"In a recent conversation with Dr. Walter Ferrier, a Gatton endowed associate professor at the University of Kentucky, I found myself intrigued by his comments about the business world's newfound appreciation for the creative mind. He directed me to an edition of Harvard Business Review that reiterated "an arts degree is perhaps the hottest credential in the world of business."
My conversations with Ferrier stirred memories of recent attempts by the museum world to "think outside the box" and hire MBAs to run their institutions, as survival became more and more dependent on good business sense.
Both instances point to a new way of thinking about a very unfortunate reality: that, for many, the arts and business occupy opposite ends of a spectrum. This may be one reason why I was so intrigued by Dan Barnes, a Lexington artist who has never been able to separate the two.
Born into a business-minded family of builders and craftsmen from Henderson, Ky., Barnes found a good deal of satisfaction in the creative process. "It was the business end of those artistic practices that I have had to work at," stated Barnes.
For Barnes, art and business are not mutually exclusive. After many years of experience, Barnes now owns a sole-proprietorship, Dan Neil Barnes Studios, which encompasses both an upholstery/furniture design business and his arts and crafts designs — for which he has rapidly earned recognition. "My recent successes in the arts and crafts world are shaped by a sound business sense," stated Barnes.
Governor's Award
In 2006, Barnes was awarded a significant commission from the Kentucky Arts Council to design and fabricate the Governor's Award for the Arts. This commission is not only a tribute to Barnes' artistic abilities, but also to his business acumen.
According to Lori Meadows, executive director of the Kentucky Arts Council, "We alternate media for the awards, and since 1994, the awards have been designed of glass, mixed media, fiber, ceramic, photography, wood (dulcimer), metal and beading by artists such as Rude Osolnik, Stephen Rolfe Powell, Ken Gastineau, Arturo Alonzo Sandoval, Tracy Hawkins, Homer Ledford, Linda Fifield and Brook Forrest White, Jr., to name a few."
"Barnes' work is outstanding, and the pieces created for the 2006 awards are no exception. Entitled 'Kentucky Ablaze,' the award is a mixed media art glass construction incorporating stained glass with turned eucalyptus resin burl wood and patina finished copper," said Meadows.
Barnes admits that it was not only his artistic expression that won him this commission, but the manner in which the overall idea was presented to the council. "Using my design and business backgrounds, I introduced the idea on a presentation board with scale drawings, measurements and dimensions, samples of glass, metal and wood. This allowed the council to fully conceptualize the idea," stated Barnes.
He realized a long time ago that, the first step in all of his endeavors is a primary business concern—marketing. "Most artists and craftsmen don't realize what it takes, but in order to succeed, you have to sell yourself and your ideas," stated Barnes.
Marketing and branding
His keen awareness of marketing and branding account for other successes in the world of arts and crafts. At his first show with Kentucky Crafted in March of 2005, Barnes intended to just make a good impression and walked away with two awards: the Exhibitor's Choice Booth Award and the Best New Instate Exhibitor's Award.
'It was the overall package, a combination of the artwork and the environment in which it was placed, that contributed to that success; I constructed the display booth with as much care and energy as I would anything that I do," stated Barnes.
In May of 2006, Barnes was commissioned by Women Leading Kentucky to design The Martha Layne Collins Award. According to President Janet Holloway, Barnes' ability to translate the mission statement of Women Leading Kentucky from concept into a visual work was extraordinary.
"The physical award captures the essence of the award itself — strong, creative, bold and graceful," stated Holloway.
"Dan understands what our foundation, Women Leading Kentucky, stands for and reinforced our brand by incorporating our color and logo without compromising his artistic design," said Holloway.
Networking and budgeting
For Barnes, there is nothing more important than establishing good business relationships. One of his first was with Laura Boison of First Security Bank (now Chase), who loaned Barnes the money to buy his first car.
Today, Boison is still the primary banker for Dan Neil Barnes Studios and a source for advice for key business decisions, including the decision to showcase his works in various arts and crafts shows.
Recently Barnes was accepted into the retail section of the American Craft Council. "This is a big honor, but it costs money to attend: there is a booth fee, travel expenses, membership fee, application fee," stated Barnes. "Because I need to survive, I am a fiscal conservative; these shows are critical to my success as an artist, but I will not go if it means going into debt — if I am not covered before I leave, I don't go."
Barnes, a native Lexingtonian, stands as a symbol to our community to adopt a new way of thinking — one that no longer places the arts and business at the opposite ends of a spectrum, but acknowledges, in one way, their mutual dependency.
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