Rising Stars: Meet Amy Grant of Historic Downtown Wilmington

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Grant.

Hi Amy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am the owner of Art in Bloom Gallery, 210 Princess Street, in historic downtown Wilmington, NC and a classically trained visual artist with a studio at Acme Arts Studios. I am an active member of the Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County and of the Cameron Art Museum. I serve on the Board of DREAMS Center for Arts Education (a tuition-free, after-school, and summer-camp arts program for students 8-18 years old) and on the Board of Trustees of Historic Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts. Art in Bloom Gallery supports the convergence of the arts and continues to partner with the Cucalorus Film Festival, the Jewish Film Festival, The Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College, Opera Wilmington, and other non-profit organizations.

Established in October 2015, Art in Bloom Gallery is in a renovated 19th-century horse stable in historic downtown Wilmington, NC about two hours east of Raleigh, NC. The gallery presents an eclectic mix of original works of art by emerging and established artists. Diverse Artists are featured every 1-2 months in the gallery and in other locations with exciting pop-up exhibits.

Visitors will find a mixture of traditional and contemporary paintings, drawings, photography, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, fabric, and objects discovered during the renovation of the building including horseshoes, bottles, barn walls, and the original heart-pine ceiling (c. 1892-1920).

Previously, I worked as a scientist in the Philadelphia area and traveled extensively to explore art and science. I appreciate the originality of the art and artists wherever I travel and live. I enjoy visiting museums, artists’ studios, and local galleries.  I believe art has the power to change lives and to create a more inclusive community.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
There have been many struggles starting a small business over the past 7 years including the impact of Hurricane Florence, Recessions, and the current Pandemic. In addition, the learning curve from year 1 to year 7 continues to be challenging. The ability to adapt and to continue to be innovative is our gallery team’s greatest strength. For example, we pivoted successfully from brick and mortar art sales to more online art sales.

We added films about artists and 360 virtual tours of the gallery. The business of art is unpredictable even under the best of circumstances. It is an art and a science. Another challenge is to take calculated business risks using both creativity and numbers. It is important to make good decisions without complete information. Also, retaining our outstanding staff is often challenging since the business income may be somewhat unpredictable, especially during Hurricanes, Recessions, and Pandemics. Without great staff, the gallery would not exist. So, good salaries and benefits are essential as an investment in the business. It is a balancing act.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am fortunate to come from a family of artists including a very creative sister and brother. Our mother was an artist, and I remember drawing, painting, working with clay, and creating other art at an early age. Our mother made sure that my sister and I had great art teachers and experiences visiting art museums, galleries, and studios regionally, in the US, and in other countries.

I started art lessons at 8 years old and continued to study with various studio artists through High School. I studied studio art in college but ended up working in science including an MS in Computer and Information Science at Drexel University in Philadelphia. After working in the biopharmaceutical industry for over 25 years, I opened a small gallery on the weekends in Kennett Square, PA near Philadelphia while continuing my science job. I loved the return to art so much that I retired early from the biopharmaceutical industry and opened Art in Bloom Gallery in Wilmington, NC, in 2015.

Recently, I started drawing and painting, again and moved my art space from my kitchen to a studio at Acme Art Studios. There are 20 artists’ studios at Acme plus a commercial gallery. It is inspiring to be a part of the Acme community. Now that Art in Bloom Gallery is no longer a start-up business, I am able to create art, again. I enjoy taking my experiences with the Scientific Method and combining science and art. I am most proud of being a life-long learner and applying my love for art and science to the gallery, to my own art, and to the wider community. Art does have the power to create a more inclusive and vibrant community. I enjoy being part of something much larger than myself. Art has the power to enrich the lives of the current and next generation.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My last 8 years in the biopharmaceutical industry were with ViroPharma in Exton, PA. The CEO, Vin Milano, used to often say, “‘We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak”. It took me many years to move from the theory of listening to the practice of actively listening. I continue to practice active listening. This includes pausing and being silent even though many thoughts may be spinning in my head. Active listening also helps reduce overreacting and taking things personally.

I also continue to balance work and life. Too much work without rest and play leads to diminishing returns and missing out on the joys of life.

Pricing:

• Art in Bloom Gallery sells art from $5.00 art cards to original paintings, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, and more priced at thousands of dollars. We offer art for everyone.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://aibgallery.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artinbloomgallery/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtinBloomGallery
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AIBGallery
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW8LiYMHCCzbVb5LoNki-pw/videos

Image Credits:
Debra Bucci, Richard Bunting, Brian Evans, Bradley Carter, Jeri Greenberg, Dave Klinger, Melva Calder, and Dave Klinger.