Today we’d like to introduce you to Andi Crist.
Andi, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 2010 I co-founded Autotelic Studios, an organization that provided affordable workspaces for artists on the northwest side. At Autotelic’s peak, I managed three studio buildings, a full woodshop, and served 100+ artists for over seven years. Autotelic was my real call to arms in the creative community in Chicago and working through the studios really opened a lot of doors for me.
I went on to freelance as a gallery preparator and fabricator, installing exhibitions, moving artwork cross-country and doing custom fabrication for breweries and private households. My background in carpentry and gallery work got me to where I am today. I now work full time as the Head Preparator at the Hyde Park Art Center and have been here since last fall.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama and moved to Chicago in 2007 knowing almost no one. After graduating from Columbia College with a BFA, I struggled to get by, working all kinds of odd jobs around town. I did everything from cashiering at a rib shack to acting as an audience filler for daytime court TV shows.
In 2012 I gave birth to my son Ollie, which brought on another set of challenges as well as new perspectives and incentives. Running the studios, attempting to maintain a creative practice, learning to be a new mom, and freelancing was really challenging but I learned a lot and met some really incredible people. I have been very lucky to be surrounded by so many supportive people over the years.
Hyde Park Art Center – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
As a Preparator, my job is to take care of all the hands-on aspects of exhibition-making. That includes moving artwork to and from a variety of venues (studios, galleries, museums, storage, etc.), collaborating with artists and curators to problem-solve hanging, installing the work and maintaining the gallery spaces. I maintain the galleries by rehabilitating walls, constructing new ones, painting, patching, lighting, etc. Basically, everything that needs to come together in the show aside from making the actual artwork is a part of my job description.
My passion is woodworking. I grew up working on houses and building furniture with my father, who taught me a lot about carpentry and construction. This gives me an edge in the field because I can construct and maintain built-in spaces, which most art-handlers wouldn’t normally be trained to do. I’m also able to design and construct custom furniture for the shows, which is great because I get to work directly with the artists and exercise some creative muscles as well.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
This is a funny question for me because I am notorious for saying yes and diving in too deep. My egoistic hopes to do good work without flinching me easy to work with but I end up getting drained pretty quickly. I would say success in my world can be defined by how you feel at the end of the day.
If I can walk away from the job knowing I did my best work and I’m proud of what I accomplished, it’s a success. It doesn’t always happen, but real success is cumulative. I take a lot of pride in my work both inside and outside the art gallery and most of the time I go home at the end of the day feeling pretty good about what I’ve been able to accomplish over many years of hard work.
Contact Info:
- Address: 5020 S. Cornell Ave. Chicago IL 60615
- Website: www.acrist.com
- Phone: 2059071811
- Email: crist.andi@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andi_crist
Image Credit:
Matt Gonzales & Erin Saltsgaver
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