Concerned Citizen

Concerned Citizen from Morgan Akana on Vimeo.

         We as film students at BYU are given lots of opportunities such as access to equipment and spaces like the Open Lab, the Pocket and The Cave where we are able to exercise our creativity. But that is an exception to the norm. Many artists struggle to practice their craft and skills simply due to the fact that they have no where to do it. We stumbled upon this blog post by Sandy Askey-Adams where she discusses her opinion on studio space. She says “I know an art studio does not make you an artist but you do need a place of your own for pursuing your passion”. She makes the point that an artist needs a separate place free of distractions.  She goes on to state that not having a set and determined place and “taking out and putting back can play havoc on creativity”. So it’s important for artists to have a space exclusively for their art.

        We were fortunate enough to interview Zenobia Taylor, who manages a local art studio that welcomes any artist of any medium in need of space to practice their craft. Provo Art Studio is a recent addition to Provo’s community located in south Provo. We find her to be a great example of a Concerned Citizen. She has provided the opportunity for local artists to pursue their artistic endeavors that they may not have otherwise pursued. Not only has she provided space, she is creating a community and a collective for the artists. Since there are so many different mediums welcome, it allows the artists to inspire each other’s work. Not only does she have separate studios, she holds a weekly art gallery that allows artists to showcase their work. 

      Watching the Beehive Stories, we were inspired by the simplicity of the story. This man’s job may seem minute and unknown but he is the start to many different processes that define that community.

       She may just be a small cog in the wheel, but her influence and passion for this community will have some long lasting effects. Provo is a growing place for artists. We have venues like the Velour or Muse but to get to those places, artists need to practice and work up the confidence to share their work. That starts in their studios. And thanks to Zenobia, certain people may acquire the courage to perfect their work and then share what they have to offer to their community.

Olivia Taylor & Morgan Akana