Conversations with Skip
“Good conversation is as stimulating as black coffee and just as hard to sleep after.”
American writer Anne Morrow Lindbergh once said, "Good conversation is as stimulating as black coffee and just as hard to sleep after." When you converse with others from diverse backgrounds and experiences, you gain new awareness and understanding and cultivate meaningful connections. The 1515 Lincoln Gallery has created a new series, Conversations with Skip, to be held on the first Saturday of every month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to further our efforts to develop lasting connections and grow our artistic community.
The idea came to me after watching Oklahoma-based artist Skip Hill moderate a talk with visiting Atlanta-based artist Kevin Williams. I realized that Skip possesses a unique talent for posing curious questions and making everyone comfortable and engaged. After the event, I asked Skip if he would be interested in facilitating a consistent smaller-scale event at 1515 Lincoln Gallery to help nurture our community. Skip loved the idea, so we scheduled a meeting to brainstorm the format and our intentions for the series.
One of our intentions is to inspire and support local collectors and artists. We feel connecting the artists, collectors, and the greater community helps strengthen the creative network and builds a valuable awareness of art. There is often a significant divide between artists and art collectors. Our Conversations with Skip series creates a respectful and safe space, free of judgment and pretense, where artists and collectors can exchange ideas. The conversation about life, art, and anything they feel inspired to discuss helps inspire and ultimately support our creative community.
Skip's experience developing his illustrious artistic career in Oklahoma gives him a unique understanding and perspective of the local community and what it is like to be a working artist. His unique background in advertising and ministry makes him the ideal person to facilitate conversations where everyone feels connected and heard. Skip says, "My goal is to ensure the series grows where it needs to go based on what matters to those participating."
An art gallery rarely takes the time to connect artists with other artists or collectors. "They have artist talks and panel discussions, but I have not personally seen a gallery create an interactive format as we have developed with our series," says Skip. Galleries traditionally want to keep art buyers and artists separated. However, collectors genuinely want to know the artists creating the work they are buying. "They want to know the story and thought behind the work, so when they purchase the art and hang it in their space, they can share the story," says Skip. You develop a deeper appreciation for the artwork when you know the artist's story.
We launched our inaugural session on Saturday, April 1st, with 20 available spaces. We did not know who would attend or where the conversation would lead us. We are thrilled that we filled each seat with a diverse group of artists and collectors eagerly sharing their stories and love for art.
Whether the participant is an artist, collector, or curious community member, at the end of the day, we are all human beings that long for stimulating connection that keeps us up at night like a black coffee. Creating a safe place for engaging in conversation is the best way to create a shared experience that eliminates the mystery behind our differences and helps us recognize that we are all profoundly connected. Skip and I hope each conversation gets the participants excited, hopeful, and engaged in all the beautiful ideas and works of art at 1515 Lincoln Gallery. Please contact us to learn how to attend future Conversations with Skip events.
