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

Stacy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Since I was selling horse portraits as a sixteen-year-old, I have dreamed of owning an art gallery. So last March, when my friend sent a group text saying he’d heard about Richland Fine Art closing shop after twenty years in its Green Hills location between Pottery Barn and Trader Joe’s, I was super excited! Less than a week later, my wife, and two of our best friends were sitting around our kitchen table discussing how this might work. Within a month, contracts are signed, agreements arranged, and we are in full demo mode on a renovation project that is being finished as I write. The combination of each of our partners’ unique areas of expertise makes me feel pretty confident that this is going to work. Even if relinquishing control of every aspect of my career has given me some jitters, I think the sum of our efforts will prove to be worth the risk.

Stacy, 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?

When I was in sixth grade, my parents drove me four hours across the state line to spend career day with the only professional artist I knew. She became my friend and mentor and taught me the craft of oil painting while modeling what it takes to be a working, professional artist. That relationship was monumental for me. Since then I’ve found tremendous fulfillment in creating art that people connect with on a gut level. Whether it’s an abstract, a moody landscape or a majestic horse, I infuse my work with movement, energy and life!

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

I think the people who find longevity in their careers have a foundational value that they are going to do their art first and figure out how to make everything else work to fit that lifestyle. That’s not the only way to do it, but it’s worked for me. Just never stop doing the thing that gives you life!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I want our gallery to be a place where people make lasting connections. Whether to a long forgotten memory, a simple love for playing in paint, or connecting friends who share a common love for beautiful things, I want set the table for people to discover a richer, more meaningful life.

Contact Info:

• Website: richlandfineart.com stacybeamfineart.com
• Instagram: @richlandfineart, @stacybeamfineart
• Facebook: Richland Fine Art, Stacy Beam

Image Credits
Caleb Kuhl