Are there things that you avoid doing or progression in your artistic career that you have not attempted because there are things you are uncomfortable with or just don’t know where to start? Those are the kinds of things discussed with my guest, Meghana Giridhar, founder of Let’s Curate, an artist’s platform centered on a collaborative approach to selling art and connecting their artists with the best avenues for their creative endeavors.
Join us as we discuss what holds some artists back, what steps you might take to make stronger connections with your potential buyers and the wider world. This chat offers ideas, motivation, and inspiration to help you take on those as yet unattained or unexplored areas of potential growth in your artistic journey.
Contact my guest:
Meghana Giridhar – https://www.letscurate.com/america/about-us
Email: info@letscurate.com
Online Shop – https://www.letscurate.com/europe/gift-from-the-globe.html
Retail Store Showcase – https://flyingsolo.nyc/designer/label-x-by-lets-curate/
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/lets_curate/ or https://www.facebook.com/discoverletscurate/
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CREDITS:
Cover design by Sage; Illustration by Olga Kostenko
Music by Playsound
Transcript
Meghana-
Someone who’s looking at your work and happens to hear you speaking about it may relate to that in some weird manner. So first of all, it’s an insight into your thoughts and everyone is inherently very curious.
Sage-
If we weren’t, there would be so much. Reality TV. Hello all my bold, brazen creatives out there. You for joining. Me on the Sage Arts podcast. This is sage of course, and I have a guest to share with you today. That’s a little bit different than our usual. She’s not an artist of the visual type, but rather she works on the other side of it from us. She’s a curator and artist advocate, so we actually get to hear from someone who is trying to help artists sell rather than what the artist experience is in selling and promoting and all those businessy things that we do. It’s really a rich conversation that’s a little longer than usual, so I’m going to keep the. Intro. Really short. We’re all good here in California so. You know, if you want to come in and join me in the studio as per usual. Comfy chair is here and waiting for you. Amber is under the. Desk so it’s all clear everywhere. And as far as business, there wasn’t much conversation this last week, so I don’t have stories to share or. Thank yous or. Shout outs. Probably because I wasn’t very. Active on social media and the like. It’s been, I don’t know, maybe the busiest week of my year. Somehow with the in laws transplanting over to our neighborhood and me jumping over to their house. As they need things and talking to, I don’t know. Maybe 10, maybe 12 different contractors for some sudden repairs that we need to get going on the House. And and I also have some news and things that have been coming up, new things that I will be doing outside of the. Podcast, But I’ll give you. A little rundown in the newsletter first, and then next week I’ll talk about it a bit more. And if you haven’t signed up for the newsletter yet, you can do that on the homepage. The sagearts.com just look for the news and notices button. The newsletter gets all the extra stuff that might go with the podcast episode. In any case, if you need any of those links that normally throw out because you do want to send me some stories, or you do want to donate, or you want to catch the reels. And things that are on social media go to thesagearts.com website or go to the description or show notes in the podcast player or page that you’re listening to this on and you’ll find that all there. So today’s conversation is going to be primarily focused on the things that we as artists don’t necessarily like to do and ways to either get yourself to do it or find options to get it done for you and just ideas for you to do things that can help promote you as a working artist or get you over those hurdles that we have to navigate as creatives who want to get a work. Help there so for questions. You might want to keep in mind. Are there things that you avoid doing or progress in your artistic career that you have not attempted because there are things you are not comfortable with or just don’t know? Where to start? Those are the kinds of things we’re going to. Be discussing and. Hopefully we can give you some ideas and motivation and inspiration to take on those as yet unattained or unexplored areas of potential growth in your artistic journey. So with that, let’s go join my guest. My guest today is Megna Giridhar. She is an entrepreneur, artist, advocate, and founder of Let’s Curate, a New York based global curator platform empowering independent artisans. Thanks so much for joining us today.
Meghana-
Great to be here and I’ve so been looking forward to our chat says thanks. For having me.
Speaker
Too so.
Sage-
This is a little different from me since I commonly interview artists, but you aren’t an artist yourself. You help artists, you curate artists. That’s what your site. Is called. So tell us a. Little bit about what you. Do and in your words who you are and what your relationship is to art and artists.
Meghana-
So like you correctly mentioned, I’m the founder of a curator platform and if the term is a bit vague for people just to clarify, my platform is a space for creators and potentially discerning customers to kind of get together and connect. I started this platform in 2019. After 10 plus years of being in the corporate field, you know I did my usual thing of pursuing a management degree and I. Worked with a bunch of nonprofit organizations.
Sage-
Right.
Meghana-
We see firms, you know, the story starts just like many other stories begin.
Sage-
Somewhere else.
Meghana-
But in 2019, Yes, 2019, something changed and I launched this platform with a group of 10 people from 10 countries. All of them were creators. I think of it as a dynamic. Collaborative space for people to cry. It and for them to connect with people who appreciate the process that goes into all of that.
Sage-
Right. I just I I just love that concept. That’s why we had to have you on because. Just the idea. Of being for the artists rather than just like for the sale or for the I mean we want to be for the customers of course, but. Artists need that kind of support.
Meghana-
And the germ of the idea. It came out of and I’m I’m a travel junkie and I’m crazy about traveling. And I’ve done. That, you know, I think it’s also. Thanks to my parents who basically put me on an airplane the minute I was born. And then all I’ve been.
Sage-
Doing all these blood, yeah.
Speaker
It’s up to you.
Meghana-
Know countless countless flights and countless train rides and things like that. But it it kind of came out of where I met different people and something about them made me realize that why are they? Not, you know. Known more than where they are from. I’m I’m one of those kind of you can call me picky. I’m one of. Those picky? OK.
Sage-
We’ll call picky, Sir.
Meghana-
You don’t necessarily going go to like the usual tourist traps. You know, I’ve always been intrigued by the culture of a place. And you know everything that makes a place special. So I’ve always. Been in the. Habit of looking beyond the expected and that included initially. Looking for stores that had different kinds of handmade products. And happened to meet 10 beautiful creators from 10 countries, and this was all during the time that I was working in an organization, my corporate life. And somehow I kept in touch with them and they gave me the support that I needed when I was about to make this crazy jump. And they were like, yes, we were behind you. Let’s see. Where this goes?
