Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Claudia Zapata. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Claudia, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
My work ethic stems from my mother. She was a single parent and worked several jobs to provide for my family. She loves language and letters, and I learned the value of having passion and desire for your career endeavors.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am the inaugural Associate Curator of Latino Art at the Blanton Museum of Art in Texas. A recent gift and purchase of over 6000 Latino and Chicano artworks from the Gilberto Cárdenas and Dolores Garcia collection defines the Blanton as a major hub for Latino art research. In this new position, I oversee this collection and curate rotating exhibitions in the museum’s new permanent gallery dedicated to Latino art.
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?
Awareness of the community and its role in your career objectives is a significant asset. Elders, colleagues, friends, and community partners are vital lifelines to understanding the goals and significance of your work. Understanding the business of art and the financial realities of projects and understanding labor costs and personal worth is crucial. People often overlook or downplay the need for self-care and work/life balance, but it should be a priority in every aspect of your life planning.
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
A challenge in my field is the need for families to get training or recommendations for succession planning. There is a definitive need for people to understand the scope of considerations to properly work with institutions to honor the legacies of their loved ones.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.claudiaelisazapata.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudiaezapata/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-zapata-ab766215/
- Twitter: claudiaezapata
Image Credits
Claudia Zapata. Photo courtesy of Luis M. Garza. Latino Galleries at the Blanton Museum of Art. Photo courtesy of Taryn Mills. Latino Galleries at the Blanton Museum of Art. Photo courtesy of Taryn Mills.
