Finalist Q&A: AMMO Arts

AMMO presents monthly exhibitions by emerging to established artists. The gallery opened in December 2008, and is located in the heart of the French Quarter on Royal Street. They provide a cultural service by representing living artists, many of whom have connections to the city of New Orleans.

How did you come up with the idea for your business, and what, or who,is your main source of motivation?

AMMO is a collaborative business that is focused on presenting and selling original art. I have been painting on my own for over 13 years selling my work, helping people select work for their collections - the profession came naturally to me so I pursued it. For the past three years I have been directing other Contemporary art galleries in New Orleans, and I finally decided to take the jump (with the help of my partner, Cedric) and open my own business. "Ammo" is the term I would often use when meeting with an artist before a show, when discussing the need for more work to give the show impact, the art was referred to as "ammo". My source of motivation comes from knowing that I will always discover new work; that the dialog I am creating and sharing with others feeds back into my love of art and people.

What is a unique feature of your business?
We are the only gallery of our kind in the French Quarter. We rotate exhibitions, meaning the shows are different every month and we are host slide talks, lectures, and other presentations to accompany the artwork being featured. I think what sets us apart more so is the warm environment we create within a gallery. As a gallery owner and the person who spends the most time interacting with people, I don't believe that art is reserved for a specific crowd and I am encouraged by seeing people come in who are not considered the conventional gallery-goer. In a way, It's like converting others into your belief system, and helping them cultivate their own opinions and not be afraid to embrace intellectual ideas in art. Love it or hate it - there is nothing worse than being impartial!

What are your thoughts on the connection between small business and the local community?
Someone once told me that he has lived in New Orleans for over 20 years, and that he had stopped walking down Royal Street because he always knew he would see the same things in the window. He had started walking down to our gallery, and thus Royal Street again, because he was entertained by the fact that we are always changing, and there is a surprise element that makes him not take the shows we have for granted. I loved this story because I feel like people need to spend more time outside in their communities and should not only feel a sense of responsibility to their local community, but should also get a sense of pride and a wanting to be out there experiencing it. Of course, we are a commercial business, but we operate with our community in mind.

Why should the Idea Cafe regulars vote for you?
We are a young business, and we are full of passion about what we do. People who love owning a business can understand passion. People who understand passion can understand places like New Orleans. I would hope that the Idea Cafe members will find inspiration in knowing that their vote is going to a good cause.