Sage-
So they supported you to support them. That’s such a winway. Now, do you create visually at all yourself? Do you have any other creative outlets beyond the business? Mean business is.
Meghana-
So in terms of creating in the the truest way, it’s described. I’m not a painter or a sculptor. I don’t make jewelry, but I do write creatively and like I said, you know, there’s something about travel that has unlocked a creative aspect of my brain. That’s the part that really. Makes this whole thing a life for me, so for me that is creating in terms of, not the typical definition.
Sage-
Absolutely agree. Travel is such an inspiration, not just a source, but a motivation. For what we do creatively, yeah.
Meghana-
100 percent, 100%. You know there’s something about being in a place that is strange that does not have all the things that you see countless times during your day-to-day routine that just unlock something in the subconscious. I think I’ve had my most creative ideas when I’ve been in a A probably a cottage in the mountains.
Speaker
Right.
Meghana-
It’s just about being away from your day-to-day because that really bogs. The mind down too.
Sage-
The the brain has ruts that it goes and actually did an episode on it. But yeah, the brain it wakes up, it needs new experiences feed you means that was the name of the episode. But yeah, absolutely. And travels one of the best ways cause everything’s new. The people are new foods, new language. Sometimes it’s new. Yeah. Yeah, definitely does. Wake up the. Brain well explain. To us how your artists. Brought on board, how do you find them and what’s the process for for bringing them in and then maybe more clearly explain what it is that you do for them. What is the partnership?
Meghana-
You know, as I said, the initial first group of 10 artisans was a very organic fine because it happened through my travel. We launched in June 2019 and initially we launched it as a shop as an E shop, just like many other platforms. The only difference was that my collections and the designers that I had curated truly had refreshing ideas and very interesting designs. What happened was it just grew by word of mouth, so by the end of December. By January 20, 2020. You know, we had grown by a decent number and we had, you know, signed up for all these in person events. We were going to go kind of literally travel the country and show people stuff, art galleries, of course, COVID hit. And you know, the world came to a stop and it was paralyzing. I have to say the first few weeks I. Didn’t know what I wanted to do and I was like, wow. Is this a sign that? This was the worst idea that.
Sage-
Not meant to be.
Meghana-
I ever had, but. You know what happened was it actually turned out to be a blessing because I was forced to pivot and I was forced to change the way I thought. So then I was like, this cannot just be a shop, I’m talking about it being a collaborative space. How is it collaborative if I’m just showing something online with like 5 scarves and like 4 rings? Like, how is that different? Because we had all these products with us that we were going to show at in person events, we launched something called ready to ship and these were custom one off pieces. But the thing was if you liked it, we would. Ship it within two hours. Oh, wow. So we yeah, we kind of changed track and we said you know what, we can’t travel anywhere, but we can actually ship it to you. So that was ready to ship Limited edition where people came to us and they said now we’re stumped because, you know, we were in the process of making this big collection. And now I have nowhere to source materials from. I’m locked in my house.
Speaker
Right, yeah.
Meghana-
I have 4 pieces. Ready. How can you help so limited edition collection are ready to ship? Artist spotlight the video interviews all of these were launched in 2020. 2021 we decided to kind of step back, usually into in person. Events didn’t go very well, but that helped us actually strengthen all these other avenues that we had launched. I think if we had again jump back into in person, we would not have enough time to create a strong foundation. So it’s grown. Like I said, very slowly, very organically, word of mouth, we do do a lot of social media promotion. Because my whole point is to try to show the world all these amazing ideas and creations that have been made and they don’t have time for that because they’re busy creating and right, that’s my whole thing because I’m like, you are good at this and I’m good at this. So you do your part and I do my. Best to showcase you in the best possible. What theme point am I not addressing that will help you just be free to create and then for us to kind of get you to the right buyer or the right audience?
Sage-
Right, yeah, very. Artist focused. That’s just refreshing. That’s not usually how it goes. So does. Let’s curate basically operate as a marketplace?
Meghana-
I would say it’s a marketplace and. Resource Center. I would call it that.
Sage-
OK.
Meghana-
It’s where you can, as a creator, dig in and say I like this. I like this. Let’s do these two things or I’m just going to do this and I’ll do the other thing later. So I’m giving them all the possible options, yes.
Sage-
As far as like sales? Sale of options.
Meghana-
Sales sales.
Sage-
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Meghana-
I’m giving you all the possible options. You pick and choose what you want or you say, OK you. What we won’t do any of these things, but we participate in an in person event. So in 2022 and this year, we finally went back and did our first in person event at Art Expo where we presented 6 ceramics and painters textile designers from six countries. So last year was three people. This time was six people. We’re again participating next year. So we kind of. Slowly dipping our toes into in person events.
Sage-
So how? How is it that you bring buyers to this kind of marketplace for your artist?
Meghana-
So we’ve done a lot of these in person events. We actually have an in House exhibition where we would be doing pop-up events. We partner with, for example, in later this year, we’re we’re partnering with New York City Jewelry Week, which is like an entire week of celebrating independent designers, so. Hopefully all of this helps out.
Sage-
Wonderful. Now I’m. Going to get into some little fun to. Get to know your questions. Didn’t throw anything really hard at. You I’ve really tortured some people, but how would?
Meghana-
It is.
Sage-
Your family or friends describe what it is that.
Meghana-
You do, I think by. Now they will visualize me as someone creative and someone. Is not afraid to try something new. I’ve grown to be that kind of person. I feel over the years. Yeah, it was timid steps, and now I actually feel quite fearless about doing a lot of things that I earlier would have never even expressed in words or even if I had the thought I would have probably just buried that thought thinking. Ohh this is just not. Yeah, not gonna happen.
Sage-
Sometimes we need. To see what we’re made of, first we take those little steps and little steps and gain that. Opponents now if someone was to write a biography of you today, what do you think the. Title would be.
Meghana-
I would love for it to be something like would be boxed in. It won’t.
