We recently connected with Angie Evans and have shared our conversation below.
Angie, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
Purpose is an interesting thing. I think sometimes it finds you. I was always interested in art, even from childhood, but I didn’t really get too involved with art until high school when I took a photography class. I immediately fell in love with the process of creating something beautiful or that told a story from everyday things I saw. The process of rolling film, shooting, developing then going into the dark room to make the print and finally, putting it all together with the framing presentation gave me an understanding into how it all worked together, and it was something I could do and enjoy! From then on, I knew I would be involved in the arts in some way. At that time, I had no idea what it would evolve into. Since then, I have been a working artist in many fields and mediums. My purpose found me as I used these skills and talents to help enhance the efforts of several local and national companies, by perusing my own businesses, and by becoming a mentor for others who are just starting with their artistic journey. When my husband and I opened Art House 310, it was then that I truly felt that I had found my purpose. We had other local artists, many of which I’d admired for years, coming into Art House 310 and thanking us for what we are doing to enhance the local art community. That was and continues to be such a neat feeling and was when I truly felt that this was my purpose, and I am exactly where I am supposed to be in life.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My professional background includes work in graphic design, photography, marketing, events, fine art and so much more! I’ve worked for agencies, in-house corporate, freelance and entrepreneurship which has allowed me to do work that has reached local, national and international markets. I’ve had the joy of working on events and campaigns with NASA, the White House, local and state government as well as philanthropist organizations such as the Mike Rowe Works foundation and Metallica’s All Within My Hands foundation. Looking back, it’s been a whirlwind! My current role is the Creative Director & Marketing Strategist for WSU Tech, a technical college located in Wichita, KS that is affiliated with Wichita State University. In addition, my husband and I opened Art House 310 in June of 2020. Art House 310 is a visual arts center which houses a dedicated art studio for myself, a workshop for my husband and gallery space where we focus on showcasing local artists each month with a Frist Friday opening. Art House 310 was created out of the need to have a dedicated space for my artwork as well as the desire to create an entry point for emerging artists to learn and showcase their work alongside of seasoned artists. We have had the pleasure of hosting over 100 artists since we opened in 2020 and we regularly schedule programming 12-16 months out. We can’t wait to see how Art House 310 evolves!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, I wish I understood the importance of networking earlier in my career. I’ve had the pleasure of being connected with some of the most talented people around in the recent years. Wichita is a small, big city, which means, who you know and what they know about you is important and can lend greatly to the many opportunities that may be available to you, if you just are in the right place, at the right time and around the right people.
Another piece of advice I’d give those who are just starting their journey is to be open to learning everything. Not only will it give you invaluable, multi-layered skills but lifelong learning means you are always evolving. Think about what your backup plan might be if you were suddenly unable to do what you love to do, and learn that. You never know what life will throw your way and that may just be your saving grace in your career.
Lastly, find a mentor, or many mentors and soak in as much as possible from them. It doesn’t have to be in any official capacity but find someone you look up to and learn from them. Repeat this in every phase of your career and then when it’s time, be that mentor for others. Share your knowledge freely to those who will be the next generation of professionals. Enjoy the process of passing on that valuable knowledge.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
Being an incredibly driven person, my number one challenge is juggling all the things I want to do and am passionate about, with the balance of healthy rest and relaxation. If I have 10 minutes to spare, I’m likely squeezing 15 minutes of stuff into it. Currently, I work a full-time position, I operate a full-time art gallery and studio, and I have recently began taking a full-time college schedule to complete two degrees I started several years ago. Now that my daughter is grown, I have been able to do many of these things. To say that I stay very busy is an understatement. One of my biggest fears in life is not having enough time to do all the things I’d like to do in this life. I have so many ideas of things I’d like to accomplish that it often feels impossible to do them all. That being said, I do understand the value in rest and relaxation. This is an area I continue to work on. We take a few weeks in January off from having any gallery shows and I try to schedule one big vacation per year to a location that forces me to be completely unavailable to emails and work. I also try to carve out one or two evenings, usually on the weekend, to spend time with family and friends. It’s sometimes difficult not to get overwhelmed by all that I have taken on but I try to remind myself that this is mostly by choice and keep focused on the bigger picture of why I am doing all of this.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://arthouse310.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthouse310 , https://www.instagram.com/angieawesomepants/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtHouse310 , https://www.facebook.com/angieawesomepants
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieevans/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@arthouse310
