Artist Q&A Dunnington-Jones

Finding success in the art world takes more than just individual talent.

Modern artists need the fellowship of their fellow artists for inspiration and continued exposure. They need patrons and buyers to financially support their work. The art community in general helps spread examples of their work and brings in new fans.

Celebrating that sense of working together is the focus of a new exhibit from the Stutz Artist Association. In partnership with 5547 Project gallery in Irvington, the association has gathered 40 community-centric works of art in its newest exhibition, “Artville.”

The juried show brought together artists to display their concepts of togetherness in the art world, gallery co-director Leigh Dunnington-Jones said.

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“Artville” is showing in the Raymond James Stutz Art Gallery, 212 W. 10th St., B110, through Jan. 30. Gallery admission is free and open to the public, and hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

To prepare people for what they’ll see, Dunnington-Jones explained the concept behind this work.

How did this come about?

“Artville” is a partnership between Irvington art gallery the 5547 Project and the Stutz. We partnered to produce this art exhibit. Their part was called “Arttown,” and ours was “Artville.” We had artists from all over submit works, and the highest-juried pieces were accepted into the gallery.

What was the central idea behind the exhibit?

It was open to any kind of work and theme, but it was supposed to be something along the lines that, “Producing art takes a village. Getting it out there and selling it takes a village.”

How did you try to show that?

We had all kinds of artists. We had musicians, graphic artists, projectionists and a little bit of everything. So the theme Artville was celebrating all of the different types of art.

Had you ever done anything like this in the past?

It was the first partnership like this we’ve ever done, and I think we’ll try to do it again. At the opening reception Jan. 10, they had limousines running back and forth between Irvington and the Stutz. We got a lot of people into the Stutz who had never been there before. We learned a lot and met a lot of new artists.

What are the benefits of this type of partnership?

The whole thing was starting new conversations between artists. We wanted to meet new people and get new ideas, to see what people were working on throughout the city. And we could pool our resources.

— Compiled by Ryan Trares

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