Speaker
Be boxed in.
Meghana-
Exclamation point no, it doesn’t sound like.
Sage-
You could be boxed in so. So it might be can’t be boxed in.
Meghana-
I don’t know, but I always. Feel like ohh there are all these forces that are trying. To, you know and. I don’t mean people. You know I had. A cushy job I was doing very well in my corporate job. I was in by no means unhappy. This was not like, oh, I’m having a midlife crisis. What do I do now you know? I really need to like, make a dramatic change. It wasn’t any. Of those things. I feel like it was a voice from within that. Just said you know. It’s you’ve done this. You’ve done this for a lot. Time you’re cruising and I think you should stop cruising and you know.
Sage-
Yeah, yeah.
Meghana-
Try something that’s a bit scary.
Sage-
Yeah, trying something new, just like you said. So yeah, I. Yeah, we, I’ve done that too. I love my corporate job to. Go be an. Artist and they were like what I. Was like, oh, no, it’s only good. To me worked out. So yeah, there’s.
Meghana-
You know, there’s a threat to. It it’s because it’s just it’s.
Sage-
I think ohh my goodness.
Meghana-
It’s just. It’s literally like being in like a dark forest and you don’t know where you’re going, what you’re doing. But it’s it’s just an adventure and I feel like a lot of times you’re faced with that. You know, you’re at the crossroads and you’re like, you know, I could just keep along this path, which is bright and sunny, and I know exactly where I’m. Going right or? Maybe I could just try this out. I always tell myself this when I’m attempting something you. What’s the worst that could happen? I’m going to fall flat on my face. I’m going to fail miserably. But you know, I have other tools and I have other skills and I can always go back to a path that I know how to walk on, right? So if not now, when right.
Sage-
What would you say is your most? Memorable travel adventure and why is it so memorable?
Meghana-
There are quite a few in my mind, but I. Kind of on and on one, this was during my trip to Morocco a few years ago, and typically I plan everything. This was a trip. We were just like, let’s just go and we’ll just figure something out and we go and stay in like this traditional Moroccan hotel slash house and the owners came up and they said. Oh, you have. To go for this hot air balloon. It’s it’s really. Listening, and that’s all they said. And we were like, OK, that sounds great. Let’s do it. And I didn’t know what that meant. Waking up at 3:00 AM. In the morning so they so they they the previous night at dinner they’re like OK, so you know, we’re gonna knock on your door at like 245. And we were like ohh is it super is like yeah, you know are we going to go.
Sage-
Ohh yeah. In the afternoon.
Meghana-
They were like, no, it’s 2:45 in. The morning and I said, oh. OK. All right. So we we don’t know anything about this city. There’s this little child who knocks on the door at 2:45 AM and he’s like, OK, just come with me and we’re walking through these narrow.
Sage-
Kidnap us? It’s it’s.
Meghana-
Right. At that point, I was a little obsessed with Game of Thrones, so it felt very. Everything right like like. It started off with me feeling so uncomfortable with this whole thing because I was like, I’m in a strange country.
Speaker
Right.
Meghana-
I don’t know who this child is.
Sage-
Right.
Meghana-
Why have they sent a child to pick me up? Where am I going then? He transports. Us to a. Deep and this guy, he was like a character in the movie, like completely covered up. And he said, you know, we’re going. To go to the desert.
Speaker
Excuse me.
Meghana-
So there it’s still pitch. I can’t see him. He can’t see me. He’s like, just get on the Jeep. So me, my husband, he like. Driving in the dark, it’s super early. But by this time I’m still uncomfortable, but. I’m still like. OK, there’s a little bit of. Thrill that’s creeping in.
Sage-
Sure. Yeah.
Meghana-
You know, and then we get to the desert and it’s still pitched dark and there’s a giant. Armus hot air balloon being filled up and he said OK, you know what, I’m now handing you over to the third person, all strangers. We don’t know their names. We at Guinness. Just leaves us and. I don’t know who’s picking. Us up and you know I’m. A bit of a control freak. So that was super scary. Like watching happen. Anyway, so we get on the hot air balloon and, you know, we we. Rising and I. Have to tell you it was an incredible. Feeling because they had timed it in such a way that the hot air balloon and the sunrise was at the same exact time. And I still have goosebumps when I think about this because it was just incredible. The Sun rose to a certain point. We were at that same exact point and then you can see a sunrise like spreading across the horizon. So it’s like it’s like liquid gold. You know, This is why those people were not communicating much, because when I came down, they said, you know, we never tell people what the whole thing is about like. Step by step it’s just go with the flow, but it was such a great reminder to myself that sometimes you just have to. Follow what people are telling you, and it was just incredible. I I thought really sticks out to me.
Sage-
And that that’s one of the things about we do a lot of things that we don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s just so wonderful because you didn’t have those expectations and that actually is going to key into a little bit of our conversation today about kind of facing things that you’re not really comfortable with.
Meghana-
Exactly, yes.
Sage-
And it’s funny because I almost always ask my guests if they’re planner or pantser. I didn’t even bother. Get that question down for you. Because I like. She’s a planner. She is so. Yeah, I could tell. I’m like we got other. Things to talk about. We know this so. Well, let’s kind of get into our subject matter today. We talked initially when we met about artists and being sometimes uncomfortable about trying new things, so we going to talk about taking unexpected avenues, honing your skills and maybe new directions. But before we totally get into that, what is it about handmade art that personally draws? You because that’s specifically. Looking at that, let’s curate right.
Meghana-
Yes, my network comprises of India. Which will artisans and designers who focus only on the handmade slow fashion philosophy. Handmade by itself is special because there’s a lot of the person in that product. I hate using the word product, but you know it’s it’s the creation or whatever they come up with.
Sage-
Yeah, right. Is what it?
Speaker
Is, yeah.
