Established as a not-for-profit gallery in 1990, Buffalo Arts Studio is one of the oldest galleries in the city and has stuck to its core values and mission since day one: expose everyone to more art. The organization is active in community education, offering a number of programs for children and adults through out the calendar year, and acts as a cultural hub, inviting in musicians who hale from Ghana to the Caribbean to the East Side. The exhibits are filled with both established and emerging artists working in a variety of mediums and subject matter while the resident artists maintain some of the most affordable studio space in the city. This rentable venue is also the new home to curator Cori Wolff and her fresh ideals.
Buffalo Rising: How long have you been a curator and how did you get your start?
Cori Wolff: A little over two years. I did several internships: one with Hallwalls, one with Big Orbit and CEPA Gallery. And then before that in NYC, so I had some experience in curatorial activity. I helped out with collection and installation, then I got my Masters in Art History and Museum Studies so I took a lot of courses that helped me know what curators do, but this is still my first curating job.
BR: Have you ever considered curating outside of Buffalo?
CW: When I first got out of the masters program, I did apply to a few places around the country and I really wanted to stay in Buffalo because it's my home now. I'm not originally from Buffalo but I've been here for six years now, so I was really happy when this opportunity presented itself to me.
BR: How many shows per year do you have?
CW: Between six and eight exhibitions, so usually we have two artists with two solo shows at once and then one group show each year.
BR: What is the process of selecting an artist to exhibit at Buffalo Arts Studio?
CW: We have submission guidelines on our website, so the artist would submit to me an artist statement, images, image list and cover letter. Then I review the submissions and go on studio visits. Also, going to other shows and seeing what's out there is really important. I do discuss choices with Joanna Angie, the director, and she isn't afraid to share what she thinks.
BR: Do you have an ongoing list of artists you'd like to work with in your head?
CW: Oh yeah! Definitely! Buffalo has a lot of amazing artists. If I'm at an opening and something really catches my eye, I will try to find the artist's website and if I do, I will ask them to send me a submission packet or at least talk to me further about their work.
And when I pair the artists, I try to relate them through a common theme or subject matter. It's often more interesting and maybe the visitor can draw their own interpretations that way as well. Sometimes a theme will come to mind first and I'll have to find artists to fit the theme. Other times a show comes together very naturally.
BR: As you progress in your career, does curating become easier?
CW: It does. It's a lot of fun, but the first year took a lot of learning and I'm still learning now, but it's helped to be surrounded by a number of artists. They are always giving me their opinions which has made me look at some work in a new way.
BR: Do you give preference to regional artists?
CW: I wouldn't say that we give preference. We try to be balanced; we have local artists that are emerging and established but we also try to obtain art from around the country to spice it up a bit. Our current exhibitor, Takashi Horisaki, is from Brooklyn. I have shown a couple of other artists from NYC because I had done an internship there, I knew some artists. When I made contact with them it was actually quite bizarre because they had heard Buffalo was a great region and were looking for opportunities to come here. When they did the site visit, they were even more excited to do site specific work.
This coming year, I'm showing a couple of artists who didn't make it into the Beyond/In exhibition but they were finalists. That's how I chose the upcoming artists. Next year is the Buffalo Arts Studios 20th Anniversary so I'm booking artists who have exhibited here in the past or have had studios here past and present. It'll be a celebratory year!
BR: Do you ever give artists a reason for being turned down? And do you think by giving them a reason it might make your job of narrowing the pool easier in the future?
CW: I think actually that's a good idea. It's one reason we offer the portfolio and proposals class here each year and I teach it every other season. It's a two to three hour workshop that goes over how to prepare your proposal and what elements you need. I focus a lot on how to tailor your proposal to a specific venue. A lot of artists do a really good job already and maybe the reason I select someone over another is simply the theme for that year, like our 20th Anniversary. So the letter that I sent out recently was generic out of practicality, but I would be open t-- and think it might be better--to craft each response letter around my thoughts.
BR: Is there a yearly submission deadline that artists should be aware of?
CW: We have rolling deadlines here. Sometimes I will put out a call for work in January or February.
BR: Does that come in the form of an email or press release?
CW: Well, we list in Artvoice and NYFA, and then on our website. If there is something I've seen that might be a real possibility for a show, or I have an idea how it could fit into a group show, I might hold on to the submission packet. Generally though, I'd like to encourage the artists to submit a new packet with new work each year.
BR: Do you think it's more important to have a solid body of consistent work or a great concept proposal?
CW: Either could work, depending on the venue, but its generally better, if you're an artist who works in a variety of media or subject matter, to submit one body of coherent work. Instead of submitting 20 images that depict everything you do, maybe just send me 8 best, that might work together. The idea is to present what you have in mind for an exhibition if you were to be chosen. It's also helpful to visit the gallery and imagine what you would hang in the space if you were the curator.
