The Jealous Curator: A Site We Seriously Covet

By Chris Frey
May 18, 2011

Mixed media artist and art blogger Danielle Krysa puts the operating principle of her art and design blog, The Jealous Curator, front and center on its masthead: "A collection of artwork that inspires & depresses me. I know it's good when I'm left thinking, 'DAMN, I WISH I THOUGHT OF THAT.'"

While Krysa may be jealous of the artists whose work she highlights, the blogger's own talent for identifying and yes, curating, the paintings, drawings, ceramics and other pieces she features on her blog is equally envy-inducing. Visit the Jealous Curator and you’ll find virtual “galleries” selected by Krysa and grouped thematically, such as “Comfort Food” (crafted food sculptures) and “Head and Shoulders” (portraits). But what keeps The Jealous Curator blog firmly planted on the bookmark bar of thousands of art blog followers is her tireless devotion to scouting and introducing new artwork. Nearly every day, Krysa features at least one emerging artist whose work generates in her that familiar feeling of being simultaneously inspired and depressed. "It’s the moment when, if you’re an artist yourself, you look at [a piece of art] and feel a rush of uplifting inspiration… and total soul-crushing jealousy all at the same time,” the art blogger says.

The Jealous Curator, a Sampler

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Comfort Food
Head + Shoulders
Diane Arbus; Annie Kevans
I'm Jealous of Daniel Egneus
I'm Jealous of Inge Jacobsen
I'm Jealous of Laura Guarie

It was precisely these conflicting emotions that drove her to launch The Jealous Curator art blog in the first place—as a way to combat the negative side of her feelings by channeling them into something she could be happy about. Since the start of The Jealous Curator Blog in 2009, she has not only featured hundreds of artists on her own art blog, but she has also guest curated online for Etsy, online art marketplace The Beholder and style blog sfgirlbybay. This spring, she had her first "off-line" curatorial endeavor with a Washington, DC-based gallery who contacted her after reading her blog.

When Krysa was asked to speak at this year’s ALT Summit, a prestigious lifestyle and design blog conference, her previously mysterious cover as “The Jealous Curator” art blog was officially blown. We’re thrilled that she let us even further behind the curtain.

The Inside Source: When did you start The Jealous Curator blog?

Danielle Krysa: The idea for The Jealous Curator started over Dim Sum in January of 2009. I was trying to focus on my own art at that time, but when I found an artist's work that I loved, it would stop me in my tracks. While out for lunch, knee-deep in dumplings, I decided to start a blog to catalog all of these artists, and turn these negative, soul-crushing, work-halting feelings into something positive. The site went live on February 22nd, 2009, and I haven't looked back since.

The Inside Source: The sheer volume of artists on your art and design blog is impressive. Can you reveal how you source so many artists so consistently?

Danielle Krysa: I spend a huge amount of time online, and I go to as many shows in-person as I possibly can. In the past year, however, finding artists is starting to get a lot easier. Every morning my inbox is full of submissions! I have to admit that it's a fantastic way to start the day—sipping my morning coffee while looking at art from all over the world.

The Inside Source: Did you study art formally and do you make work today?

Danielle Krysa: Yes. I have a BFA in Visual Arts with a focus on painting, printmaking, and art history. After graduation I took a year off to travel, and then I came back to Canada to complete a post-grad design degree. I've worked as a designer/Creative Director for almost fifteen years, but have continued to do mixed media art on the side. My work definitely has a design influence, as it’s usually quite clean and graphic. But because of the materials I use—found imagery/surfaces, embroidery, and house paint—it tends to have a textural, handmade quality to it. Lately I’ve been exploring my love for mundane nostalgia, often featuring the suburbs, the regular people who live there, and the ordinary lives they lead.

Jealous Curator

Art blogger Danielle Krysa's own mixed media artwork.

The Inside Source: You see so much. What is your favorite medium or movement in art happening right now?

Danielle Krysa: That’s a hard question. I like a lot of stuff, so I’ll have to give you two of my favorites. One: I'd have to say that I have a major place in my heart for mixed media work that combines fine art with craft. Seeing work that incorporates handcrafted elements (like embroidery, and textiles) being displayed in fine art galleries thrills me to no end. And two: The use of found imagery/objects. Seriously, I cannot get enough of this kind of work. I love that an entirely new story can be told from things that have been left to gather dust. A forgotten snapshot, odd ceramic figurines, and I’m telling you, you’d be amazed at what a gifted artist is able to do with a discarded landscape painting.

Jealous Curator

Pieces, selected by Krysa, that combine fine art with craft and that incorporate found objects. Art by: 1. Laura McKellar 2. Wayne White 3. Stacey Page 4. Stephen Johnson.

The Inside Source: There is a sense of humor in your approach. Is that important to you in the face of the art world, which can take itself incredibly seriously?

Danielle Krysa: I think there is a place for art to be serious, but The Jealous Curator is clearly not that place. I didn't set out with this in mind; I simply write exactly what I think... and so I suppose I have more humorous thoughts than serious ones.

The Inside Source: How important will the Internet to exposing and publicizing emerging artists in the future?

Danielle Krysa: I personally think it's already incredibly important. Blogs and online galleries will never replace actual galleries (because seeing the work in person is so fantastic, and a totally different experience). But what blogs can do that galleries can't is give massive, immediate exposure to emerging artists. Both online and offline curators benefit from artists having their work on the Internet. It puts so much amazing artwork right at the fingertips of these curators... a much easier way to discover the next great artist!

The Inside Source: You recently curated a show with Canadian artist Ben Skinner for an art gallery in Washington, DC. Tell us about your first off-line show?

Danielle Krysa: It was amazing from start to finish. I was approached in the fall of 2010 by the Honfleur Gallery in DC. They said they'd been following my blog, liked my taste/sense of humor, and would I be interested in curating a show in the 2011 calendar? I said yes! I chose Ben Skinner, a Canadian artist (who deserves to be very famous as far as I’m concerned) because I felt that his work would be perfect for the neighborhood that the gallery calls home. Anacostia is currently going through a lot of changes due to gentrification, and I believed that Ben's work would address those issues. We worked on the show for six months and it opened on March 4, 2011, to a warm and excited crowd.

Jealous Curator

Work by artist Ben Skinner, which was included in a Washington DC gallery show curated by Krysa.

"eBay is truly a treasure box for mixed media artists," says Krysa. "I have literally spent hours looking at images and objects that could be repurposed into just about anything in the hands of the right artist. Old prom photos, vintage paintings, and even a few weird ceramic animals. Yep, with a bit of creativity all of these items are only a few alterations away from a gallery wall. In fact, I call dibs on that deer painting!"