It's Never Going to Work Book Release - October 9th

Has anyone ever told you that? Especially when embarking on a career as an artist or organizer, we are often told that our ideas are too big or not big enough. It's not realistic. It's never going to work, they may have said. As discouraging as that is, we plug along regardless and follow our ambitions, our passions, and our ideas. BECAUSE WE ARE STRONG. We prove them wrong. Jamie Schumacher's new book appropriately titled It's Never Going to Work follows this thread and shares her work in Minneapolis art and nonprofits, specifically speaking to her work founding and running Altered Esthetics (Ae), an organization I volunteered for from 2014-2017. At Altered Esthetics, I started as a Curatorial Assistant Intern. I eventually joined the Board, serving as the Co-Exhibitions Director and Festival Director.

The day I first heard of the possibility of a film screening event at Altered Esthetics I was an intern. It was the summer of 2014. Though it was a small one night event, we saw the opportunity a film festival could do for the artists of our community. We saw that it could also grow the capacity of our small arts nonprofit. A filmmaker myself, it was a dream of mine to organize a film program. So, I was naturally drawn to the lead our first event. I was compelled to also look ahead and expand the program into the Ae Film Festival. As I look back, not only did Ae help me grow individually as an artist, giving me space to show and explore my art, but Ae also supported my goals in organizational leadership, community arts, curatorial studies, and in film exhibition and programming. It was a multifaceted experience that I don't think I could have gotten anywhere else. 

I talk more about this in Jamie's new book. I have 5 whole pages in the book - to be exact! It's my first time published in a book too. I couldn't be more thrilled! A big thanks goes to Jamie for asking me to be part of her project. I am a proud Altered Esthetics family member! Congrats to Jamie on her book!

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered, served on the board, exhibited with Ae. I also want to thank all of those who donated to the organization over the years too!

Come check out the book, meet Jamie, and celebrate with us on Tuesday, October 9th from 7-8 PM. Eat My Words Bookstore in Northeast Minneapolis will be hosting the book release party. All of the details are here.