Meet Jana Talke | writer & art influencer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jana Talke and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jana, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I always loved languages and going to museums and wanted study literature and art history. And I did just that. Was it a little naive and idealistic? Totally. But it did work out in the end, I do what I love, even though it is not as rewarding as it would be in other fields, but I’m not a quitter.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
After a somewhat failed academic career in Germany, I moved to Texas with my husband for his job. I then decided to share my love for art online. Discovering the Dallas and Fort Worth art scene and documenting it at the same time felt like great challenge to me. I learned so much about art along the way and I also expanded my interests, now including public and contemporary art, the art market, art fairs. There aren’t many art bloggers out there, so I am proud that I stuck to that niche. I also work as a freelance writer for German newspapers and my move to Texas inspired my column called “Talke talks” where I compare American and German lifestyles with a lot of humor. It’s certainly challenging to be noticed and to get published. I want people to know that art is vital to our wellbeing. And with all the negativity on social media, a little art therapy never hurt nobody!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
An art filled weekend in Dallas-Fort Worth? What a wonderful idea! Imagine, it’s Saturday. We start out in Downtown Dallas. Breakfast at Cindy’s followed by a walk! Yes, I’ve done it before, many times, it’s great. From the Dealy Plaza to the JFK Memorial, down Commerce Street to see the AT&T Discovery District with its art installations and exhibits. Shop at the historic Neiman Marcus and go take a selfie with the Giant Eyeball sculpture by Tony Tasset. Have a nice pasta or pizza for lunch at Partenope Ristorante. After that, drive to the Arts District and check out the Dallas Museum of Art, one of the largest museums in the country. And the entrance is free. Have a nice stroll at Clyde Warren Park afterwards. You could eat there at one of the food trucks, or, if you’re looking for a more upscale experience, you could walk to Tei-An, a Japanese restaurant (reserve a table in advance). Sunday: Fort Worth! Start out with brunch at the Modern Museum of Art cafe, before you immerse yourself in their gorgeous and rather large collection. Have lunch and cocktails at the nearby Blue Sushi Sake Grill. Again, you could walk there (this is a European itinerary after all). Then, return to the Cultural District and pay the Kimbell Museum a visit. The entrance is free, the museum has a small but magnificent collection. You will love it. Now, you have to decide: dinner at Clay Pigeon or pay the stockyards a visit and have dinner at one of the many great restaurants there.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am a huge fan of the art critic Jerry Saltz. He writes about art in such a simple, comprehensive manner without being pretentious. Since English is not my mother tongue (I’m from Germany originally), I was hesitant to start writing about art on my social media. Jerry’s books and posts gave me the courage to do so.

Website: https://talketalks.blogspot.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talketalksart/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Talketalks

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@talketalksart