I have decided to create a weekly feature on my blog that celebrates the creative people behind the products, art, design, & small businesses -- to help us inspire each other and recognize the hard work that goes into being an independent designer/entrepeneur/artist/writer/photographer/what-have-you! Brandon Lynch was kind enough to go first...
Name:
Brandon Lynch
Education:
Graduated from Southern Methodist University with a B.A. in Corporate Communication and Public Affairs.
Current City/Hometown:
I currently live in Dallas, close to Lakewood. I am originally from Middletown, New Jersey but I grew up in Plano
Describe your work in one sentence:
I am the proud gallery owner of Artisan Style and handle all the day-to-day business along with my partner, Steve Iha.
What is a "normal" day for you? What would your *ideal* day be like?
A normal day, especially right now with the combination of the time of year, economy and being new to the art world, is dominated by marketing, PR, networking and doing just about anything we can think of to bring people in the door. We also make an attempt at meeting with the majority of artists that contact us, and although I know we will not be able to do that forever, I feel that if an artist puts themselves out there and shows interest in our gallery, the least I could do is meet with them and see what kind of work they do. Plus, artists can be brutally honest and they will tell us what we need to change, and they give us advice and useful information. My ideal day is any day that we stay constantly busy, working with clients and picking pieces to take to their home. I really enjoy loading up my car and just spending a few hours at a client's home selecting the best work for them.
What are your passions?
I tend to get passionate about my work, regardless of what kind of work it is. Before we began looking for a gallery location, I thought long and hard about the things I truly like, that make me happy. And I decided that I truly love being around art, being around artists and their completely unique personalities. Steve and I had taken several trips since we met, and almost all were to cities known for their art and/or antiques. Its funny now to think back on all the time and money we spent going to random galleries and gift shops, never imagining that those random experiences would one day place us in our very own gallery. Aside from that, I love music, gardening, writing, and antiques.
What are your goals?
My professional goals are to follow through with the plans we made for Artisan Style, keeping the same attitude we started with in regards to our artwork and artists. I never want to feel like I need to be doing what other galleries are doing in town. And I hope the artists we work with will put us in check should we ever lose sight of why we opened ;). It is hard to think long-term as I am so focused on getting through each month right now, but eventually we would like to have both the gallery and antique store close to one another, as well as open a boutique entirely separate from the gallery. These goals are obviously way down the road.
Who are your creative influences?
Not being an artist, I am continuously looking at the work of all our artists and only dream of being half that talented.
Are there any other relevant experiences that shaped you?
After I graduated from college, I met Steve and was introduced to the world of advertising. I had one interview and received my first job, an assistant media buyer at MindShare (J. Walter Thompson). Over the next three years, the company that I had loved for so many reasons was slowly changing, getting rid of current upper management and replacing them with inexperienced accountants that knew nothing about their job. They began laying off co-workers of mine, and they had no shame in laying off someone who worked there for 30 years simply because they were paid a salary they had worked most their life to earn. It was a real eye-opener to how corporate America works and I knew I could not be a part of it forever.
What motivates you on a daily basis? Do you have a "guilty pleasure" that you can't miss out on to get you going?
It would be so easy to throw in the towel somedays, I must admit. Things naturally pile up and it becomes almost too much. Its that way with everything though and the biggest motivating factor for me at the gallery are the artists we represent. Selling artwork is not like selling someone on an apartment (one of my college jobs). It is so much more gratifying for so many reasons. I feel like I not only have helped the gallery, I have helped that person choose a piece of art that will hang on their walls for years to come, and I get the joy of telling an artist one of their pieces sold. However, my guilty pleasure and true motivator that gets me out of bed is a cold Dr. Pepper in a glass with ice. I would not make it into the gallery without one.
What's your working style?
Oddly enough, no matter what job I am doing, I have always been the type to work non-stop throughout the day, well into the night. People that know me well have never understood how I can barely get myself off the couch while watching television to get a drink but I will insist on working til 9 pm at night.
What are your websites/social networking links?
The gallery website is www.artisanstyle.net, and my blog, which is under construction, is www.blog.artisanstyle.net.
The gallery's facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dallas-TX/Artisan-Style/138149409452.
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