Meghana-
But the thing that really. Excites me is that. It’s a form of storytelling. Without anyone realizing that they’re telling a story and you know, as you keep building on that it’s you’re kind of unconsciously building a legacy or you’re passing on a legacy to someone who has liked it and is inspired by it. So many of my artists, you know, now my platform represents about 70 plus creators. Most of them either continuing what they’ve learned from generations past, which is great because you know, there are so many dying arts artists find it’s a challenge to be an artist, to stay true to what you really want to do. So there are many of them who. Kind of following the path that they were taught, and there are many who have spun it around on its head and they have their own contemporary interpretations for that. But the foundation is still kind of the stories that they were told in terms of the techniques that they were taught or processes that, you know, maybe they they grandfather did. And you know, now it’s obviously. But the a sense is telling stories. Yeah, it’s it’s a way of communicating who you are. And you are not one person. You are not just you. You are, I would say in a combination of everyone who came before you and everyone that you will meet right in the future and to bring that all together.
Sage-
Right, yeah.
Meghana-
It’s something that you make. That to me, is very thrilling. It it cannot happen, you know, on a machine.
Sage-
Yeah, right. And you mentioned slow fashion and I don’t know if everybody knows. What that is? A quick definition.
Meghana-
Yes, slow fashions. Essentially, you know, these are artisans who take the time. It’s it’s literally what slow means. You take the time to perfect your art. They don’t work with deadlines, there’s no machines used for these kinds of things. So slow fashion essentially is using sustainable products, taking your time to perfect your art and kind of changing lanes. And you want to.
Sage-
Yeah, that’s a different attitude. Yeah, I mean, I I know about slow fashion in terms of the environmentally friendly aspect and whatnot. I never thought about like it. If it works all the way through to the maker. As well, yeah. OK, now when we first met, you mentioned that you thought there were significant avenues that. Artists didn’t readily Expo. For can you explain what kind of avenues you were referring to and what an exploration of them could do for an independent artist?
Meghana-
I love this question because I think this was the basis of my entire idea to kind. Of kick start this. So like I said, during my travels, I met about 10 people from 10 countries and they were people who were working. In isolation. So they were in little towns sourced their own materials, you know, literally went to farms and got like, the cotton, and then the spun the cotton cotton, that kind of stuff.
Sage-
Wow. Yeah, yeah.
Meghana-
So they had never even shown their stuff beyond the little town. That they were in that to me was shocking because it was like a visual treat because I had found these things and it was a shame that their mind had not even gone to that phase where they felt confident that they could actually present their work beyond that little space.
Sage-
Ohh right, yeah.
Meghana-
Again, there’s nothing wrong with being happy with where you are. But I think as a creator, it also inspires you to push the boundaries a little bit. So I think the biggest challenge for these ten people was they were just scared to challenge themselves. So one of our very first creators is this person who makes wouldn’t boomerangs, and he is based in the little town. Outside Lithuania, like just buy Lithuania. OK. Yeah. And then. He you know. He had a little website where he did stuff. It was very mom and pop kind of thing, he had learned this from his dad. So when I spoke to him, he said Ohh, you know, I’ve never. I’ve never even been out of this. So he was frightening.
Sage-
Himself, not just his art.
Meghana-
Yeah, it was frightening. And I was like, this is unacceptable. Like, this cannot. So I think, you know, looking beyond what’s around you has been a challenge for many of the people that I. Have curated they were also, I think, even in small towns there was this thing of ohh if I don’t have 50 pieces in a collection, there’s no way I can show this to anyone again. This is something that is through literature, through social media. This is something that is kind of in everyone’s brain and I don’t know why, where they feel, oh, if I just make. One piece I can’t even show that and that actually came to our rescue during COVID because we were like, you know what, you have two pieces. You’re three pieces. That’s perfectly fine. We’ll start something called a limited edition collection. Why wouldn’t someone who likes that technique not want to have? One and that will never be made again.
Sage-
No one else will have, yeah.
Meghana-
So yeah, but they didn’t think that way. And again, they’re not at fault because everything around them tells them that you need to have a full blown completed cohesive collection to kind of show people or even take the first step of presenting it, you know, presenting your work was another. Thing that many people are very reluctant. To do because it’s talking about yourself, either because of cultural reasons or because of justice situations around you, many people are like, oh, I’m just going to create. And if someone likes it, they will come to me. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. You have to have a way of communicating what you want to show in your work. And it has to be through either digital medium through written content, through something it’s part and parcel of being a creator. And it’s something that many people are not comfortable with, and I get it because many of them are introverted. Many of them have language. Barriers, but I think it’s very, very important. You have to advocate for yourself. This was something which was sorely lacking among the people that I met initially, and I now feel I have a little more confidence and a manner in which I can gently persuade them and help them understand that it’s not wasted effort. It’s actually very cruel.
Sage-
Right. I mean, even if you’re not introverted or you’ve never left a small town, just doing art is a vulnerable act. And so to go farther to. Try to show people what you do. It’s just I can.
Meghana-
Yes, yes, most.
Sage-
Be a very scary thing for.
Meghana-
But you know what? What they don’t realize is that people are waiting. To hear from them. People feel like they need to have, like a very exciting or a dramatic story, and it has to be something sensational and then people will set up and listen, I don’t think. So what you think is mundane is not mundane to me at all. So people just feel also very hindered by the fact that, oh, you know what I’m saying is just so boring. Like, why would I ever want to like talk about that? But I think there is some beauty in everything because we are all existing in our own little worlds. So right. From outside, that is just so refreshing and when it is in the form of an idea that you created something out of, I think that’s just spectacle.
Sage-
Yeah, I mean it’s new and different to us or if it’s even the same kind of things that we do, we feel connected to people who are like us. And so the more you can show of yourself, the more people are actually connected to your artwork. And I found that as a as a working artist that if I was actually at a show and I did a class or I did a presentation, was sold a lot more because people felt like they knew me. And then they felt like the art meant more to them.
Meghana-
You’ve hit the nail on the head. I think it is about making a.
Sage-
Now, have you examined why artists may be reticent to go down these avenues, even if you’ve explained this stuff to them? And if you have were you able to find out why this aversion seems prevalent amongst all these artists that you’re working with?
Meghana-
I really think it boils down to the horrors of social media. You know, social media is just even now I’m glad that now people are changing course a little bit, but it’s still to this day is all about perfection, the perfect face, the perfect life.
