Faces of Shift with Lewis Art Consulting

• (Pictured from left to right:  Julia Van Leeuwen, Barbara Lewis (owner), Charlotte Moss)

Andrew Carnegie once said, “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results”.  It’s such a pleasure when we are able to work directly with our members and achieve fantastic results. 

Recently, we teamed up with one of our members, Lewis Art Consulting for curating our current art displayed at our Bannock location.  We sat down with Barbara Lewis, Julia Van Leeuwen and Charlotte Moss to discuss the current art, what artists and styles they like to work with and how being at Shift Workspaces Bannock has benefitted their company. 

Thank you for curating our most recent Shift Workspaces Artist Series. What can you tell us about the artist, Maura Allen?

Maura was born and raised in a large Irish Catholic family, she studied at Stanford and is an artist who grows and changes all the time. Her contemporary western artwork tells stories of the new west. She does all her own photography of cowboys, Native Americans, ranches, animals, etc. which she uses to create her original art pieces.

What kind of preliminary questions do you ask your clients to start envisioning the best creative space for them?

We always start with “who are they and what would they like the art to convey to employees, clients, guests, etc.?”  “Do they want to tell a story; do they want the art to represent who they are and what they do?”

Once you have a good idea of your clients’ needs, what’s your process for matching them with an artist(s) work?

Once we have sufficiently picked our client’s brain, gotten a good idea of their space (either new or renovated), we take the feedback and pull together artists we feel would fit within their parameters including budget. This list is created from our vast knowledge of the art community locally and nationally. We have hundreds of sources we can tap into to present the most appropriate art for each individual and unique project.

What kind of artists do you work with? Do they have a similar style?

No, in fact, it is our job to know as many artists working in as many mediums and styles as possible so we can always be fresh with what we present for each project.

What has been your most favorite project and why?

That changes all the time, but most recently it’s a small builder and developer group who purchased art for their combined offices. They share space and had uniquely different tastes but great taste and love art. It was a challenge to find art that they each liked and would also work together in the space. All in they were great fun to work with and most likely will be an on-going client for their projects.

Who are your team’s favorite artists or individual pieces?

This also changes all the time as we are always exposed to new artists which is one of the best parts of our job. Currently, the artist and their specialty at the top of our lists are:

• Pat Finley (abstract resin), Ryan Kvande (Kinetic art), Noelle Pharis (abstract landscape)
• Heather Day (abstract), Beau Carey (landscape) & Zelda Zinn (photography)

Barbara, can you explain your relationship with art and how that led you to create your business?

My early career was in advertising in Boston where I grew up. I moved to Denver in 1993 and took a job selling print advertising which landed me in front of a gallery owner in Boulder who offered me the opportunity to start a corporate art program for them. I jumped at the chance to combine my marketing, business and creative experience in what sounded like a really fun industry; selling art to companies. It’s been an amazing career ever since. I’ve been in business for myself since 2006.

With Shift Workspaces- Bannock being located in the Golden Triangle Art District, have you found you’ve been able to connect with the art community more?

Yes, in fact, I have come full circle back to my roots. When I left Boulder in 2000 I was in the Golden Triangle and when I started another company, art print production, 4 years ago I moved south to be close to that.  I sold that business in June of this year and so as soon as I could we move back. The Golden Triangle has amazing galleries and community and we are happy to be at Shift Workspaces Bannock.

If you’re interested in working with Lewis Art Consulting, you can contact them through their website.  You can also connect with them on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.