Creating community
Human connectivity, creativity and art are vital to life. Research shows these elements increase our life quality and produce the chemical dopamine that makes us feel good and improve our life's outlook. Imagination, creativity and expressing those ideas through the creation of art, lifts our spirits and expands our minds – while connecting with fellow humans helps bolster our immune systems and extend lifetimes. The profound benefits of positive relationships and creativity are precisely why Susan McCalmont opened Objets Trouvés in Oklahoma City. Imaginative people and their creations inspire Susan, and she is focusing on connecting people in an environment that nurtures relationships and the discovery of contemporary and treasured works of art.
Susan grew up in a modest rural home in Virginia. Creativity blossomed in her home, where both parents encouraged musicianship and artistry. Susan's creative curiosity thrived in the school's traditional art and music courses. But she learned early on that some people believe art should be judged instead of appreciated. In 4th grade, her teacher presented her class with various materials to craft an artwork that would earn one talented artist a Hershey bar. Excited about the challenge, Susan immediately got to work on an abstract piece made of colored pipe cleaners and recycled egg cartons. It was a masterpiece to Susan, but it "wasn't art" to her teacher, who told Susan that she had "no artistic ability." The demoralizing experience left a lasting mark that made Susan abandon art and focus on music.
It wasn't until university that Susan started revisiting the world of art. She took studio art classes and majored in Art History, instantly re-igniting her dormant love for the arts. Susan lived less than an hour away from Washington DC, so she took frequent field trips to various art galleries and the famed Smithsonian's National Gallery of Art to immerse herself in the works of famous painters and emerging creators. During one memorable National Gallery visit, a portrait of a man with an arresting gaze deeply moved Susan. The story of the man, his look, and why the artist was inspired to create the work provoked a strong connection that inspired her to purchase a reproduction in the gift shop. She hung her piece of art over her bed during college and still has it in her studio today. The connection to the work became a lasting reminder of the power art has to connect and influence our lives.
With her passion for art flourishing, Susan focused on strengthening her relationship with it and people who shared her enthusiasm for using creativity to benefit society. Her tireless curiosity grew into forty years of experience leading non-profit organizations that championed and expanded creativity in diverse communities. She initiated collective projects with local and global innovators that improved arts education, historic preservation, the economy, cultural growth, and the quality of life in Oklahoma. In addition, Susan helped develop societal change strategies and an international creativity event and network alongside prominent visionary and mentor, Sir Ken Robinson. Susan was committed to using her time and energy to inspire and connect others to creativity in hopes that it would improve their lives as it did hers.
In 2019, Susan felt it was time to start a personal project shaped by her distinctive life path. She departed the nonprofit sector, where she made a lasting mark and launched an art gallery to cultivate a new creative community. She named her place Objets Trouvés, or 'Found Objects,' focusing on the discovery of found works of art and found artists and their creations. At Objets Trouvés, her growing collection of timeless treasures and contemporary works are helping her redesign the gallery experience. Instead of one artist's works hanging on white walls with a stranger sitting in the corner judging the viewer, Susan invites visitors to openly explore and connect in a space exploding with found objects and art juxtaposed with modern works from distinguished international creators. Objets Trouvés caters to what Susan believes humans are built for -- discovering authentic connections and freely creating community.
We live in a time when healthy relationships are more important than ever. Susan intends to make authentic connections possible through a mutual and beneficial love for art. When a creator's work connects with another person, it can be therapeutic and even restorative. Susan believes when you bond to a piece of art, one feels linked to the past, more present at the moment, and ultimately, most importantly, less alone. The undeniable benefits of art and connection help us improve our well-being and live our best life. Susan intends for Objets Trouvés' online, and in-person community to nurture our love, appreciation, and relationship with art using events that focus on awareness, education, interaction, and inspiration. In addition, she hopes to expand her growing community of international artists and art collectors, so art edification and creative curiosity thrive in the middle of America.