Sage-
Right.
Meghana-
The roles that one has to play perfectly, so I have two, two young kids and there was this tick tock of this lady talking about all the lunches that she makes for her kids with these elaborate designed. She had different lunch boxes for every day of the week. The sandwiches were like, Oh my God. And it took me a while to get. Proud of that whole thing, and I was actually, to be honest, I was a little ashamed of myself because I was like, I am an educated person. Like this is not reality. It’s not possible. For a working mother.
Sage-
Right, yeah.
Meghana-
Or not even you don’t even. Have to be a working mother, even just being. A mother. This is a hard benchmark to kind of get to.
Sage-
Ah, no.
Meghana-
So I think this it’s constantly in your face, I think especially for creators. And like you’re saying, they’re so vulnerable because it’s abstract. It’s an idea that, you know, only you have thought of. Only you have understood that and you have to communicate that. I think that makes them very reticent. This whole thing about being perfect, I would say, even with art gallery. It’s it’s ironic because it’s all about welcoming new talent and discovering the next big new thing. But they have so many boundaries even to get in that is tease a little bit with COVID because I think they have to adapt. But earlier you needed. You know, you couldn’t even step into an art gallery without having all the 10 things that they need. For them to even give you an appointment to see your work that step itself, I think so many incredible people must have just stepped back and just said no. You know what this is? This is too much. I’m I’m nowhere close to even.
Sage-
Sure. Yeah, yeah.
Meghana-
Half of what they’re expecting, so why should I even put my hat in the ring? So I think having to be with it all the time, I think that makes people really nervous. That’s one angle. The other angle is, like I said, communicating your thought process. You could show something to someone and they could interpret it. Completely in a different way. Either that’s gonna crush you or you just take. It and you just. Say, oh, you know what? That’s their own interpretations for that. Again, people are scared about finding that out. And of course, fear of failure. You’re so attempted to say no. When something unknown comes your way. All of these things just, I think, hold many, many, not just creators. I think just people back.
Sage-
Well, I think it’s interesting what you’re saying like you’re seeing a. Really high bar for artists that we didn’t really deal with so much before because of social media. And I’m not and I and I. Have to agree it can be. Very depressing. Sometimes as a creator to. Get online and. Seeing people do these things that you know you’ll never be able to accomplish, that I’ll never be able to do that. But you shouldn’t either. And that’s the thing that we tend to miss is like, you shouldn’t be doing what they’re doing. You shouldn’t be reaching what they’re reaching cause you’re going to reach whatever works for. But you’re right that high. Are is does make us like why are we bothering?
Meghana-
Yeah, exactly.
Sage-
Do you think there are one or two avenues or skills that you would highly recommend artists acquire or hone above all else if they’re going to do something that they’re not comfortable with?
Meghana-
I think you have to research. The business a little bit. You cannot live in a bubble. You should not also try to be like other people, but you have to know what the business is about, because let’s face it, it is a business. Yes, there’s a difference between creating for an audience versus a hobby. The people in my network, it’s sort of a hobby. For them, they. Hope to make money off it. They hope to be successful in it, be known in their field, which means you need to know what the field is about. I think you need to know what the trends are and not because you need to follow a trend, but it could possibly put you on a path.
Sage-
Is your own.
Meghana-
Little journey, but you cannot live on an island. Networking is something that I find a bit tricky because it’s fine up to a certain point. I’m in New York City, you know, this is like the headquarters of constant networking and it’s exhausting. So I think you should also have this skill to say, OK, this is what I will do. And I should get something out of that where I learn something new, or I find a new partner, or I find a new person to source materials from. I need not be spending 24/7 doing this, so kind of knowing if you’re networking at what point do you step away because you’ve got what you wanted. I think that’s important. And the third thing is that. It’s not possible without some savings. Without some income, you know as a backup. So just by my example I work for 10 years in the corporate field. I had enough of my own savings. I have certain clients who come to me now and then from my corporate life, who want me to do certain projects now and then. And I do that. Because that money and those resources and that revenue is what I’m feeding into my business. And the reason I can function well and function with cone. Evidence and function from a position of strength is because I have that money. There is this whole thing about the starving artist thing. There’s so many jokes about them and I have a very strong view about that, and it may not be a popular view, but I don’t think you should put all your eggs in one basket, even if you’re in illustrator, you should have enough of a foundation for you to be. Able to do something that gives you a regular income stream so that you know at least your mind is not burdened by that thought. Because I don’t know how you can create if you’re worrying about paying the rent.
Sage-
Right, exactly. So have a safety net, which isn’t necessarily what most people think about when they get into our work for a lot of people, it’s a very slow process. I mean, a lot of people that you’re meeting, it was passed down through the family or generations of people, and then a lot of people you. Know like that that I. Know have ran into it later in life where they had tried early. And then they came back to it later. And so it ends up being a slow process. This, but you still need to plan for having a safety net in order to be able to take those steps that you. To take without being. Concerned that what happens if it goes wrong? What what are you going to fall back on? Because I could stop you from doing what it is that. You want to do or feel that you need to do right?
Meghana-
And you know, I’ve seen a lot of people push back when I say this, but I think for me, I feel very strongly about it because that’s what I’m doing right now on. A day-to-day basis. This this is a very unstable business. This is not a dry cleaning business which you you can plan ahead. You know what’s going to happen next. This is a path that I’ve chosen that is very unstable. I want to stay nimble. I want my platform to stay dynamic and not be boughta for those reasons I am doing exactly what I’m saying. I think creators. To do that, and it can be in the field that you are in, you know, teach somewhere or something.
Sage-
Is that something that you work with your artists on or? Encourage, at least to these. People that you work with.
Meghana-
I definitely do encourage whenever I speak to someone new, we always start with the phone call and I always say that listen, this is not a business of guarantees. So I do try to encourage especially people who they’re like, oh, you know, I’ve been an architect for like, 15 years, and I’m just going to quit my job. Yes, if you have enough of a safety net, sure, I feel you can do it. It also keeps you connected with the real world. You’re not. Also, you know, kind of in your little studio all the. Time you know.
