Making Art Happen: Behind the Scenes in the World of Art

Actors, singers, authors, painters, dancers—when it comes to the arts, it’s central characters such as these who get the lion’s share of the spotlight. But truth be told, these figures represent only the tiniest fraction of the cultural landscape. For every artwork created, there is a massive cast of supporting characters, from editors and stagehands to agents and costume designers. Rarely heralded, these unsung heroes are in large part responsible for making art happen. In the latest issue of NEA Arts, we go behind the scenes with individuals—many of them trained artists themselves—who help bring the art we celebrate to life. We’ve included snippets of each story below. Click on the titles to read the full piece. Making the Character Whole: The Importance of Objects to Property Manager Ellen Freund “Every person I encounter is a collection of what they carry and what they wear,” said Hollywood property master Ellen Freund. “What kind of glasses? What kind of watch? Do they have a pen in their pocket? What else do they have in their pockets?” It is Freund’s job to bring characters we see onscreen to life in the same way, by assembling props that express their personalities and experiences. She has worked on AMC’s award-winning series Mad Men, films such as Night at the Museum and Tom Ford’s recent Nocturnal Animals, and is currently in production for the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. Telling Stories with Light: The World of Lighting Designer Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew While most people get excited for the moment that the house lights dim and the stage lights start to shimmer, very few can articulate how the overall lighting design affected their experience of the show. This is no surprise to veteran lighting designer Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew who’s long made her peace with the fact that audiences rarely have an idea of what her work entails—or even that her job exists. Controlled Chaos: At the Pritzker Pavilion with Stage Manager Dayna Calderón “I want every band to leave the Pritzker Pavilion saying, ‘That was the best experience I’ve had on my whole tour.’ That’s my goal. We’ve got the stage set for them ready to go. We’ve got a good meal waiting for them. We’ve got some nice facilities backstage for them to rest. We’re keeping them on track so they don’t have to be watching their clocks. It’s a lot of logistics along the way about what needs to be done. But it’s definitely giving them a little bit of mothering when they get there.” When the Shoe Fits, Dance in It: The Art of Making Pointe Shoe with Capezio Stella Abrera, principal dancer for American Ballet Theatre, recently had the pleasure of meeting Serafim Mendes, the cobbler who makes her pointe shoes by hand. This is something that rarely happens between dancers and makers. “Everything about him seems deliberate and meticulous, from the manner in which he chooses his words to his approach to cobbling,” said Abrera. “Even before we met, I felt connected to him in a powerful way. I’ll never cease to marvel at Serafim’s craftsmanship and artistry, nor to appreciate having met the man. After all, how many violinists can say they got to hug Signore Stradivari?” Judging a Book by Its Cover: Reading Along with Book Designer Rodrigo Corral Rodrigo Corral has designed so many revered and bestselling titles that his work has become fairly ubiquitous. He recently passed by a Warby Parker eyewear store, where a display of books included The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, which was published in 2007. “The fact that they haven’t changed the cover is reassuring that my approach to design and making art is pretty solid,” he said. “I can be on the subway and see someone reading a book that I designed ten years ago. It reaffirms why I love being in this industry and making art for books.” Inside the Alexander Calder Installation with Mark Leithauser What goes into mounting an exhibition at one of the world’s most venerable museums? In this video, Mark Leithauser—chief of design and senior curator at Washington’s National Gallery of Art—explores the process of envisioning and implementing the vibrant Alexander Calder installation in the museum’s remodeled East Wing. The amount of detail, from choosing the right wall color to positioning lights, is remarkable.