Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Waller.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Ali. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I herniated three discs my senior year of high school, which meant I laid in bed for almost four months recovering and taking submitting final projects. After spending so much time in isolation, I knew I wanted to seek out an alternative to traditional schooling. I emailed businesses, churches, and coffee shops all over the world, proposing an art outreach program until I got a response from a religious organization in Scotland. Once I decided to move to the United Kingdom, I started painting and selling work to pay for my visa. Four years and three moves later, I had created an art group in Glasgow, a prison art healing group in South Florida, become an art handler at the Norton Museum of Art and had four exhibitions of my own work. I knew that I wanted to create a creative business, but I didn’t exactly know what it looked like.
Once the pandemic caused galleries and physical art spaces to close, I started the Universal Art Collective as a digital art gallery through Instagram. While brainstorming in the past, I struggled to conceive of a place where the collective would fit best, but due to the changes in the world, I realized that I have been planting parts of the collective in each place I go. Although the Universal Art Collective space has been put on hold due to the pandemic, we hope to have many physical spaces where artists passing through can display their work, share resources, and receive artist support- which is needed now more than ever.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has absolutely not been smooth. I don’t think I could picture a smooth road for this collective. It’s a part of me. The clarity of the mission and point of the collective only came with the clarity of myself as an artist and the role I want to play in the art world.
My chronic pain is a personal battle which has stood in the way of me working the jobs I need to fund the Universal. I thought that the Universal would thrive in Glasgow, but since I was not able to secure a visa, I went back to the drawing board. At another point, I thought the Universal would exist in prison and be focused on reintegrating women into society through art. The pandemic, of course, has affected everyone greatly. I lost my job within a month of the lockdown but continued to fight for an artistic mission. Artists are adaptable. I’m sure I will face more obstacles. I’m sure I will move. I’m sure it will change, but ultimately, the purpose of the collective is to be a space of inclusivity, creativity, and adaptability.
We’d love to hear more about your art.
The purpose of the Universal Art Collective is to empower and administer forward-thinking artists as stewards of culture and community. Artists may become a part of the collective digitally by submitting two pieces and an artist’s bio. If artists want to be a part of the physical space, they must sign an artist contract which binds them to the studio/gallery for a minimum of three months. Artists who join the collective will receive updates on call for artists in their area. Art coipition deadlines will be eligible for our live-streamed artist spotlights and will be the first notified of opportunities in the Universal.
I am an artist myself and have been working independently for about four years. I did not pursue formal education but did receive classes from Professor Langley and Jared Seff at Savannah College of Art and Design. I have done multiple residencies in order to develop my work in Scotland, Indianapolis, and West Palm Beach. Each place recognizes me for different parts of my creative process.
I painted large and small scale religious pieces while in Scotland – an ode to my classical training. During my residency in Indianapolis, I live painted children during PreEnact Indy and presented watercolor paintings inside a tiny home. While in West Palm, I completed an exhibition alongside women transitioning out of prison at the Box Gallery and an exhibition at the Milagro Center in Delray Beach. Since moving to Chattanooga, TN, I have been a part of an Ecofeminist exhibition at the Bazar Odditorium.
My personal style has become much more childlike and less of illustrated narratives. Rather than painting portraits or rendering, now, I paint with broad strokes and use my hands to paint. I am incredibly proud of my resilience and the communities that make my vision reality. In order to continue creating, displaying, and changing with culture, communities have to receive you as a space. I am so proud of the open-minded communities that have donated art supplies or funds and for people who have volunteered to install or deinstall exhibitions.
I believe our intimacy sets us apart from other spaces and collectives. I have gotten to know artists all over the world and receive updates on their work just through our Instagram page. Other galleries and collectives have been supportive of our growth.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I define success as an artist being heard. You can replace the word ‘artist’ with ‘human,’ and it shares the same sentiment. Art spaces are meant to draw attention to pieces of humans that we may not have seen otherwise. Exhibitions challenge you to see differently, imaginatively, or solemnly.
I do not see success as an Instagram page of thousands (although that would be wonderful for our artists), but I see it as a core group of artists who consistently bring their communities in. I measure the Universal success by how many people are able to physically enter an art space and walk out changed. I measure it in how many artists benefit from experience shared through our Spotlights. I believe once those aspects fall in line, the rest will follow. One marker I am looking for is the eagerness of artists and communities to have an exhibition or co-create.
Pricing:
- The rent for our studio space is $1,400. Some of that is paid by artists who rent out parts of the space, but a majority has to be paid by myself. We are looking for investors, especially now, to become donors.
Contact Info:
- Website: Aliwaller.shop
- Phone: 9126554398
- Instagram: @universalartcollective
- Other: @alicekayw
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