Sage-
Yeah, you do feel like. You are in your own. World it looks can be problematic too, but.
Meghana-
Yeah, yeah. You know, because it all, it all ties in with then you feeling more hesitant to talk about people talk to people, tell them about who you are because you’re again in your own world of 1. But when you’re, you know when you’re in the same field, but you see working in a job, there is an exchange of ideas. I mean, man is a social animal, so there is. You’ve got to accept that.
Sage-
Right. Yeah, it’s it’s one of the reasons I do things like this. I think artists need to get more input from the outside. So because otherwise you are in a vacuum and it it can be very stifling. And make your work very stale as well. Now talking about once process, so an artist audience or customers can get to know them better. Seemed very important to you in our. So how does talking about once process, do you think? Help them connect with the people they’re trying to reach? And are there other advantages to consider as well, whether it’s speaking or writing or putting themselves out there on video?
Meghana-
I think the biggest thing is kind of like a map into your mind, which, like I said, people are very interested. And that they want to know your story. They want to know what inspired you and when you are vulnerable. And people again feel like, oh, we should just talk about the good. I think as creators, it’s a process filled with angst. There’s like the good, the bad, mostly bad.
Sage-
Things are bad, yeah.
Meghana-
But you know, but it’s, I think if you. Speak about them. Someone who’s looking at your work and happens to hear you speaking about it may relate to that in some weird manner. So first of all, it’s an insight into you. Or thoughts and everyone is inherently very curious.
Sage-
If we weren’t, there wouldn’t be. So much reality TV.
Meghana-
Exactly, exactly. I mean, it doesn’t mean the plot stays the same, it’s just different. People, right? And but it is.
Sage-
You’re right, it’s it’s all those little.
Meghana-
Things right, because it’s not a linear connection. You know you had a bad experience. I’m not going to have the same bad experience, but I think I know how you felt. And when you made the breakthrough that trials, you know, it’s nice to share that it also is a way which most people don’t realize. You will find your people when you speak.
Sage-
Right. Yeah, yeah.
Meghana-
One way or the other, you will find your tribe. I mean, that’s why kids are amazing because they seamlessly move through friendship so beautifully, because they just always, they just always open and transcendent. And you know, they just they just themselves all the time, they don’t hiding their feelings. So you will find your people and. I think also not only will you find your own. People, you will also. Get a more defined perspective for your. I like this. I don’t like this. I don’t agree with what he said, but I think this argument that he. Made is interesting. So maybe I can use that. I think those kinds of things are are crucial.
Sage-
So really finding out more about yourself in the process, yeah.
Meghana-
Yeah, exactly. By listening to other people.
Sage-
Well, it’s interesting as you’re talking about this, I’m just thinking about the process. Is that like from both sides, as someone who views and loves art or someone who’s create? I mean, the more we talk about things, the better we understand in general. But I do think like the more that I spent time putting together classes or writing books or writing articles, the more I really got to understand what I knew and what I understood and what I liked to be doing just by the by the process of trying to explain it to somebody else. It’s like in therapy. They tell you to write things down, even though it’s in your head, because when you have to put it down in black and white, you have to explain it and you have to think it through and really understand it in order to find the words for it. And as visual artists, sometimes that’s hard because words aren’t what people work with necessarily, but having to.
Meghana-
Right.
Sage-
Do it it just. Wishes you to really think through what you’re doing and write right now.
Meghana-
One, I agree.
Sage-
Do you have any advice for artists that can’t or really aren’t comfortable with being more open and reaching now through these avenues that we’re discussing, do you think there’s ways that people can become more comfortable or small steps that they? Can take to get them to the point where they could talk more.
Meghana-
About themselves in their work, you know, you just mentioned one of the simplest things, which is to just write stuff down. You don’t need to speak, you don’t need to be in a group of people. You can just write stuff down, I think. That like exactly? The way you you beautifully explain it just. As you’re writing your mind just gets more and more clear, so that’s the simplest thing. A couple of other things I think you need to find partners when I say partners, it’s not someone who’s doing your job. It’s someone who’s adding to what you are doing, so it can be platforms that can be a connecting partner between you and your potential. And then surround yourself with people who are invested in you. All the people that I have right now. Always tell them this is not like we collaborate once and OK, goodbye. By March 30th, we’re done. It’s a partnership for life. That’s how I view it and it’s going to evolve as you get older or as you kind of pivot lanes. When you have someone who’s invested in you, who will take away that part, which may be challenging for you, say speaking for yourself. It’s already a good feeling because you’re free of that and you found someone who’s equally passionate about what you are doing, and it’s not an altruistic thing. I I am. Just getting something out of it, you. Know so it’s it’s. The rules are very clear, but if you are unable to advocate for yourself, I think it’s good to have people who will do it for you in the best possible manner because everyone has a skill set. Like I said, I don’t paint and I don’t make jewellery, but I think I do have a sense of what would be great for this particular person. And again, it’s not me telling them this is 123. You have to do that. It’s me saying I think these are possibilities. Have you thought through them? Let’s try them out. What do you? So it’s it is a collaboration, you know it’s it is a collaborative space. Through and through from beginning to till the end it is. It is a partnership that is based on trying to make it a win win situation.
Sage-
Are there specific things that you ask your artist to do to put themselves out there or do things that you asked them to write up or or interviews or any anything that you are recommending for your artists? Right now.
Meghana-
We have a bunch of avenues that we’ve launched over the past few years where they can express as little or as much as they want. So for the, you know, for example, there’s something called an artist. Hot light profile that we do every month where we go really in depth into who. They are, you know, right from what were their early influences, what’s the kind of medium that they like working with and many people, it’s shocking that many people have never, ever spoken about that. So I really like to go. Back in time and. Have them dig up those kind of factors that inspired them. So I would say, yeah, that is the outer spotlight. Something that I I really love. I always also love doing video interviews. Not everyone’s comfortable with them and I’m totally fine with that. But when I think it’s for reasons where and this happened with one of my favorite absolute artisans, she’s a young lady from Japan and she makes minimalist jewelry designs. She makes fantastic jewelry. And she said no, I’m not going to do a video interview because I don’t speak English very well, and I really wanted her to speak. So I just said we tried two things. Why didn’t you write in Japanese? And we’ll try to translate that or you speak in Japanese and we will translate that. We will do something. But I want you to just say what you feel like sick.
