Courtesy Liz Jordan
Liz Jordan thought conventional art world practices could use some updates — changes that would make being an artist a little less impossible for mothers and other people with day jobs. Because a starving artist isn’t very admirable when there are multiple mouths to feed.
So the East Dallas mom started up a company, a fine-arts gallery called thMTHRshp, which aims to change the culture by upgrading the commission structure to favor the artist and offer extra support to historically marginalized artists.
thMTHRshp’s founding artists are women and mothers, LGBTQIA+ people, artists of color, disabled artists and those with professions outside the art world. They will soon launch an online gallery, and will have their first in-person show in November at Ephemeral Space, which is owned by Jason Cohen, who also owns Curiosities.
“We combine our love of art with social justice and community outreach initiatives to create positive change in our communities,” Jordan says by email. “Our dual career artists are stay-at-home moms and other professionals who thrive with the flexibility of a gallery and the community of a collective.”
She says the gallery’s commission agreements, in which artists receive a minimum 70% of the sale of their work, up to 85%, will make a big difference for thMTHRshp artists. Galleries typically take 50% on two-dimensional works such as paintings and photographs, according to art marketing blog reddot.
“That’s a game changer, and I am so excited to offer that opportunity to artists in our community and across the U.S.,” Jordan says. “I am happy to be a part of the movement representing marginalized artists AND supporting financial success for artists.”
The gallery offers workshops open to the public and led by the artists — think yoga, abstract painting, photography, mixed-media pet portraits, creative learning for preschool and elementary students, floral design, mindful and creative learning for preschool and elementary kids, art and hang for LGBTQIA+teens. Workshops accommodate new parents, people with disabilities and others interested in learning and healing through art. They want to create positive change that ripples through East Dallas and beyond, the founding artists note.
“Community engagement and outreach are essential to our mission,” Jordan says. Everyone involved in thMTHRshp believes the whole neighborhood benefits from multicultural and multidisciplinary experiences, she adds. Texas Women’s University.
thMTHRshp won the 2022 Texas Women’s University StartHER grant, which gives 25 current or aspiring women business owners $5,000 to undertake new and innovative projects. As the gallery page notes, it’s “a place where artists can be artists, no side hustle required.”
