Speaking of Art with Andrea Sawyer

2015/04/24

M.Sebastian Araujo

This is the Season of change there can be no doubt as the trees bud and flower. Nest’s fill with life once again everywhere we look.Doors that were closed are now opened.I recently had a chat with an Artist who has always embraced change in life, Andrea Sawyer.

What in the World around you affects your Creativity?

Although I thought of myself as an artist from the time I was a little girl arranging my crayon boxes in the order of the spectrum, life (in the form of two marriages, four children, and a career path ranging from advertising to kitchen design to real estate sales) always seemed to take precedence over making art. My first visit to Provincetown in 1995 was literally an eye-opener. I returned to my home in Maine with hundreds of photographs, images of work I had seen in the many galleries we visited and the absolute need to start painting again after many years. My paintings since then have almost entirely been of Provincetown – the light is so astounding, the architecture chaotic and whimsically arresting, the narrow streets so evocative, and a sky and sea that permeate everything.

What changes do you see in the Art scene today…?

On a local level I haven’t seen many changes other than the annual space shuffling, new galleries opening and others closing. Bricks and mortar (or more accurately, spaces carved out of old wooden buildings) continues to be the status quo, with visitors making the rounds every Friday night during Gallery Stroll for free wine and some hobnobbing. With some exceptions, much of the art is more traditional than not (and very, very good) and inspired by our surroundings – the light, the ocean, the whimsicality of our unique sand spit of a town. In an era of increasing dependence on the Interwebs for marketing, Provincetown is still an art destination and people want to see it in person, meet « real artists » painting on the street or in their studios and feel involved. Buying a painting is a very different thing from buying books or bedding or electronics – there’s a visceral reaction, a falling in love, that you simply can’t get from a static image on your iPad. That said, Katherine Baltivik, who owns the gallery I’m in – Charles-Baltivik Gallery at 432 Commercial Street – is doing a terrific job branding the gallery on social media, which leads to much more foot traffic and increased year-round sales. People walk in the door already familiar with what and whom they’re going to see – they’re already excited.

What makes Art sell?

I’d be a wealthy woman if I knew the answer to this one. Sometimes what I consider to be an exceptional piece languishes on my gallery wall, while other work has multiple buyers fighting over it. In a tourist town there seem to be price points for impulse buys – souvenirs, as it were – and these move quickly. Larger, more important pieces require the right buyer to walk in the door and simply have to have it. Having a well-publicized and attended show is an excellent way to generate enthusiasm, and some artists rely solely on this. I’ve found that patience is a virtue, and building a collector base is the best long-range plan.

How hard is it for an Artist to survive in the world we live in today?

I’m in an enviable position – my needs are few, my children grown, and if need be I can live on soup in the tiny garret I call home. As a late-bloomer (I didn’t start painting seriously until my late forties, and I’m now 66) I have the luxury of spending the rest of my life doing what I want to, in a place that fosters my creativity, without having to have a day job. Unless you’re extremely lucky and get « found » early – which leads to another whole subset of issues – making a living as an artist is a dicey proposition. When I was younger I regretted not going to art school and focussing on making it my career. Looking at life from the other direction, I’m glad to be primarily self-taught, with a lifetime of other experiences under my belt. I think it informs my work and gives me a great deal of freedom. I wouldn’t change a thing.

What is it about Ptown that keeps you and other creative people living there or coming back?

There is so much collective creative energy you can almost breathe it – I honestly believe the skin of the universe is somehow thinner here, drawing people who make stuff from plays to paintings. The community welcomes those who may be just the tiniest bit off-kilter (as creative people often are) with open arms. I still remember the depth of feeling I had the first time we drove by Pilgrim Lake and saw the late afternoon light striking the dunes. My late husband and I visited as often as we could for many years. I would cry every time I locked the door of the tiny garret I now call home and would be inconsolable as the Monument disappeared in the rear view mirror. That I now live here is literally a dream come true – I am home.

It is good to see such a shining Artist,one who has gone through many changes and found her way to create .From this woman shines a creative light into the world. Keep creatingAndrea.We need Art now more than ever!