Speaker
Right.
Meghana-
I thought the interview would end in 10 minutes. It went on for 45 minutes. And she sent me such a sweet message after that, and I could see, you know, as the interview progressed, the smile got wider. She you know, she was loser. She was like because it was in her own language. I had taken off the burden of having to be really good in English. And I think it was the the one time I really pushed someone for myself, I wanted to understand what she was about. And that was not possible any other way because. We were exchanging. Emails and that was all about the business. It wasn’t really. About who she was. But that was the one example that I feel proud of, that I got someone to really open up and, you know, till date I feel like that was a very successful moment for me because for her, she felt so happy. I felt like she was just like letting go after, you know, all that hesitation.
Sage-
That reminds me of your hot air balloon story. Because she didn’t know what would happen, she has fearful and uncertain, and and we always are. The unknown is the thing that’s scary is. And once you know, even if it’s not a good thing, it’s much easier. The handle but. She didn’t know, but once you do it and you find out what it is and you find out it’s not hard and you find out you can do it. Yeah, it’s amazing. And it’s such a great feeling to put yourself out there and accomplish that.
Meghana-
Yeah, but at least you did that, and no one will admit it. But you actually do feel good that you did something that was just so bizarre to you.
Speaker
To yeah.
Meghana-
But you did it.
Sage-
Just the effort. As an accomplishment. You’re like, look. Yeah, I tried. It didn’t like it.
Meghana-
So that’s no good. That’s why no one you. Know no one. ‘S testing anyone that’s what people forget. I think they just. Like Oh my. God, no one has the. Time to actually judge.
Sage-
Right.
Speaker
You right. Yeah. No.
Sage-
They can’t keep all that and everything else. In their head at the same time.
Meghana-
100%.
Sage-
So for a lot of people who have a hard time doing this, then you’re kind of recommendation is to try a couple small things to do something for a short period of time, do something that no one else is gonna see. It sounds like you know the idea of just.
Meghana-
Yes, yes.
Sage-
Writing it down. For yourself, videoing yourself if you wanted to any of that stuff because all that stuff can be done. These days, in the comfort of your own home with nobody else.
Meghana-
You need to do. Is communicate in a manner that you’re most comfortable with and. I think people right, people, it’s very refreshing. To see that, you know, I put a bunch of like these webcast clips on our social media channels and we do like little snippets, no ones in makeup, no ones like sitting in like a like an amazing studio with, you know, like the perfect background. But I think that’s appealing because all that other stuff is not important. What you’re saying is important.
Sage-
Right. Right. Yeah, yeah. You’re just gonna get passed up, but we kind of think of that first. Like, OK, what are we gonna wear?
Meghana-
All these modern things like. How am I looking on screen? Do I look, you know, the face that you have to make on the zoom? I mean, you know, all of those things.
Sage-
We’re so self-conscious, yeah. It’s terrible. Leave us alone. We’re artists. Let’s go create. Well, it sounds. Like you’ve really helped your artists. And let’s create think beyond the usual modes of promotions, and even production. Can you give us some of the examples or stories about your experience helping artists brought in their approach for their work or ideas for creating their body of work?
Meghana-
My favorite example which I just gave you was getting the Japanese lady designer to just open up. There’s one other example I can think of. It’s a lady from Ecuador and she makes sustainable jewelry from recovered silver that they find from mines and she upcycles like caps of plastic bottles.
Speaker
Oh, OK.
Meghana-
If you see her pieces, you would just not know that this was the source of her of her idea.
Sage-
Right. Nice. Uh-huh.
Meghana-
And she’s not, you know, she told me right from the get go and I did not push her because I knew that she was just not ready for that. She didn’t want to write about herself. She didn’t want to kind of, like, speak about herself. So I would say that. For her, we just said, listen, if you give us permission, we will tell your story. So that’s another way, you know, this is this goes back to what I was saying is finding partners. Who can be kind of your agent of whatever that you are thinking of. And she was completely on board with that.
Sage-
So from what you’ve been doing on a personal level, what do you think is the most impactful lesson that you’ve gained from working with these artists and the business of let’s create?
Meghana-
You know, I think the thing that has always helped me is wearing my heart on my sleeve. I think if you are open. Others will be too, and I’m always like, I literally like bear my heart and soul that I’m speaking to someone because I want them to know that I really am speaking to them because I am interested in them and I am interested in this story. And and this is a business, yes, it’s a business, but it’s beyond that. And I’m trying to be trying to kind of get to that. You know the other. Lesson that I learned for the first few times I was like, oh, God, that corn was like a disaster because it didn’t work out the way I wanted it to. But I didn’t realize that what does not work now may work out later and that has really helped me because. I I never feel that any corn has gone to waste because I’ve at least, you know, opened one channel communication with that person and like it, it may not have worked out this year. It may work out in six months, so there’s never an end point. You know, we’re speaking about creators and creativity is kind of limitless, right? So you can’t have.
Speaker
Right.
Meghana-
One conversation and be like, Oh my God, we’re never going. To work together this. Is, you know this is the end of the road. It’s never like that. It’s just a dialogue.
Sage-
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Meghana-
So I think I had to learn that too. Because I had to kind of, I think, get out of my corporate mindset a little bit where it’s about have you closed the deal, is it done and then it’s done, you know, then it’s a success, but this is not that way.
Sage-
You’re right, right, yeah.
Meghana-
It’s a success just because you have actually made a new, I would say a new connection and. Maybe it will go somewhere, maybe it won’t. It doesn’t matter. So just being completely honest and just knowing that the road keeps going, it will end. When you want it to end.
Sage-
So sounds like your lessons are primarily on just being genuine and hopeful and and open possibility.
Meghana-
Correct, yes, yes.
