We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Duane Belin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Duane, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I’ve always known I wanted to pursue the arts professionally. Fortunately, my path as a business professional has aligned with the art community. It has allowed me to conduct business in a manner that compliments the arts. Much of my career has been as a Transit Professional, assisting management with executive decisions that impact the public domain. Concurrently, I’ve had the unique opportunity to be a gallery owner, providing artspace to my underserved community. Together, it has afforded me a chance to make wise decisions about how my artspace is run. In the business / transit world, I’ve been able to learn from more seasoned professionals regarding my financial and operational conduct.

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

I became a Gallerist when my plans to create the ultimate ‘bachelor pad’ suddenly clashed with city code compliance; residential vs commercial. Having lost that battle, I turned to friends within the art community who lovingly took over and created the space you see today. From there I’ve been able to assist emerging artists and performers having there first exhibits. Additionally, offering an understanding of what it takes to thrive as a professional artist. I’m most proud to see artists who had their first shows with me, now performing on the national and/or world stage. One thing that sets LiberalArtsGallery apart, is artists are expected to invest in themselves, both financially and perfecting their skill levels.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

LiberalArtsGallery officially opened in the late 1980’s, opening it’s doors with the very artists how gave their hearts to me to build the space. Many of which now share a place on the national / international stage. Over the years, the city faced financial and political struggles, even falling into receivership and bankruptcy. Surviving the global pandemic being the last test to hold on and continue to serve the community, albeit at a very reduced capacity. But, we made it. I say “we” because it has indeed taken a village.

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

The Non Fungible Tokens – Art… Digital Art. This is a new field that proves our up and coming generations are no longer satisfied with the status quo. They are pushing the boundaries of what is art. I view it as the responsibility of the Gallerist to understand and possible embrace this emerging artform. It is not mine to approve or disapprove, but to understand and be able to advise collectors on it content and relevance.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.LiberalArtsGallery.com
• Instagram: ThatArtGuy3361
• Facebook: Duane Belin / Liberal Arts Gallery

Image Credits
Wilson Chukwuka Clifford – ‘Naomi’ artpiece, 2023