Meet Abigail Frank | Visual Artist

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

Hi Abigail, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
It’s difficult to find balance in life. When I first graduated from my BFA program, I would feel so much guilt if I went home from work and didn’t go right into studio mode. The same thing would happen if I spent the weekend being social or resting after a long workweek and didn’t put in painting time. It takes dedication and discipline to continue to balance a studio practice on top of a full time job but I’m learning not to feel guilt or frustration for taking some time off to connect with friends, rest, and recharge.

You have to be a balanced person and sometimes need some time off so that you can come back refreshed and ready to tackle more than you could have before. I’ve learned from experience that I’m more productive when my life feels balanced; I’ve exercised, eaten well, slept well, cleaned my studio, and organized my life. The stereotype starving artist persona we’ve all heard of is not me and I’ve learned out that I need to take care of myself in order to perform in the studio. I will still be an artist if I take time off, it’s who I am and always will be even if other things take priority sometimes.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve always known I wanted to work in the arts, whether that be supporting artists at TurningArt, the art firm where I work or making art myself and building my own art business. I feel lucky that I’ve always felt certainty about my career path in a world where it can be overwhelming deciding what profession to choose. But knowing what you want to do and doing it are different. I have so much respect for artists who have made the leap to make their practice a full time gig. Artists are entrepreneurs and building a business is no small feat. One day, I may make the transition but for now, I love working at the art firm while also building my own art business. One milestone I’m proud of having achieved in the past year is moving into a studio. As part of my move to Atlanta, I wanted to take the next step in my art business and find dedicated space to make.

I’m learning everyday. I have so many goals and feel like my journey has really just begun. One piece of advice that I’ve gotten from a few artists is that it really boils down to putting in the hours and being disciplined about dedicating yourself to your practice. If you do this for years, one day you’ll look up and it will be 15 years later and you’ll still be at it and have accomplished a lot of the things that seemed so far away at the start.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is fun! I’m new to Atlanta. I’ve only been here about 9 months but have loved getting to know the city and I’m excited to call it home. Since I’m so new, I don’t know how great a tour guide I would be but my favorite spots in the city so far are:

Of course the High Museum – what a gem in the city.
Day & Night Projects is an artist run gallery in my studio building. They always have an amazing show up.
The Clermont Rooftop is a great spot for drinks with a skyline view. And you can follow it with dinner at Tiny Lou’s (and the lounge after if you still want to keep the night going)

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’m fortunate to have always been surrounded by family and friends who have supported my passion for art and goals as an artist. Since I can remember, I’ve wanted to be an artist and have been painting and drawing all my life. I never felt doubt about pursuing the arts and I owe that to the encouragement of my family. Today, I work for an art firm full time and also balance my art practice on the side. The artists we represent at the firm inspire me; their experiences and processes inform my personal studio practice. I’m also grateful that my boyfriend understands my late night studio sessions and my friends have always been super supportive which motivates me to put in more studio hours and continue to be dedicated to my art practice.

Website: https://abigailfrank.com/

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