Today we’d like to introduce you to Blaire Kaufman.
Hi Blaire, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I always said I wanted to be an artist when I grew up, but over the past 3 years is when it really hit me. I majored in Textiles and Apparel Design at UT Austin, a creative but very technical approach to art. As a college kid thinking about my future, I thought fashion design would be an industry I could get a decent job in, make a living, and be happy doing it. The only problem was I hated every second of sewing (and the technical thinking behind the art of my designs.) During the quarantine period of 2020 and the summer before my senior year, fancy New York internships were hard to come by and non-existent during a pandemic, so I took a shot in the dark and cold called my favorite artist that I idolized on Instagram. Brenda Bogart, well known Dallas college artist, continued being my idol but became my mentor and boss for the next two to three years. I became her studio assistant, where I learned details of art execution, business, life, and my own passion for the art of collage. When working for Brenda, it was hard to imagine I wanted any other career, and I needed to start my own right away. I left Brenda’s studio in October of 2022 to work for myself… a bold move for a 23-year-old who needs to pay bills. But the voice inside my head was undeniable, and that’s when I started Blaire Kaufman Art, an evolution of my artistic whims, providing an edgy and happy voice to original artwork and giclée reproductions. My work is now featured at the Bee Street Gallery in Dallas and Fort Worth Texas. They are a warehouse type gallery with art floor to ceiling, making the buying experience less intimidating and more fun!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Almost every day I am reminded of the fact: “if it was easy, everyone would do it.” Day to day operations aren’t nearly as glamorous as the Instagram photos and gallery view. You start a new piece with the hope and vision that it is going to be the best thing you’ve ever made. Slowly the doubt creeps in after hours of work, and your negativity can eat you alive. Will anyone like this enough to buy it? Am I wasting my time? Can I have any pride in this? That’s why art takes consistency, perseverance, and resilience, because the reward of it all means much more than any financial gains. It is an inner creative battle that results in a success no matter what. In the end, I made something. Start to finish, it’s mine. This proud moment carries over into sales and marketing, when other people feel all that it took to make this, and they identify with a piece of it. They might buy a print as a reminder of this feeling, take home the original, or become an admirer from afar – they are all important aspects of the art and of my business.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am at the beginning of my journey, so I try to test a new technique or experiment with something different every week. With that being said, my work is truly mixed media. I fell in love with collage while working for Brenda and realized I was good at it, so it is often a fun aspect of my work I try to incorporate. I love old materials and vintage inspiration. Papers in my studio date back to the early 1800’s and when you get close enough to see a name, text, or figure from an old, salvaged sheet, the whole piece can change in your eyes. Vintage signage also fascinates and inspires my current works in progress. I have been working with local neon artists who can embellish my vision on my originals with custom neon light. Adding this element to my work gives me joy and energy, it has the power to transform a room and create an experience. With these additions, an oil painting turns into a one-of-a-kind, statement piece of art.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Every decision I make to pursue an art business has required risk. The biggest risk to date has been going out on my own. While my friends and peers have a corporate structure that is financially predictable, the art business ebbs and flows, but it rewards me daily with passion, happiness, and flexibility. Contrary to many artists, I constantly have a buyer in mind for my art, and I am always asking myself if this background color or if this element, will fit the client’s vision. Most of the time this buyer is a figment of my imagination, but I know they are out there, and it embodies what I want for the art and pushes the risk to another level. Risks to me are associated with potential, a huge risk in art can lead to a huge reward. There are no original ideas left, but taking risks is required to grow and create something unique to you and your audience. The more unique your piece is the more attraction there is to it. Money comes and goes, but risk can be revolutionary!
Pricing:
- Print Reproductions: $65-1800
- Original Art: $350-6000
Contact Info:
- Website: www.blairekaufman.com
- Instagram: blairekaufman_art
Image Credits
Melissa Macatee Photography
