When an artist establishes a business you just know that the concept will be creative and excitingly different. And so it is with Minna George’s new enterprise Art Experiences.
By Claire Louise Cohen
Although Minna’s business is formally launched this year, as with all good ideas it is grounded in a solid base: Minna has a substantial track record in the world of art. Minna studied at the Chelsea College of Art from 2003-2006. She then worked in galleries in Chelsea and found herself becoming an informal art consultant, especially to Bulgarians wanting to exhibit their work in the UK.
Jon Spencer, Photographer
Младата дама започва да натрупва сериозен опит и да създава ценни контакти в света на изкуството. С времето осъзнава колко обичат хората да общуват в галерията, създавайки контакти в творческото пространство. Мина открива себе си във възможността да свързва хора, които имат общи интереси и се нуждаят от лични консултации. Така естествено се заражда нова бизнес концепция и след като Мина се консултира със съпруга си, който има отличен маркетингов опит, заедно решават, че е време да създадат собствен бизнес.
Studio of Michael Wallner, Photographer
Nearly four years ago she quit working for galleries to set up Art Experiences. This took the form of gift packages tailored to an individual’s requirements. Her clients ranged from complete beginners who were curious to know more about aspects of the world of fine art, to people who had put their artistic passion on hold and now had the opportunity to create art again. Minna’s clients include professionals such as lawyers and bankers, artists from overseas who need direction in how to express themselves in the UK art market, and architects who are good at technical drawing but want to find their creative depth.
Minna George, Founding Partner
Minna enables her clients to individually meet top professional artists in fields such as painting, photography, printmaking, sculpting, modern media and life drawing. She has arranged art experiences as diverse as aerial photography from a helicopter to printmaking in a woodland using natural materials. The art experience could be described as a taster session – but one with a concrete result. ‘The client chooses from our list of artists who they would like to work with,’ explained Minna. ‘An example of a typical day would be individual tuition in the morning with the artist alongside you while you create your piece of work. At a suitable break, for example while the work is drying or in the kiln, lunch will be served. It will have a celebratory feel with champagne if desired – celebrating that you have created a piece of art! And this is key – our experience days break the cycle of feeling you are never getting anything creative achieved.’
In just over two years Minna’s business has had more than 50 clients and she is now working with her husband Stephen to launch it on a bigger platform. A new website is currently under construction and Art Experiences will be formally launched this summer. The platform will be open to painters, sculptors, print makers, potters, silversmiths, life drawing, photographers, landscape and other discipline artists who have their own studio and could demonstrate and/or teach their skill. Minna has found that artists themselves like working with her business because she is one of them and understands their needs. Minna has exciting plans to expand her business’s reach to Europe, adding art holidays in scenic European destinations to its portfolio of choices for clients.
Mina has exciting plans to expand the reach of its business in Europe by adding to its portfolio of client offerings, art vacations to scenic European destinations. Sounds wonderfully inspiring – where do I sign up?
Learn more at: www.artexperiences.co.uk
