Meet Marjolyn Van Der Hart | Visual artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marjolyn Van Der Hart and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marjolyn, why did you pursue a creative career?
I create art to inspire and empower people to celebrate their life. Using images from the past I highlight how memory defines who we are. Using nostalgia as an inspiration, the stories I tell are about celebrating life, and escaping into a place of joy.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
An artistic career is not the easiest choice. As a female artist, opportunities to show are limited. Although representation in galleries has improved it is still inequitable. I have been a practicing artist for 30 years. I find my collector by engaging directly with them at highly juried art fairs. The goal has always been to find this collector. With the use of digital marketing this has become easier.
The challenge has always been to find ways to find this collector without relying heavily on others to find them. Galleries can work this network but the cost is high with dealers taking 50% of the selling price. To overcome this I decided to keep control of my distribution and most of my art is sold to those who find me at art fairs and online.
Persistence is key. Running a business whether it’s being an artist or entrepreneur is about showing up. Being consistent and never accepting the rejection.
My art and my life has been one that speaks to resilience.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorite place in DFW area is the museum district in Ft Worth. My day would start at the Modern Museum of Fort Worth then a tour through the Cowgirls Museum. Finally I would enjoy tacos at Velvet Tacos.
A perfect way to spend the day!

I usually do this when I participate in the Main Street Art Festival in Ft Worth in April. This festival is one of the premier events in the US so it’s always an honor to be part of it.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The success of my business began with my fine arts teacher at Ringling School of art in Sarasota Florida. Leslie Lerner was an established painter who respected my initiative and intense desire to be successful. He was an inspiration who kept telling me to keep showing my work and finding my collector.

Website: https://www.marjolyn.com

Instagram: Https://instagram.com/memoryartgirl

Facebook: Https://facebook.com/memoryartgirl

Image Credits
Marjolyn van der Hart