Sage-
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Now you’ve talked. A little bit about the ideas of success.
Speaker
Can you give?
Sage-
Your definition of success for you and then maybe your definition of success obviously different for every artist. What kind of how do you define that? They’re doing well on your platform.
Meghana-
You know, for me, the definition keeps changing. It’s a moving. Right. So early on, you know, just right out of college success for me was being a valued person at an organization helping the organization succeed and me doing a good job on that front. That was, to me the parameter for success. Then you know, making like a seemingly, like, crazy abstract idea into a reality in 2019 that. To me, at that point was like a huge feeling of triumph. I felt so good. You know, when I launched that, it was like, you know, you build something and you let it out into the world. And it was just, it was incredible. And I know now that it’s building relationships with people whom we are bound with, like a common thread that binds us, and it’s all about creating together. It could be creating a product, it could be creating a process, it could be creating a relationship. I think that to me would be like a lifelong search.
Sage-
And then for your artist, do you have parameters that you’re like now you’re successful on this platform?
Meghana-
You know, brass tacks like having great sales, you know, giving them great feedback about their products, helping them find an Ave. that’s a great fit for that person. Because like I said, what would work for one person may not work for something else. So if we find something that works really well and translates into either them, you know, getting a new client, or you know what my products were seen in this editorial magazine in in London, you know, things like that. I think those would be some ways for me to define success. For my people.
Sage-
It’s just so interesting to be talking to somebody on the other side or than they are.
Meghana-
Yeah, yeah.
Sage-
So this is what I did. This is the people I deal with and these are the people that. Tried to help. Me sell my work and that. Didn’t work out or whatever. I know, but to hear your view on their success and just working for them so hard, I just that’s wonderful. So as we wrap up, why don’t you tell us? Where to find let’s create and get some links and how to contact you if anyone is interested and they think they might have a a partnership possibility with you. And any new events or news or anything that you want.
Meghana-
To talk about, sure. So the website is let’s curate.com, LETSCURATE and our Instagram handle is, let’s under score, curate, e-mail or Instagram is the easiest way to reach us. We are very responsive. The company e-mail addresses. Info@letscurate.com in terms of upcoming events or news, an exciting piece of news is that for the first. Our designs are being showcased at a retail store in Soho in New York City. The latter half of the year. We, as I mentioned briefly earlier, we are launching an in House International exhibition, it’s called opulent handmade treasures and the theme is maximalism. So it’s kind of like go big or go bold and.
Sage-
Go big, yeah.
Meghana-
We’re doing a bunch of things. To showcase designers and participants. Than that. So we’re going to do a hybrid exhibition, plus an in person exhibition, and this will be October to December this year. 2023 so we’re working hard towards.
Sage-
That, yeah, just layers of stuff you have going for your artist. Just supporting the artists and really giving them options and different avenues to get their work out there, that’s fantastic. Well, is there anything else that we haven’t covered that listeners? Want to know or that you wanted to put out there before we wrap it up?
Meghana-
I I would just like to say that, you know, if you’re scared about something, it is something you should actually do, because that’s probably you’re on the cusp of something important, good or bad. You know that time will tell, but I really think it’s good to leap. Obviously keeping in mind all I’m not, you know, promoting any kind of like.
Speaker
It’s just.
Meghana-
Things, but I think in terms of ideology, it’s good to do that and I think it helps to find the right kind of people and you will know who the right kind of people are to help you on the journey. So you need to have a community and for that you need to be proactive. It’s like you say you start walking, the road will open up. So if you don’t start walking and nothing’s gonna change, yeah.
Sage-
You’re not gonna go anywhere. Yeah, exactly. Very wise words. Thank you.
Speaker
Thank you.
Sage-
All right. Well, thanks so much for spending the time with us today. That was just a lovely conversation, I really.
Meghana-
This was fantastic.
Sage-
Appreciate that.
Meghana-
Thank you for letting me, you know, speak. I’m so passionate about this and I really appreciate that you gave me the space to, you know, kind of. See all that’s in my mind all the.
Sage-
No, I I I can tell. Well, we enjoyed having you. And hearing all that. So thank you so much for joining us.
Meghana-
Thank you.
Sage-
Having Magna on has really got me thinking about how often we talk amongst ourselves, but not necessarily outside of our. Immediate communities or? Beyond the realm of other artists in terms. Of what we do as. Creatives it’s not like gallery. Owners or showrunners or agents or the general masses would kind of. Speak to on social media and other public arenas. Are anything but people. Like us, and if we can realize how much those people are like. Us even though. They may exude all kinds of confidence and authority and have all this experience that we may not have. They also have doubts and failures and moments of indecision. They go through imposter syndrome and question whether they’ve made the right decisions or taking the correct paths for themselves or their families. I think would really help us all if we reached out a little more to some of those areas outside our direct artistic circles. So something I’m going to kind of look into and if that’s something that interests you, if you have some ideas about that or if you do not want me to. Talk to anybody. But artists? Let your voice be heard. Write me at the sagearts.com website. Go to the contact page there or jump over to social media on Instagram or Facebook under the Sage Arts podcast pages and leave me. A direct message or a note in the post. And if you like what I’m doing, if you appreciate the content and you find this little project of mine that’s enriching my life is enriching your life and you want to give back. There are donation buttons for PayPal and buy me a coffee on the stage. Arts.com homepage is a little ways down. And then they’re also in your show notes or description section, depending on the kind of page that you’re listening to. You can find the links there for the donations and everything else that I talk about here, including information for Magna and let’s cure. Now I don’t know if my life is going to be any less crazy this next week, but do reach out to me and I do promise. I read everything that comes through, even if it takes me a few days to answer, but I’ll try to be more active this week and just touch base with you all more often. Let’s just stay connected in general and support each other and maybe this week we should all try one small thing that kind of scares us. And you know, see what you’re made of and then tell me how that goes, because I want to hear it, and I’ll have to think of something for myself as well. But in the meantime, and as per usual feed that muse of yours with all kinds of new experiences, stay true to your weirdness, and I’ll see you next time on the stage arts.
