Art and travel had always been her thing, but what to do to combine both to create a new business venture. Kristin Edwards studied art history in school and worked for several years at two contemporary art galleries in New York City. She left when her kids were born but when they reached middle school, she began to think about getting back into the art world.
Kristin would often take her friends with her when she explored the galleries around her area and in the city. Her groups learned of her art background and her passion was evident. Several friends began to ask Kristin to help them choose art for their homes. Kristin was a regular at many of New York City’s galleries and was able to take people in to see works she thought would work for them and be good investments as well. She soon became the go-to-gal as an art consultant and her own business was launched. “It was great to go back to the world that I knew.”
A mutual friend then introduced Kristin to a mom, Adeline, who had started Studio Traveler, an art trip organizer. Although she lived several states away, the two women have partnered and together offered an art trip to Berlin. “We organized the trip to include all transportation, dinners at cutting edge restaurants, tours of the city, gallery visits and museum tours.” It was a huge success.
As a complement to her art consulting, Kristin began freelancing for the Greenwich Arts Council by organizing and running trips for their members. She is paid to lead the group on a two hour tour of the art scene in places like Brooklyn and Chelsea. “This was a great way for me to explore different art scenes and share the experience with others.” And she was able to introduce her consulting services to these groups as well.
Kristin is also on the board of the Block Museum at Northwestern University and travels to Chicago three times a year. This adds to her resume and her art experiences. Through this assignment, she helps keep the board up to date on what is going on in the NY art world. She is currently involved in planning the Board’s spring meeting, which will take place in NYC.
While at Art Basel in Miami, Kristin met several gallerists from Buenos Aries and through these new found relationships, she and Adeline have planned their next trip for Argentina. She if offering a week long visit this fall through Studio Traveler. “I meet artists everywhere I go, it’s so much fun to keep my passion alive while learning about various artists in different locales.”
Kristin says, “I’m a total foodie to so the trips combine all my loves, travel, food and art.” A few months ago, she decided to write her own blog and put her thoughts on art out into the blogospheres. She is all in with her venture which combines art consulting, collection maintenance and arranging private tours of galleries and studios in the states and abroad. A few years back when she began to think about what she wanted to do with her free time she is so glad art became the focus and says, “I’m doing what I love to do and it gives me so much fulfillment.”