BR: Have you formed a personal taste that differs or aligns with the Studio's vision?
CW: Even though Joanna has a say in the artists I suggest exhibiting, she has been great in letting me make the final decision. That's a lot of faith she has in me as a first time curator! But I believe she also realizes it's important to let me figure out what works and what doesn't work, as well. Now that I'm working on the 20th Anniversary exhibit, I've learned a lot about the history of the gallery and what's been shown here in the past. The direction I've been taking it so far has been towards conceptual art or performance and video art. I think I'm still staying within the mission and vision of the organization, but adding something a little new to it.
BR: Do you feel responsible for shaping the Buffalo art community and the public's perspectives on local art?
CW: I think it's more the artists who do that. I simply facilitate the dialogue between the artist and the community. If there's any influencing going on, it's certainly the artist's fault!
BR: Do you ever refer artists to other spaces they'd be better suited for?
CW: I would. Generally though, I don't have a lot of communication with the artists. If they submit online, I'm able to give them more feedback because it's more instantaneous, more personal if the email is casual. If they call you out by first name, you tend to feel like you owe them a little more than if you had never seen their face. Also, if the artists come to visit me here or come to my class for a portfolio review I'm able to give them more feedback early on. That's a free class, and the next one will be in the fall.
BR: Is there a common misconception about Buffalo Arts Studio?
CW: It surprises me that many people don't even know we're here. They may be in the building for some other reason, wandering around and they stumble across here. We're one of the oldest galleries in Buffalo, we've been around for 20 years now and we have a huge mailing list. We're really involved with community as well; education programs, a mural program, jump-start scholarship for kids and 38 artists studios. To me, it feels like such a big organization. It's a great feeling when you realize someone's just discovered the space, but I wish more even more people would recognize the gallery.
Buffalo Arts Studio
2495 Main Street, Suite 500
Buffalo, NY 14214
(716) 833-4450
----
Laura Duquette is a former ballerina who now dances with words and punctuation. She has a knack for asking questions faster than the speed of sound, and her interviews are often off the cuff and personal. She is Co-Owner of 12 Grain Studio, a Buffalo based creative firm that gives typical web design a kick in the ass.
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Buffalo Rising: How long have you been a curator and how did you get your start?
Cori Wolff: A little over two years. I did several internships: one with Hallwalls, one with Big Orbit and CEPA Gallery. And then before that in NYC, so I had some experience in curatorial activity. I helped out with collection and installation, then I got my Masters in Art History and Museum Studies so I took a lot of courses that helped me know what curators do, but this is still my first curating job.
BR: Have you ever considered curating outside of Buffalo?
CW: When I first got out of the masters program, I did apply to a few places around the country and I really wanted to stay in Buffalo because it's my home now. I'm not originally from Buffalo but I've been here for six years now, so I was really happy when this opportunity presented itself to me.
BR: How many shows per year do you have?
CW: Between six and eight exhibitions, so usually we have two artists with two solo shows at once and then one group show each year.
BR: What is the process of selecting an artist to exhibit at Buffalo Arts Studio?
CW: We have submission guidelines on our website, so the artist would submit to me an artist statement, images, image list and cover letter. Then I review the submissions and go on studio visits. Also, going to other shows and seeing what's out there is really important. I do discuss choices with Joanna Angie, the director, and she isn't afraid to share what she thinks.
BR: Do you have an ongoing list of artists you'd like to work with in your head?
CW: Oh yeah! Definitely! Buffalo has a lot of amazing artists. If I'm at an opening and something really catches my eye, I will try to find the artist's website and if I do, I will ask them to send me a submission packet or at least talk to me further about their work.
And when I pair the artists, I try to relate them through a common theme or subject matter. It's often more interesting and maybe the visitor can draw their own interpretations that way as well. Sometimes a theme will come to mind first and I'll have to find artists to fit the theme. Other times a show comes together very naturally.
BR: As you progress in your career, does curating become easier?
CW: It does. It's a lot of fun, but the first year took a lot of learning and I'm still learning now, but it's helped to be surrounded by a number of artists. They are always giving me their opinions which has made me look at some work in a new way.
BR: Do you give preference to regional artists?
CW: I wouldn't say that we give preference. We try to be balanced; we have local artists that are emerging and established but we also try to obtain art from around the country to spice it up a bit. Our current exhibitor, Takashi Horisaki, is from Brooklyn. I have shown a couple of other artists from NYC because I had done an internship there, I knew some artists. When I made contact with them it was actually quite bizarre because they had heard Buffalo was a great region and were looking for opportunities to come here. When they did the site visit, they were even more excited to do site specific work.
