Meet Angee Lennard

Angee is an artist and teacher, but is best known for her work as the Founder and Executive Director of Spudnik Press Cooperative, a community-based art center in Chicago. Now in it’s ninth year, Spudnik Press has evolved from an experimental work/live space to a multi-facetted organization unique in its dedication to printmaking.
 
Under Lennard’s leadership, Spudnik Press provides artistic opportunities to over 3,500 people a year through studio access, residencies, fellowships, classes, exhibitions, collaborative projects and public programs. She is surprisingly passionate about the parallels between art making and arts administration. She holds a BFA from SAIC.

Q+A

If you had to change careers, what would you want to do?
I often day dream of running a neighborhood bar with an old piano, live bluegrass music at 7pm (music always starts way too late at bars), healthy bar food, like brussel sprouts and asparagus. We'd close around 11pm before people get rowdy and I get too tired. It would be something between the diner in Gilmore Girls and the bar in Cheers, and probably not commercially viable. 

What gets you through a rough day?
People say that I am very patient, but this trait is definitely a nurtured skill more than it is my natural state, and intentionally nurtured to help me be a happier person.

I feel the best when I am completely absorbed in an activity, which I think leads to being patient and aware. Biking has become a very centering and zen activity for me, and cooking and printing can also do the trick. However, when I am working with people or am stuck in a stressful situation, sometimes I need to resort to a more contrived way of refocusing and canceling out all the crap that doesn't matter at the moment. I count down from ten (in my head) as slowly as I can and usually feel lighter and clearer before getting to zero. It's boring but works. 

Pet peeves?
When people stop at 97%. In Euchre when you are one point away from winning, there is a saying that "the cow is in the barn," implying that all you need to do is close the door. The bulk of the work is done... Yet, people often leave the very last part of job for someone else to wrap up. Like making a print but not putting away supplies. Or finishing a client's job, but not sending them the invoice. Sometimes people do this with sentences too! They just trail off with the hope that someone else finish their thought!

What makes you laugh?
I really love absurd comedy like Monty Python and when I am with close friends can get pretty absurd and silly myself. I'm pretty serious at work and incredibly square when it comes to any pop culture, plus I dress pretty boring, so I think most people I know probably think I don't really like laughing and having fun. But that simply is not the case!

Have you ever stolen anything?
When I was about 10, I attempted to steal batteries from Radio Shack for a toy that I got for Christmas. My parents kept forgetting to buy them for me and in my kid brain, I swore they were not getting them on purpose just to torture me. One day my whole family went to the mall Radio Shack. Instead of saying "Hey Mom, remember how I need batteries for my toy?" I thought "Now is my chance!" and pocketed a big package of batteries. I totally got caught. That uncomfortable incident has helped keep me a very honest person. 

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Photo Credit: Jamie Kelter Davis Photography