Meet Liz Jordan

Liz, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
Purpose for me is something that is ever evolving-I know the wisdom I have today will be deepened by tomorrow’s experiences, so I practice keeping an open heart and mind, knowing there is always space to grow. An essential part that is steadfast is acting in service to humanity while inspiring others to do the same. I believe our evolution depends on our ability to empathize with and support one another. I learned that from personal struggles with my physical health from a young age. The support I received from close family and friends was amplified by a new community of friends I met from being honest and vulnerable about my experiences. When you reach into the abyss and are greeted with love and support, it activates a switch you can’t deactivate, you are compelled to pay it forward.

I continued to meet inspiring and supportive people through volunteer work, and work in the arts, non-profit, and education sectors. Creating relationships with people who really cared about their communities and its members had a profound effect on me.

I am most fulfilled when I am able to connect with and inspire others. Creating community around shared values and ideals like unity, equality, and love are something I’ve found in the arts, education, and nonprofit worlds. thMTHRshp allows me to combine these experiences into one.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am the founder and director of thMTHRshp, a fine arts gallery with the heart of a collective. We combine our love of art with social justice and community outreach initiatives to create positive change in our communities. Our dual career artists are stay at home moms and other professionals who thrive with the flexibility of a gallery and the community of a collective. We champion artists who have been historically underrepresented and changed the traditional commission structure to favor the artist. I am happy to be a part of the movement representing marginalized artists AND supporting financial success for artists. All of our founding artists are women, mothers, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and BIPOC persons. Our artists receive a minimum 70 percent of the sale of their work, up to 85 percent. That’s a game changer and I am so excited to offer that opportunity to artists in our community and across the US.

By creating a collective of like-minded artists, collectors, investors, and paying artists fairly for their great contributions to society, we challenge the past and look toward a more equitable and profitable future for artists.

Community engagement and outreach are essential to our mission. We are changing the structure of the traditional art gallery and moving the culture forward at the same time. It is important to practice empathy and support others who are working towards equality. We will make more progress together and thMTHRshp wants to be a space for mothers, women, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and BIPOC persons to feel safe and supported as we work together towards a more loving and equitable society. By creating opportunities for new parents to find their village, giving them support during these major life transitions by offering a space for reliable, safe onsite childcare while they enjoy a quiet hour in the gallery or a painting class, we create balance in the community. Families thrive when parents and caregivers can reset, and many families in our community live far away from traditional support structures like grandparents, etc. so we want to create a reliable village with an artistic twist. Our artists are also an amazing support network for one another. We want to be a model for what can be accomplished in this country when families are provided with quality childcare and emotional support.

By providing a safe space for trans teens, we offer love and inclusion as an alternative to a society that is still learning to practice acceptance. Art therapy for those healing from PTSD or moms experiencing postpartum depression-the applications for art to support community members are endless and we want to provide space for that.

thMTHRshp is partnering with Oak Hill Gardens event space in Kentucky for an arts and music cultural festival this October, featuring MTHRshp artist, Catrina Higgs and new work from her series “The Motherload.” Leigh Nash from Sixpence None the Richer will perform along with a lineup of local artists. In Dallas, we are planning a weeklong pop up show this November featuring resident female artists. The Dallas show will feature mother artists and artists from the LGBTQIA+ community. Both events will offer arts activities for children and be an inclusive space for families. We are a fine arts gallery where everyone is welcome and will feel comfortable-Bright Lights welcome! We’ll provide arts activities for the wee ones so their caregivers can enjoy the art and conversation.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Experience in the arts, nonprofit, and education worlds inspired and prepared me for the concept of thMTHRshp. I wanted to create a space that supported artists who were underrepresented and pay them more than a traditional gallery commission while fostering a sense of community. While we are a for profit business, we operate much like a nonprofit and most of our current operating funds are from grants we received during our start up phase. Thank you, Texas Women’s University for supporting us with the StartHer grant!

For those starting their journey, I would advise you to listen to your intuition and surround yourself with trustworthy people who believe in your vision while working towards your goals. It’s incredible how your experiences can align with inspiration when you are open to possibilities.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Our success is built on collaborations and partnerships and we are eager to foster new connections! thMTHRshp is a fully mobile/popup gallery so we rely on like minded galleries, collectives, nonprofits, and event spaces to support our outreach efforts and artist exhibitions. We continue to meet the most amazing artists and businesspeople working to improve our culture through art and we want to meet more!

We fund as much as possible with grants as a women and disability owned small business and are always on the lookout for more grant opportunities. We are seeking connections with investors who are inspired by our work and philosophy to support our growth to a permanent physical space that would allow us to fulfill our mission of supporting more artists and community members in East Dallas and across the world.