In a few hours, 2017 will be coming to an end. Reflecting on our past year is apparent on social media. There are a lot of posts in which people share their successes. Successes ranging from overcoming personal challenges to professional development. For many, 2017 was a fabulous year. I couldn’t agree more!
This year has been extremely busy with teaching full-time at Sheboygan North High and part-time at Vermont College of Fine Arts, running the Frank Juarez Gallery, collaborating with one of my dear friends on a co-owned contemporary art collection in Virginia, participating in local speaking engagements, writing art education articles for SchoolArts Magazine, and facilitating professional development for artists workshops in North East and South East Wisconsin.
On December 2nd, I will be achieved one of my professional goals for 2017. That goal was to be a keynote speaker at an art education conference. I spoke to 400+ Illinois art educators on how I balance my professional career as a gallery director, art educator, and artist. This was my largest audience to date.
Every year I tell myself that I will start to say ‘no’ to opportunities. Well, that never happens. About a week prior to my presentation, I received the following from a friend. It was what I needed as I began to envision what I would be saying to these art educators.
“Thank you for sharing and being such an inspiration Frank. Keep at it! As far as saying no, here’s something I took from a visiting artist: “Say yes to everything, if you can’t say yes to something – make an opportunity for someone else to say yes.” That’s you! – Christopher Willey
The truth is that there is so much to accomplish.
Career Highlights
- Joined the National Art Education Foundation as a Board of Trustees.
- Keynote speaker for the Illinois Art Education Association in St. Charles, Illinois.
- Speaker on “How to develop your passion into a meaningful career” at the Launch Wisconsin event at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Moderated by Kim Pigeon Metzner of KPM Arts Consulting.
- Co-edited my first issue of SchoolArts Magazine with Editor, Nancy Walkup, focusing on Advocacy & Action.
- Co-created our first artist grant program via our art collection called the Randall Frank Contemporary Art Collection.
- Radio interview on Yale University Radio on the Randall Frank Contemporary Art Collection Artist Grant Program. Facilitated by Brainard Carey of Praxis.
- Interviewed by Rafael Francisco Salas for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. See the interview on the last page.
- Participated as an exhibitor in the Racine Art Museum’s South East Wisconsin Resource Fair at the Wustum Museum of Fine Arts in Racine, Wisconsin.
- Facilitated Business of Art training workshops and presentations for the CoPA (Coalition of Photographic Arts ) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the Art Garage in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
- Partnered with the Farwell House in Frederick, Illinois as an artist in residency sponsor on behalf of the Midwest Artist Studios Project.
- Re-opened the Frank Juarez Gallery in Milwaukee and created an artist in residency program at the gallery.
- Organized the 8th INDIANA GREEN exhibition with fellow co-curator/artist, Melissa Dorn Richards, which was held at The Arts Mill in Grafton.
- Co-curated The Art of Collage and Assemblage at the Arts Mill in Grafton with John Adams of The Draw. This exhibition is now open at The Draw, 800 S. Lawe Street in Appleton, Wisconsin. We will have a closing reception on Friday, December 15 from 6-9pm.
- The art publication Artdose Art Guide, which I started in 2013, will celebrate its fifth year of promoting the visual arts in North East and South East Wisconsin. What started in Sheboygan is now circulated in Algoma, Cedarburg, Door County, Elkhart Lake, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, and Plymouth. In 2018, it will double its circulation to 2800 copies. http://www.artdoseartguide.com.
- The bi-monthly WI art e-newsletter, which I started in 2016 called FRANK & CO, now operates on a weekly basis. FRANK & CO comes out every Sunday at 7pm. Subscribe today at https://frankjuarez.net/frank-co-wi-art-e-news/
- Presented at the Wisconsin Art Education Association on How to Start your School’s Own Artist in Residency Program, Meditation in Movement: Exploring Space via the Midwest Artist Studios Project, and the DIY Gallery: A Deeper Look into the 365 Artist 365 Days Project How to Guide.
Upcoming in 2018
- INDIANA GREEN at Parts Unknown Gallery in Walker’s Point. Exhibition dates are June 9 – July 21, 2018 with a reception on June 16 from 5-8pm. Co-curated by Frank Juarez & Melissa Dorn Richards.
- The second Midwest Artist Studios Group Show at the Ann Arbor Art Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Fall of 2018.
Stay Connected
instagram.com/frankjuarezgallery
instagram.com/randallfrankartcollection
instagram.com/midwestartiststudios
Websites
FRANK JUÁREZ 