Monica Lynn Manoski is the Executive Director of the Essex Art Center in Lawrence, Massachusetts. She took the position in January 2021, immediately launching several community-focused initiatives. Under her direction, the Center is working to serve the residents of Lawrence more fully while becoming an incubator and launch pad for the region's diverse pool of talented artists. Monica is a 2021 LEADS Fellow and part of the 2022 ChangeMaker cohort through the Creative County Initiative.
Published on May 19th, 2022. Artist responses collected in months previous.
What are you currently excited about in your art practice?
I've dedicated most of the past year to supporting the folks in my community and highlighting other artists' work. I love working with artists and bringing people together to celebrate arts and culture. I organized several community-focused events, including a block party, "Fiesta en la calle," which included a salon show and art sale of 100 local artists' work. I also helped coordinate a "Sound Gallery" event that supported a range of performing artists from New York City to Lawrence, MA. In addition, I curated three exhibitions, and I've been using writing as a communication tool to advocate for artists and share news of what we've been up to at Essex Art Center.
What were some of the challenges you faced last year as an artist? Was your work/ art practice affected by the pandemic this year, if so how?
In January of 2021, I took a new job as the Executive Director of a small arts nonprofit called Essex Art Center in Lawrence, MA. I also moved, got married, and became pregnant, though the pregnancy was unfortunately not viable. While I bring artistry to almost everything I do, these major life events took center stage. The pandemic continues to have an impact on most facets of life. While we've learned how to gather and do so safely, these opportunities to connect feel different than they did before Covid.
What does a typical day in the studio (or wherever you're making work) look like for you these days? What time of day are you at your studio, what are your studio must haves (ex: music, coffee, tools, etc), and what does your creative space look like?
A typical day for me often involves meetings with community leaders, conversations with artists to talk about their work and help them plan their shows, working with our board of directors, and creating communications to engage our audiences at Essex Art Center. A goal for me in 2022 is to carve out time for my personal writing practice. I published my first collection of poems in 2020, and I'm hoping to put out another sometime this year or next.
What resources for artists have you found helpful that may be helpful for other artists?
Artists need to connect with other artists (and curators) to talk about their work. But unfortunately, during the pandemic, opportunities to meet for coffee or do a studio visits have often shifted to virtual. Meeting online is never quite the same as experiencing the work in person. Nevertheless, telling people what you're working on and what resources you need is important. You never know who might be able to help you get where you're hoping to go.
What in your art career are you looking forward to in the upcoming year? Do you have any specific goals or projects in mind?
There's quite a lot I'm looking forward to in the upcoming year. Jemila MacEwan, who is also participating in TWIRL, will have a solo show at Essex Art Center in the fall of 2022. Currently, we're showing work by Marla L. McLeod, and after that, Jeffrey Yasuo Mansfield. I so admire each of these artists and have enjoyed getting to know them and learning more about their work. I'm particularly excited to see the community's response to their work, which, no doubt, they will find compelling.
What are you currently excited about in your art practice?
I've dedicated most of the past year to supporting the folks in my community and highlighting other artists' work. I love working with artists and bringing people together to celebrate arts and culture. I organized several community-focused events, including a block party, "Fiesta en la calle," which included a salon show and art sale of 100 local artists' work. I also helped coordinate a "Sound Gallery" event that supported a range of performing artists from New York City to Lawrence, MA. In addition, I curated three exhibitions, and I've been using writing as a communication tool to advocate for artists and share news of what we've been up to at Essex Art Center.
What were some of the challenges you faced last year as an artist? Was your work/ art practice affected by the pandemic this year, if so how?
In January of 2021, I took a new job as the Executive Director of a small arts nonprofit called Essex Art Center in Lawrence, MA. I also moved, got married, and became pregnant, though the pregnancy was unfortunately not viable. While I bring artistry to almost everything I do, these major life events took center stage. The pandemic continues to have an impact on most facets of life. While we've learned how to gather and do so safely, these opportunities to connect feel different than they did before Covid.
What does a typical day in the studio (or wherever you're making work) look like for you these days? What time of day are you at your studio, what are your studio must haves (ex: music, coffee, tools, etc), and what does your creative space look like?
A typical day for me often involves meetings with community leaders, conversations with artists to talk about their work and help them plan their shows, working with our board of directors, and creating communications to engage our audiences at Essex Art Center. A goal for me in 2022 is to carve out time for my personal writing practice. I published my first collection of poems in 2020, and I'm hoping to put out another sometime this year or next.
What resources for artists have you found helpful that may be helpful for other artists?
Artists need to connect with other artists (and curators) to talk about their work. But unfortunately, during the pandemic, opportunities to meet for coffee or do a studio visits have often shifted to virtual. Meeting online is never quite the same as experiencing the work in person. Nevertheless, telling people what you're working on and what resources you need is important. You never know who might be able to help you get where you're hoping to go.
What in your art career are you looking forward to in the upcoming year? Do you have any specific goals or projects in mind?
There's quite a lot I'm looking forward to in the upcoming year. Jemila MacEwan, who is also participating in TWIRL, will have a solo show at Essex Art Center in the fall of 2022. Currently, we're showing work by Marla L. McLeod, and after that, Jeffrey Yasuo Mansfield. I so admire each of these artists and have enjoyed getting to know them and learning more about their work. I'm particularly excited to see the community's response to their work, which, no doubt, they will find compelling.
Find Monica Lynn Manoski on Instagram