Interview with Alissa Sexton, Curator and Artist Web Designer

You may have noticed our website is looking extra fresh, and we have to thank the one and only Alissa Sexton for her assistance in the process of revamping our website! With an education in Art History, Social Psychology, and Museum Curatorship, she began her career in 2005 at one of Canada’s most established art galleries, moving up in her career over the next twelve years. When her family moved to the countryside in 2017, she forged her own career with the skills she had learned over the years, starting a successful online art gallery ARTWRK and artist consulting and web design services.

Thank you, Alissa, for your willingness to be interviewed and sharing your knowledge while remaining humble and approachable. Read on to learn more about Alissa, her tips for aspiring artists, balancing time between work and family life, and more!

Pretty Girls Making Cool Shit: Welcome! Would you like to introduce yourself?

Alissa Sexton: Hello! I’m so happy to be here. I am an artist consultant, curator and website designer who only makes sites for artists.

PGMCS: Have you always been artistic/creative?

AS: I’ve always had my hand in something creative, that’s for sure! I grew up making all kinds of art, and was thrilled to study art history in university. I never even tried to find my own artistic ‘voice’, because I always found more fulfilment in helping artists market and sell their work.

PGMCS: You have had great success working in established galleries, and now running your own online gallery. Can you share a bit about how you started your gallerist/curator career? Do you have any tips for our readers who are looking to start their own careers working for an art gallery?

AS: I would recommend those who want to work in the art work consider pursuing higher education in the arts (art history, museum studios, curatorial), then begin seeking out entry-level positions at cultural institutions. I started as an intern in 2005 and over time became the co-director of the gallery that I worked at! My best advice is to get used to the fact that often galleries are very small businesses, which means that employees must do a lot of everyday tasks you might not expect. This well-rounded type of job suited me, as I liked the variety each day. You can expect to help out in many ways including cleaning gallery floors, sweeping outdoor steps, hanging artwork, adjusting lights, painting walls, and a myriad of other tasks unrelated to actually selling art. Naturally, this might be very different depending on the size of the institution you work at, but the more tasks you’re willing to do, the more valuable you will be to the organization.

PGMCS: We have lots of readers who are looking to start exhibiting with galleries as well as those who have established relationships with galleries. Do you have any insight or advice you can share with someone looking to start working with a gallery or improve their current gallery status?

AS: If you are looking for a new gallery, I recommend reaching out to galleries via email and telling them that you’re “seeking a new partnership”. Remember that as an artist, you have agency. You don’t simply have to sign with any gallery that shows you interest. You must first cast a wide net, and see who responds with interest. Once you hear responses, you can evaluate which potential opportunities would benefit you the most. Some gallery partnerships come with financial or contractual obligations so it’s important to make this decision wisely. I often help artists evaluate gallery contracts to ensure their best interests are being considered.

If you are currently with a gallery and having trouble with sales, it’s important to have an open conversation with the gallery owner or staff. In many cases, they can do things to help you out: host a mini exhibition, created a shared advertisement, or host a “meet the artist”. Sometimes it’s as simple as hearing that they need to switch out the artwork that they have to keep things fresh and get your work back in front of their top collectors. Don’t be afraid to speak to the directors! I have discussed ‘What artists should expect from their galleries’ in a blog post here. (https://www.alissasexton.com/the-still-life/2023/3/7/what-artists-should-expect-from-their-gallery)

PGMCS: We love a multifaceted woman, and are so curious about your artist consulting and mentorship offering! What is that working relationship like and what can an artist expect when entering into a consulting or mentor session? Is there anything they should do to prepare? Anything to avoid?

AS: 1-on-1 consulting sessions are a really great way to discuss an artist’s goals as they relate to their practice. I host my clients on zoom or over the phone, and the first question is always the same: “tell me about your art business”. From there, clients can expect a relaxed conversation where we discuss potential avenues, ways to improve, etc. Often, through describing their business, an artist will speak unhappily about a certain element. I can offer my advice on whether they should stop that part of their business, or push through. It ends up being a wonderful 2-way conversation that my clients have called ‘therapeutic’ and ‘energizing’. Because we discuss themes in the work, and how we can strengthen them, artists often leave with a renewed direction, and look forward to getting back in the studio to work on what we talked about.

There is one thing to avoid when speaking to a consultant: do not assume that if they say something, that’s the ONLY way to do it. As someone in the privileged position of being asked for my opinion, I like to make sure that my clients know that I can provide a number of options, and we can see what is a good fit for that particular client or situation. I don’t want anyone to leave my sessions thinking “Alissa said I MUST do this!”, but rather I hope they see my advice as one of the potential options.

PGMCS: How do you manage your time between the gallery, consulting sessions, and family and friends? What would you tell someone who is multi-passionate and struggling to find the balance between work and play?

AS: Managing a busy schedule between work and personal life can be tough, especially when you have a variety of passions. As someone with many creative jobs, a busy family life, and a very time-consuming horseback riding habit, I've spent some significant energy building a schedule that works for me.

At first, I thought I could balance work and recreation by working a few hours a day and making time for family and friends in between. However, I discovered that I work best when I have 4-6 hours of uninterrupted time in the office for website building. It helps me get into a flow state and be more productive. I also learned that I prefer to keep my days free for activities with the kids, which means I spend most of my website-building time after dark.

For creative consulting with artists, I only book three sessions per day. Beyond that, I find myself feeling less creative and energetic on a call, which isn't fair to the artists who hire me. Although this cuts into my bottom line, it’s important to keep up the quality of my consults.

My advice to anyone struggling to find balance between work and play is to pay attention to what works for you. Learn your habits and limits, and adjust your schedule accordingly, even if it seems outside of our society’s norms. As you gain more experience, you'll figure out what works best for you and how to balance your passions and personal life.

PGMCS: What is your favorite thing to create?

AS: A new website for an artist that I love!

PGMCS: What is the best thing about your job?

AS: I get to meet the most wonderful people! I live in a small town and work remotely, so although I built my career in Toronto, I now live in a 90 acre forest at home, and get to meet with fabulous artists every day over Zoom. It creates a wonderful work/life balance.

PGMCS: What is the worst thing about your job?

AS: Accounting! Isn’t that the worst thing about anyone’s job?

PGMCS: Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?

AS: I could go on forever about advice for aspiring artists - that’s what I do! So I will suggest one thing: consider a 1-on-1 consultation with any artist consultant that you trust- it’s an investment in yourself that will be paid off with your first sale post-consult. It’s well worth the money to get you on the right track as a budding artist.

Grab a tea and spend some time on my blog reading through my free artist tips: https://www.alissasexton.com/the-still-life