This coming year, I'm showing a couple of artists who didn't make it into the Beyond/In exhibition but they were finalists. That's how I chose the upcoming artists. Next year is the Buffalo Arts Studios 20th Anniversary so I'm booking artists who have exhibited here in the past or have had studios here past and present. It'll be a celebratory year!
BR: Do you ever give artists a reason for being turned down? And do you think by giving them a reason it might make your job of narrowing the pool easier in the future?
CW: I think actually that's a good idea. It's one reason we offer the portfolio and proposals class here each year and I teach it every other season. It's a two to three hour workshop that goes over how to prepare your proposal and what elements you need. I focus a lot on how to tailor your proposal to a specific venue. A lot of artists do a really good job already and maybe the reason I select someone over another is simply the theme for that year, like our 20th Anniversary. So the letter that I sent out recently was generic out of practicality, but I would be open t-- and think it might be better--to craft each response letter around my thoughts.
BR: Is there a yearly submission deadline that artists should be aware of?
CW: We have rolling deadlines here. Sometimes I will put out a call for work in January or February.
BR: Does that come in the form of an email or press release?
CW: Well, we list in Artvoice and NYFA, and then on our website. If there is something I've seen that might be a real possibility for a show, or I have an idea how it could fit into a group show, I might hold on to the submission packet. Generally though, I'd like to encourage the artists to submit a new packet with new work each year.
BR: Do you think it's more important to have a solid body of consistent work or a great concept proposal?
CW: Either could work, depending on the venue, but its generally better, if you're an artist who works in a variety of media or subject matter, to submit one body of coherent work. Instead of submitting 20 images that depict everything you do, maybe just send me 8 best, that might work together. The idea is to present what you have in mind for an exhibition if you were to be chosen. It's also helpful to visit the gallery and imagine what you would hang in the space if you were the curator.
BR: Have you formed a personal taste that differs or aligns with the Studio's vision?
CW: Even though Joanna has a say in the artists I suggest exhibiting, she has been great in letting me make the final decision. That's a lot of faith she has in me as a first time curator! But I believe she also realizes it's important to let me figure out what works and what doesn't work, as well. Now that I'm working on the 20th Anniversary exhibit, I've learned a lot about the history of the gallery and what's been shown here in the past. The direction I've been taking it so far has been towards conceptual art or performance and video art. I think I'm still staying within the mission and vision of the organization, but adding something a little new to it.
BR: Do you feel responsible for shaping the Buffalo art community and the public's perspectives on local art?
CW: I think it's more the artists who do that. I simply facilitate the dialogue between the artist and the community. If there's any influencing going on, it's certainly the artist's fault!
BR: Do you ever refer artists to other spaces they'd be better suited for?
CW: I would. Generally though, I don't have a lot of communication with the artists. If they submit online, I'm able to give them more feedback because it's more instantaneous, more personal if the email is casual. If they call you out by first name, you tend to feel like you owe them a little more than if you had never seen their face. Also, if the artists come to visit me here or come to my class for a portfolio review I'm able to give them more feedback early on. That's a free class, and the next one will be in the fall.
BR: Is there a common misconception about Buffalo Arts Studio?
CW: It surprises me that many people don't even know we're here. They may be in the building for some other reason, wandering around and they stumble across here. We're one of the oldest galleries in Buffalo, we've been around for 20 years now and we have a huge mailing list. We're really involved with community as well; education programs, a mural program, jump-start scholarship for kids and 38 artists studios. To me, it feels like such a big organization. It's a great feeling when you realize someone's just discovered the space, but I wish more even more people would recognize the gallery.
Buffalo Arts Studio
2495 Main Street, Suite 500
Buffalo, NY 14214
(716) 833-4450
----
Laura Duquette is a former ballerina who now dances with words and punctuation. She has a knack for asking questions faster than the speed of sound, and her interviews are often off the cuff and personal. She is Co-Owner of 12 Grain Studio, a Buffalo based creative firm that gives typical web design a kick in the ass.
Hi cori! please make sure you check your artists credentials such as your upcoming event featuring karen reisdorf. She is a hack from Batavia New York billing herself as an instructor and artist when in fact she has left town and vacated her post as proprietor of blue pearl yoga where she clocked in 4hrs a week as a yoga instructor. Her claim to fame in Batavia was emaulsion transfers featuring photos taken of her grandfather where she never creditated the photographer. unless she has the photographers permission it is illegal to modify their original print. Her upcoming event is encouraging people to bring in photos to alter-I hope they are all original prints.