Posted on Mar 27, 2023
After getting more Black art into Kansas City spaces, Natasha Ria El-Scari looks to expand her...
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The gallerist and curator has kept busy during the pandemic, and has big plans for the rest of 2023 — she wants to finish two books and has her sights set on building a women-focused recording studio.
A Renaissance woman, Natasha Ria El-Scari — gallerist, curator, poet, spoken word performer, educator and life coach — has surrounded herself with art throughout her life.
However, as the Kansas City native watched her hometown’s art scene flourish and thrive, she noticed not everyone was included.
“As the city started to change, and the Crossroads was starting to grow, I was realizing, ‘Wow, I don’t see any poor artists here. I don’t see any African American artists here.’ I saw us not even in the margins — I didn’t even see us on the page,” El-Scari said.
A Renaissance woman, Natasha Ria El-Scari — gallerist, curator, poet, spoken word performer, educator and life coach — has surrounded herself with art throughout her life.
However, as the Kansas City native watched her hometown’s art scene flourish and thrive, she noticed not everyone was included.
“As the city started to change, and the Crossroads was starting to grow, I was realizing, ‘Wow, I don’t see any poor artists here. I don’t see any African American artists here.’ I saw us not even in the margins — I didn’t even see us on the page,” El-Scari said.
After getting more Black art into Kansas City spaces, Natasha Ria El-Scari looks to expand her...
Posted from kcur.org
Kansas City
Art
Diversity
Posted 1 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."When the portal opens
Looking ahead, El-Scari still has big plans for the remainder of 2023, saying she hopes to publish a long-in-the-works book, in addition to a chapter book version of “We Found Us” that includes some extra poems.
She would also like to create a women-focused recording studio and art space, she said, with the aim of providing a more flexible and welcoming atmosphere for female artists.
“Our recording studios are very male-focused, and those spaces can often be not great spaces for women,” El-Scari said. “It’s not anything that men are purposely doing. It’s just that those are typically masculine spaces.”
“That is not something that I can fund solely by myself,” she continued. “I have the space, but the space needs to be renovated, and I want to do it a certain way.”
Beyond that, El-Scari will keep her options open, she said, noting that opportunities always seem to find her at unexpected but ultimately correct times.
“Nothing great has ever happened for me when it was convenient,” El-Scari said. “I have always had so many other things happening in my life when the beautiful stuff has been happening … but I just still move forward anyway.”
“I don’t try to limit what the spirit has put in me,” she added. “You’re not going to get called to do something that you can’t do. When your portal is open, more can come through it, and so you get more opportunities because you’re open to the flow and changes. I am open to life’s excitement. I am open to creativity. When you are walking and you just have a wide net, you’re going to catch a lot more.”
..."When the portal opens
Looking ahead, El-Scari still has big plans for the remainder of 2023, saying she hopes to publish a long-in-the-works book, in addition to a chapter book version of “We Found Us” that includes some extra poems.
She would also like to create a women-focused recording studio and art space, she said, with the aim of providing a more flexible and welcoming atmosphere for female artists.
“Our recording studios are very male-focused, and those spaces can often be not great spaces for women,” El-Scari said. “It’s not anything that men are purposely doing. It’s just that those are typically masculine spaces.”
“That is not something that I can fund solely by myself,” she continued. “I have the space, but the space needs to be renovated, and I want to do it a certain way.”
Beyond that, El-Scari will keep her options open, she said, noting that opportunities always seem to find her at unexpected but ultimately correct times.
“Nothing great has ever happened for me when it was convenient,” El-Scari said. “I have always had so many other things happening in my life when the beautiful stuff has been happening … but I just still move forward anyway.”
“I don’t try to limit what the spirit has put in me,” she added. “You’re not going to get called to do something that you can’t do. When your portal is open, more can come through it, and so you get more opportunities because you’re open to the flow and changes. I am open to life’s excitement. I am open to creativity. When you are walking and you just have a wide net, you’re going to catch a lot more.”
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel good day Brother William, always informational and of the most interesting. Thanks for sharing, have a blessed day!
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