Creative industries in Washtenaw County add hundreds of millions of dollars to the local economy. In the weeks and months to come, host Deb Polich, the President and CEO of Creative Washtenaw, explores the myriad of contributors that make up the creative sector in Washtenaw County.
ABOUT PATTI SMITH:
A graduate from U of M School of Art and Design, owner of River Gallery in Chelsea, Mi for 20 years. Currently working as the Collections Manager at Stephenson Ceramics in Ann Arbor, MI, digitally documenting and selling the collection of Susanne and Johns work created over a 60 year span. In addition to the documentation, preserving the legacy of Susanne as a pioneer in the field of ceramics has become a priority.
The exhibits were highly attended and visitors began to acquire the paintings and sculptures on display. River Gallery soon became one of the premier art centers in Washtenaw County and Southeast Michigan. At the urging of local artists and art supporters Patti formed a business partnership with art lover and entrepreneur, Deborah Greer. Together they completed a major renovation on a large scale, historic downtown site, the current home of River Gallery. Along with Deborah, Patti helped the gallery expand its services to include the management of corporate, healthcare, university and community exhibits and projects. Patti has created and operated successful businesses since the age of 22. Her organizational skills and her ability to teach and lead others are exceptional. Patti’s artistic passion and formal education (a BFA from the University of Michigan) is in graphic design and marketing. She designs the gallery’s stunning exhibition cards, and manages the organization’s public relations. She was an active member of the DDA, a founding member of Sounds & Sights,. Patti developed and manages the highly successful “SculptureWalk Chelsea”, an annual rotating public art exhibit located in the downtown district of Chelsea, MI.
RESOURCES:
Stephenson Ceramic Studio on Facebook
Stephenson Ceramic Studio on Instagram
TRANSCRIPTION:
Deb Polich: Welcome to 89 one WEMU. This is creative:impact. And I'm Deb Polich, president and CEO of Creative Washtenaw and your host. Thanks for tuning in. This is the second of a two-part segment focused on the six-decade career of the artist, ceramicist and professor, Susanne Stephenson. Patti Smith is working with Susanne and the team to document, catalog and archive Suzanne's work. Patti, welcome to creative:impact.
Patti Smith: Hello. Well, thanks for having me.
Deb Polich: Yeah. So, Patti Smith, what's in a name? I know at least three women in Washtenaw County who are tied to the arts whose name is Patti Smith. So, what's your line? Which Patti Smith are you?
Patti Smith: I am Patti Smith, the instigator and connector in the arts, I would say.
Deb Polich: And I know you from when you worked at and owned--co-owned--River Gallery in Chelsea.
Patti Smith: That's correct. Yup.
Deb Polich: With my friend Deb Greer, which was a favorite destination. And I still miss it, as I'm sure lots of other folks do. You were obviously working with artists. How did it tie you into or connect you to Susanne Stephenson?
Patti Smith: Well, it started, actually, when we began River Gallery in 2000. We were lucky enough to have the work of Gerry Camrowski come into our hands. And that was our first exhibit that launched River Gallery and really set the tone for the quality of work that came after that. So, once we did a few exhibitions under our belt, people kind of got wind of what we were doing, and others came to us to document and archive their collections as well. The first of which came, let's see, well, Pat Williams, actually, who was a professor at Eastern, had passed away, and they hired River Gallery to manage their collection and do a show at Eastern and raise money that went towards a new loan for the Pat Williams Foundation here.
Deb Polich: Oh, nice.
Patti Smith: Yeah. So, we did that. And we did that a couple other times with the Daniel Rhodes collection and with Richard Wilkes' collection.
Deb Polich: And all of these are artists that both had education careers at the Universities of Michigan and Eastern.
Patti Smith: Yeah.
Deb Polich: And then, also their own body of work that they've created over the years.
Patti Smith: Correct. Correct.
Deb Polich: So, Susanne, as we learned in our previous week, this is, again, being the second time we've been having a conversation centered around Suzanne. She is a ceramicist. And what attracted you to her work?
Patti Smith: I've known Susanne's work for a long time, and we didn't have the opportunity to represent her at River Gallery because she had a different agent at the time. But it's what everybody falls in love with her work. It's her color. It's her shapes. It's the spontaneity. It's the rawness. It's the freshness of it that a lot of others are drawn to. And she's just a lovely person. She's a character. She has a rich history. She's a pioneer in the world of ceramics. It's an honor to be working with her on this team. So, it's an important history to capture because of her legacy that she built for herself.
Deb Polich: So, what did you walk into? I mean, when I think of even my basement filled with objects, you know, I can't imagine what an artist's work is like. You know, how many objects are we talking about? Give us a picture.
Patti Smith: Oh, dear. Okay. So, when we came onto the project, I have to say, Susanne was very organized. She had records, and she still does. And that leads into a different form of documentation. But she had records of all the work. The work wasmplaced throughout the property that we had to organize and catalog and put into groupings. So, we took the first three years making more sense of that and doing digital documentation of it, so that the collection can be placed and sold, which is my primary job. But also, along with all the papers and sketches and drawings and notes and teachings and things like that, we're going to be working with Eastern on doing that part of the archiving as well.
