Jocelyn Mathewes
Artist Jocelyn Mathewes not only creates her artwork, she has also created an online space for artists to exhibit their artwork.
Called Eat/Art, the online space originates in her dining room and operates just like a gallery featuring one artist. It makes an artist’s work available to purchase a week at a time. The exhibiting artist joins Mathewes live for an artist talk and Q&A. Works are available for purchase online through the gallery website — a small commission goes to the gallery to cover taxes, sales fees and website hosting, with the rest going directly to the artist. The art is promoted throughout the week on social media until the purchase window closes. After that, the exhibit is archived on the gallery website, and the space is prepared for the next exhibit.
Her idea began with her own work.
“First, I had been photographing my own work in my dining room as a way to present it attractively to buyers online. I was already practiced at using my own space, equipment and resources as a way to present art to the world at large. If I could do it for my own art, surely I was capable of doing it for others, too.
“Second, I follow several alternative art spaces on Instagram that are run out of private spaces — like Stay Home Gallery, Electric Shed and Houseguest Gallery, for instance. Seeing how these spaces functioned made me realize that the barriers between domestic and commercial space — while useful in many ways — are mostly imagined constructs. Nothing was stopping me from using my own domestic space in the same way.
“Third, while we have a great number of resources for artists, I noticed a gap in what was available. We have several excellent regional arts centers and educational institution galleries that bring in important exhibits from the larger art world. We have a wide variety of outdoor and indoor markets that provide an outlet for craft and retail. There are some productive and wonderful collective galleries. And we have smaller mixed-use spaces (restaurants, coffee shops, offices and more) that host art on a regular basis. However, there are very few independent galleries that allow for a focus on a single artist at a time.
“As an artist, I’ve benefited from an education in the arts, the encouragement of friends, colleagues, family, and the financial and emotional support of my spouse. This project is a way for me to pass some of those personal benefits on to the wider community, fostering culture-care and creation,” she says.
The technology she uses are a website, an Instagram account and a Facebook account. “Prior to this project I had spent many years maintaining my own websites and social media accounts. There were a few details of hosting live events that I needed to work out, but I was mostly using technology I was familiar with already — simply using it in a new way,” Mathewes says.
She finds the artists she features through her connections to the art community. She moved to Johnson City, Tennessee, eight years ago and has devoted time getting to know her fellow artists through Tennessee Craft, events at East Tennessee State University, local art markets, social media and a local artist group.
“I’m honored that so many of them entrust me to handle and present their work professionally and attractively. I’ve been able to sell work on their behalf to collectors both local and out of state, which is very exciting,” she says.
To help recreate the feeling of a physical gallery opening, she invites local restaurants to provide food for the virtual opening. Their food is promoted on social media until the exhibit closes.
“Restaurants enjoy the exposure. Some have given me lots of recommendations for what to promote seasonally or been able to showcase one of their fan favorites. I appreciate and am able to really highlight what they do best because so many of them are generous with taking some time away from their demanding business to speak with me,” Mathewes says.
Mathewes is a mixed-media interdisciplinary artist, who focuses on alternative photographic processes. Her art centers around botanical, celestial and bodily themes. She lives with her family in Johnson City, Tennessee. After receiving her B.A. in studio art from Messiah College, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, she pursued a career in writing, graphic design and photography. After a decade of freelance work under her belt, several life events led her to follow a path into fine art. She participated in the Artist Residency in Motherhood from 2016 - 2019 and is a member of Christians in the Visual Arts. Her work has been exhibited in galleries, museums and community spaces all over the United States. She pours her passion for the arts into her local community, serving on the advisory board for Create Appalachia, coordinating exhibits for EAT/ART space and organizing artist meet ups to foster growth and collaboration.
“Inspiration comes from the loving act of paying attention to your interests, your life and others. I have many things I feel a deep affection for and that influence my work, but really, that’s what inspiration comes down to for me, as a principle,” she says.
The next exhibit at Eat/Art is Feb. 11 featuring Marcy Parks. For more information about Eat/Art, visit www.eatart.space, follow it on Instagram or Facebook. For more information about Mathewes, visit www.jocelynmathewes.com.
