Creator Five: Susan Scofield & HIVE artspace
Susan Scofield and Angel. Image courtesy of Susan Scofield.
"What an artist is trying to do for people is bring them closer to something, because of course art is about sharing: you wouldn't be an artist if you didn't want to share an experience, a thought."
Art is about sharing. As Hockney notes, the artist shares their experience via their unique voice. But it's not only the artist that does the sharing in most cases, but also the galleries, spaces, and organizations that help artists spread their thoughts and creative thoughts.
And York has such a unique venue for art: HIVE artspace, located in the Royal Square area of the city, and Susan Scofield creates that voice. It's funky and modern, unconventional yet comfortable, and quirky while fun. Its artists are excellent at what they do, and like HIVE and Susan, each has its own voice.
HIVE artspace and neighboring Royal Square businesses. Photographs are copyright © Andrew T. Smith, 2022 unless noted otherwise.
I've appreciated (and at times shared art via) HIVE for a number of years now, but I think it's at its best yet. We've seen the past few years of COVID-19 challenges take a toll on businesses, both small and large. It was a case of sink or swim, and HIVE swam, moving to online sales as necessary. The monthly themed exhibits continued, and the art and sales continued.
And Scofield and HIVE have been acknowledged for their contributions. In addition to owning and operating a gallery, Susan is also an active artist herself, as well as an arts navigator for the Cultural Alliance of York County's Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator program. Downtown Inc's Downtown First Awards for Outstanding Individual includes her as a nominee, and HIVE artspace recently was awarded the Best Art Gallery in Susquehanna Style's Best of York 2022. In addition, she received an honorable mention in York Daily Record's list of York County's Most Influential People for 2022: Arts & Entertainment.
Let's learn a bit more about this community influencer via our Creator Five insights!
1) As a visual artist, Scofield is currently working with relief printing, watercolor, wood burning, and occasionally photography. But, she notes, "with block printing, I don't think people realize how many tries it takes to get a 'keeper' print. I didn't understand either until I started doing them. Boy, that was a frustrating lesson!"
2) Unfortunately, with all the tasks on her plate, it's not surprising that she has limited time for her own visual art. Except for "the third Sunday of the month from 6-8pm... because that's the only dedicated artmaking time I actually have set aside to make my own artwork, with a group of friends online."
The current HIVE evolved from a previous artist collective, moving to Susan's hands in February of 2015 when she took the project on as a sole proprietor. Time obviously needs to be handled efficiently, and that need is reflected in one of Scofield's most notable desktop items.
Image courtesy of Susan Scofield.
"A can of "Get Shit Done" nitro brew coffee. It was given to me as a joke gift, and although it got a chuckle, I didn't give it much thought other than that and set it down within sight of my workspace. Then one day, when I was struggling with a new challenge, I mean really doubting myself, I glanced up and saw the back of the can facing me with a quote on it saying, 'Do it scared until you can do it skilled.' (Frank Sell) It was exactly what I needed to hear, and I have kept that can in sight with the quote facing out ever since. But I also like the "Get Shit Done" side some days, too!"
3) Scofield's various roles often put her in a unique position to share insights with others, and a favorite suggestion is, "Everyone doubts themselves as an artist... it's just what we do, all of us. Trust your instincts."
We're all impatient, but she'll remind us, "Everything happens when it does for a reason."
Her creative influences include Cindy Sherman, Pablo Picasso, Duane Michals, Sue Coe, Kate Kretz, and Chris Antieau. When reading, she'll likely reach for the horror fiction genre. "Harlan Ellison's "Deathbird Stories" is a favorite collection of short stories & has some great imagery, and Clive Barker's tale of childhood lost "The Thief of Always" is another I have often gifted to fellow readers."
4) On the rare occasion when she can carve out some time, she enjoys the galleries in Harrisburg and Carlisle or grabbing "a bite to eat with art friends." But, of course, traveling to Baltimore's Visionary Art Museum or the Baltimore Museum of Art are also worthy adventures.
5) That bite to eat is likely to involve gummy bears or peanut M&Ms, particularly when hanging an exhibit. (During which music by LCD Soundsystem is most likely being played.) "Pimento cheese with a fat slice of garden tomato, with mayo, on plain white bread" sounds lovely for lunch, followed by Ben & Jerry's Non-Dairy Cherry Garcia. "But if there were an accessible spicy cinnamon-tinged chocolate, it would probably win."
You can win on your own art adventure with a trip to HIVE artspace, one you should do quite often.
HIVE artspace
126 East King Street
York, PA 17401
http://hiveartspace.com
HIVE on Facebook
Angel, who sometimes hangs out at HIVE artspace.