Deb Polich: Will that be kept here at Eastern Michigan?
Patti Smith: It'll be kept here at Eastern. And I'm talking prematurey here. But if that all works out, what happens is that it will be archived here at Eastern. And then, students and future teachers can reference that information that Susanne has created over her lifetime.
Deb Polich: 89 one WEMU's creative:impact continues with Patti Smith, a member of the team cataloging, archiving, and organizing the works of artist and ceramicist Susanne Stephenson. So, when when you look at archives, when they're put together, when they're organized, what's the purpose besides marking history? Are you trying to tell a story? And if you are, how do you do that? Or is it all very specifically, you know, this goes in that box. And that goes in here. Is it a story, or is it just collecting?
Patti Smith: No, it's a story. And there's two parts to that. My primary job is documenting the objects and finding a home for the objects. So, everything gets measured and priced and photographed in many different sides. And that information gets stored as a historical reference, but also has a sales component, so that we can place and sell the work.
Deb Polich: So, how much time do you spend with one object?
Patti Smith: Documenting it?
Deb Polich: Yeah. Just holding it, touching it, looking at it, deciding about it.
Patti Smith: Good question. It depends. It might be a few minutes. It takes maybe five, ten minutes to document a piece by the time you get it in the photo booth, and you measure it and you write it down. You take the photos. You have to get it into the Google Drive. And that way, in organizing it this way, the objects are much easier to find as well--find the location on the property and in the drive.
Deb Polich: And do you have a number? Do you know how many pieces you're working with?
Patti Smith: I'm going to guess. You're putting me on the spot. There probably is around 2000 objects.
Deb Polich: Oh my gosh!
Patti Smith: Yeah, yeah.
Deb Polich: And where is this all kept?
Patti Smith: It's all in the property stored very carefully and methodically. And some are in boxes. Some are on shelves. But they're all labeled and organized and at the studio on the property.
Deb Polich: Wow! How often do you want to take a piece and buy it yourself?
Patti Smith: I've taken many pieces and bought many pieces. My house is filled with Susanne's work.
Deb Polich: So, Susanne's husband is also an artist. Are you working with his work at all?
Patti Smith: We will. We will be working with John's work. John passed in 2015, and his body of work is as significant as Susanne's. But we're taking one person at a time right now.
Deb Polich: I can only imagine. You mentioned Susanne's teaching methods and how that is also part of this. What made her so special?
Patti Smith: Well, I think what she said she was trying to describe the give-and-take, and she just mentioned that to us recently. I think she really was a good listener. She encouraged people to be themselves and bring themselves into the work versus trying to fit a model, right? She was so encouraging, and we've had so many students come back who are so excited about what Susanne has taught them. And, primarily, some students have come back recently. We're so exciting, They said, "Susanne, we did it! We did it! We're a full-time working artist! You helped us in that process!"
Deb Polich: That's got to be the best reward. So, I understand, and I've seen postings that you're actually doing some sales from some of these works. How has that been received? And is it going well?
Patti Smith: It's going fabulous. We just switched over to opening the studio to the public. It was by appointment only for a while while we were documenting. But nowm the studio is open to the public on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and also open not just for sales, but for people to come through and get that sense of the history and the legacy that they've left there. The studio is still intact in terms of how it was used. We've transformed it into a gallery. But to be in the studio and on the property where two icons in ceramics worked and brought so many other important people in the world through Ann Arbor, they were responsible for that as well. Their house was an ever-changing hub of creatives coming and being nurtured. It's a wonderful place to be!
Deb Polich: You know, we hear those stories about artist colonies in other places in the world. We don't always think about them right here at home.
Patti Smith: Yeah. Yeah.
Deb Polich: And it's true that it happens here too. So, quickly, how far are you into the project and when do you expect it to be completed, or will it ever be completed?
Patti Smith: It will, eventually. But when we started the project, COVID hit. So, we had a lot of setbacks there. But we're probably halfway into the project. There's probably 2 or 3 more years.
Deb Polich: Oh my gosh!
Patti Smith: Of documenting. Maybe less than that. Maybe two. And then, the process of placing the work will take as long as it takes.
Deb Polich: Piece by piece.
Patti Smith: Yeah. Yeah.
Deb Polich: Putting it together. Keep us posted on your progress and any events celebrating Susanne and her work. And thanks for joining us on the show and bringing this to our attention.
Patti Smith: Oh, thanks. We're so excited.
Deb Polich: That's Patti Smith, a member of the team cataloging and archiving the works of artist and ceramicist Susanne Stephenson. Find out more about Patti at WEMU dot org. If you missed our segment on Susanne Stephenson, find it on the creative:impact archive page on the website. You've been listening to creative:impact. I'm Deb Polich, president and CEO of Creative Washtenaw and your host. Mat Hopson, is our producer. Please join us every Tuesday to meet the people who make Washtenaw creative. This is 89 one WEMU FM Ypsilanti. Public radio from Eastern Michigan University.
If you'd like to a guest on creative:impact, email Deb Polich at deb.polich@creativewashtenaw.org.
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