-By Hailee Jeske
On Thursday, January 23, 2020, I had the opportunity to listen to Reginald Baylor and听Melissa Courtney talk about the Reginald Baylor Studio and everything that it听别尘产辞诲颈别蝉.听听
The day prior,听I visited听the听exhibit 鈥淢anufacturing Creativity” at the Union Art Gallery听with Kelly, a longtime friend听of mine.听Going into the exhibit, we thought that it would be a collection听of听traditional听paintings.听Surprisingly, the exhibit wasn鈥檛听anything we had expected听at all. Instead, it was a collection of听t-shirts, shower curtains,听collages, and solo prints, with听some听similarities to Andy Warhol and Takashi Murakami.听The pieces of work ranged from听an average-sized print to a large collage that towered from floor to ceiling.听Kelly and I were fascinated with the work, and听she decided to attend the artist talk with me on Thursday.听听
Almost immediately into听hearing听Baylor and Courtney talk about the Reginald Baylor Studio,听the entire exhibit听started to make sense to me.听This was more than just art. It was about creating a movement, as Courtney suggested. Baylor touched on how difficult it was听to be an artist producing fine art paintings, and how the idea of 鈥渨hy make one听painting听when I can make more with manufacturing and well-run machines鈥� led to the creation of the Reginald Baylor Studio.听
Baylor and Courtney compared what they do at the Reginald Baylor Studio to a sports game. Each sports game听is extremely theatrical,听and it鈥檚 not about whether the team wins or loses, it鈥檚 about听the performance. They referred to their team as battling for their city, Milwaukee.听The Studio focuses primarily on employing as many people as possible and will search for products only if a local vendor can make it.听In the same way, the Digital Arts and Culture program at UW-Milwaukee encompasses its own team, made up of individuals gaining experience in听arts, humanities, social sciences, and information studies.听听
To wrap up their talk and Q&A, Baylor and Courtney gave advice to current students graduating in the arts.听
- Educate yourself on business听
- Don鈥檛 do it on your own听
- Think outside of the box听
- Use Google to find answers听
Going forward, the goal of the听Reginald Baylor Studio听is to become universal and have products available worldwide,听and to allow听people the ability to purchase art at a lower cost. The studio hopes to sell more pieces and employ听more听people through the manufacturing听of the products.听听
I look forward to seeing the work that the Reginald Baylor Studio will produce in the future, and I鈥檓 excited to see their goals fulfilled as they work towards universalizing their artwork.听