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/4755popgallery?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Image Credits
Zoe Gillespie Shauna Benoit