We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kelly Frankenberg. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kelly below.
Kelly, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
The most meaningful project I worked on was a collaboration with 9 artists and one scientist we named, Mississippi River Pearl. We picked up trash along the Mississippi River, learned what the toxins do to the water, created a beautiful sculpture with the trash, and have gotten it in museums and places where we have hosted workshops and educational experiences with the interactive sculpture. Thousands of people of all ages have gotten to interact with it, learn, and take action to protect our waters!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I have loved to draw and create since I was a child. I was inspired at 8 years old meeting a children’s book author and illustrator, Nancy Carlson, and knew I wanted to pursue book illustration. After going to art school at Minneapolis College of Art & Design I illustrated books and then went back to get my MFA at the University of New Orleans low residency program in Creative Writing. I finished my memoir, “Diary of a Gay, Pregnant Bride,” and was able to teach. My career got me back into painting and I exhibit my work in galleries, festivals, and museums. I work for an art non-profit called, Art to Change the World, as assistant director, and our mission is to pay artists creating art for positive social change. We teach art to trauma victims and those in transformational housing. My personal work comes from inspiration from my travels all over the world. I want people to see the beauty of the world and be inspired.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
The best thing society can do is to take artists seriously as a profession and PAY them for their work. This doesn’t mean just buying their work. This means paying fair prices for their services, paying them to be in a gallery or exhibit, and going to art fairs to purchase work, and going to galleries and museums more often to bring galleries back in the market so there is a place for artists’ work to be seen. Without paid artists there will be no artists. Musicians are artists. Actors are artists. Society needs to recognize them all as an essential and important part of culture and education and humanity. And this is possible by paying them a living wage.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing someone be inspired by my work or teachings. Inspiration in this world creates amazing things. It brings hope and dreams and humanity into levels of accomplishing beautiful aspirations. A world full of all kinds of human expression and art is a world full of promise and hope for a future that creates positive changes and reflections which tear down the barriers of war, politics, depression, and all that suppresses our happiness and visions.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kellyfrankenberg.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelly.frankenberg
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellyfrankenbergartist
Image Credits
Kelly Frankenberg