Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Sandler.
Hi Emma, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Originally a psychology and linguistics geek, I had not taken interest in creative courses in my school career until sitting down at a pottery wheel around 2019. At that time, I learned skills otherwise not learned in a traditional academic setting: patience, expression, troubleshooting, and then more patience. My fascination with art originated with how it served as a tool for emotional support and mental wellbeing, essentially art as therapy. From there, my world opened to see how creative careers existed beyond my once myopic perception. Completing a degree in arts and archaeology and spending time acting as Art Center Coordinator for the local Frederick Arts Council fortified my emerging career as a gallery manager and professional artist. I now operate a gallery space in a former bank building in the heart of historic Downtown Frederick at appropriately named Vault of Visions Art Gallery, curating seasonal collections and programming which features artists of local and international accolades.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Changing the course of my studies from psychology to the arts was something discouraged by peers, family, etc but with the evolution of a global pandemic, my attraction to the arts increased as I sought ways to cope with life as usual coming to a halt. Virtual studio art classes proved evermore challenging with lack of access to equipment which is typical to a regular studio.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Our gallery is one of few non-coop retail gallery spaces in the area and we are fixed on representing vast diversity of media, styles, perspectives. We offer a unique experience via our Vault Viewing Room, wherein clients may interact with artwork/s of their choice through adjustments to the display, lighting, and a cozy seating arrangement to emulate how a piece may feel or look in a client’s home or office. We offer studio space and print services as well, so that an artist could create, display, digitize and reproduce an artwork all in one location. It’s a true one-stop-shop.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The arts in Frederick, in particular, are booming. There is an overflow of talent, both established and emerging, and we hope to be part of the forces that support creative economy here so artists are not driven out to established arts communities in larger cities such as Baltimore and DC. We aim to do so by lowering economic barriers-to-entry for gallery representation and providing affordable artist studio space and in-house print services.
Contact Info:
- Website: vovartgallery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vovartgallery/
