Daricia Mia DeMarr and Lauren Jackson Harris. Photography by Natrice Miller.
From June 7-12, Black Women in Visual Art and the SLP Women's Group will be teaming up for the first edition of The Convening, a virtual leadership conference for women in the arts. Over the course of five days, 200 women from across the country will come together for workshops, discussions, and self-care excercises that aim to provide tools, education, and mentorship during this isolating time. The ultimate "convening" will be around the question: How can we lead real change in 2021?
As conference sponsors, Phllips invited Black Women in Visual Art and the SLP Women's Group's founders to share more details about the initiative. Here, The Convening's entrepeneurial founders, Sheri Pasquarella, Daricia Mia DeMarr, and Lauren Jackson Harris, offer anecdotes from pivotal moments in their careers, proving that the best ideas can often come from unforeseen changes.
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Sheri Pasquarella, Founder, SLP Women's Group
Sheri Pasquarella. Photography by Sangwoo Suh.
The first Zoom I had ever been to was my own. I’d founded the SLP Women’s Group (SLP WG) in 2019 to provide a network and skills to female art professionals. In March 2020—that moment of fear and uncertainty—I needed that group as much as anyone else. And yet: we could not leave the house. Being online, though unexpected, allowed us to bring together women from well beyond New York. Meeting weekly for more than six months with remarkable individuals from every corner of our ecosystem, we got each other and ourselves through it. Together we learned the difference between the PPP and EIDL; managed the heartbreak of layoffs and business closures; pooled money to sponsor a workshop on racial equity and inclusion; connected with colleagues the world over to see how the pandemic was playing out; and, imperatively, kept each other sane. We all found it hard to go from a career that challenges you to go out every night to suddenly being in all day (many of us with children, no less). The spirit of community, comradery and support was not only one of my COVID silver linings, it has transformed the way I see the “art world.” The integrity, ethics and passionate, genuine care for art and for people displayed by hundreds of women who participated in the SLP WG continues to inspire and reaffirm my own commitment.
Daricia Mia DeMarr, Co-Founder, Black Women in Visual Art
Daricia Mia DeMarr. Photography by Natrice Miller.
It was a major yet necessary decision to end my career as a kindergarten teacher and go back to school to complete my Bachelors degree. After six years in the classroom and on the schoolyard a longing for something else emerged. I was accepted to Georgia State University however, my previous credits did not transfer leaving me to begin again as a freshman. At 26, my course of study was a mystery starting from scratch. Like many epic journeys I allowed my curiosity to lead me. After a semester or two I landed in an art history course and I soon realized the future of my career was in the arts. With haste I scored an internship at the GSU Gallery. One of my first assignments was to organize a juried exhibition. I felt the role was too big for my experience but I had no choice, so with vigor I stood up to the challenge and it became a major learning experience and success. I was responsible for every aspect of the exhibit and was the first time I recall being so engaged with work that time escaped me, working late in the evening with a full course load. It was an experience that initiated my still current love for art work.
Lauren Jackson Harris, Co-Founder, Black Women in Visual Art
Lauren Jackson Harris. Photography by Natrice Miller.
Having left both New York City and Washington, DC with a budding arts career, I was motivated to start again in Atlanta, GA as a new young mom. But the differences between these cities' arts ecosystems quickly began to bring a halt to my growth. For years while working in marketing, I remained diligent in being active in the arts in the community. The arts continued to call on me, so I made the decision to go to graduate school to get a master’s degree in arts management. It was the catalyst that I needed to reestablish my career in the arts. A pivotal moment for me was the day my advisor told me that I had successfully completed my MA in Creative Business Leadership from SCAD. Shortly afterwards, I became a gallery manager and curator at a well known contemporary art gallery in the city and I was able to leverage that experience into new opportunities across the country. I was on fire and work did not feel like work. The arts was where I blossomed and in the last five years, I have worked both independently and within institutions garnering new paid experiences and connections to arts organizations and arts workers. Now with Black Women in Visual Art, I will continue to enrich the careers of peers, celebrate those I admire, and inspire those behind me.
Discover More from The Convening >
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