Hidden Gems: Meet Jeremy Wheeler of A2AC (Ann Arbor Art Center)

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremy Wheeler

Hi Jeremy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Hi, I’m Jeremy. I’m a mid-career visual artist with a varied background in comics, pop culture editorial illustrations, DJ’ing, event promotion, and poster and record cover art–both for bands, my own events, and licensed movie properties. My home is in Ann Arbor, where I’ve helped put my mark on the city through branding (Vault of Midnight, Lo-Fi), illustration (Ann Arbor District Library), and events, most notably, The Bang! Dance Party (with co-creator/good bud Jason Gibner and a team of decorators/set builders), providing high-energy, themed mixtape (like, on actual tapes) dance nights for 18 years, mainly at the Blind Pig.

Since the pandemic and the close of The Bang! in 2019, I’ve done a 180 and dove into watercolor portraiture, embracing soft artistic styles rather than pop art ones that helped put me on the map.

By day, I’m the Marketing and Creative Director for the A2AC (Ann Arbor Art Center), the third oldest arts organization in Michigan, celebrating its 115th birthday this year. I raise awareness for everything the org does, including art classes, public art initiatives, fundraising, high-class exhibitions, and local artists featured in our shop.

This job has given me a healthier relationship with my art now that I don’t rely on my creations to support me financially. Work/life balance has never been more critical, and I welcome it now that I’m not hustling full-time outside of my job.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I hustled for over 20 years as an artist in SE Michigan, a place that has notoriously been ignored in the art world, especially if you’re from a college town like Ann Arbor. You have to take it into your own hands to pursue the people you want to work with, whether it’s bands, record labels, or publications like Esquire, with whom I had an excellent working relationship for a few years. The internet has, no doubt, evened the playing field for creators, but even that is a hustle you need time to cultivate.

Ann Arbor might be regularly listed as one of the best places to live in the country, but the high cost of living doesn’t suit artists who need stability to keep making art while making ends meet.

Having to work by day and make art by night for so many years took a high toll on me–something that has informed my current relationship with my art. The fact that my job now is to raise up artists or encourage others to dive into art themselves is hugely rewarding, although working in the non-profit sector has its own challenges. Thankfully, my DIY years set me up well for how to do a lot with a little.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The A2AC has been around for over a century, which means there’s not only a legacy to uphold but also a long-term one that will surely continue after my time with it ends. One could look at that a few different ways–intimidating, yes, but there’s also a comfort in knowing that you are shepherding something bigger than yourself. I’m wildly proud to have had a hand in rebranding the organization. Working off of a brand refresh by SE Michigan designer/photographer Pete Baker, I was tasked with rolling out the rebrand throughout the pandemic, taking small steps to get donors, students, and the general public acclimated to these new changes, including connecting all the arms of our programming to a whole, while visually defining them to keep their own identity.

I won’t lie–it’s not easy being a one-person Marketing machine, especially when you have rotating exhibitions in multiple galleries, over 300 art classes a year that need filling, a retail shop that relies on sales, plus new, exciting public art that engages the city in wholly different ways. I’ve had to become a Marketing Generalist, adept in ads, brand identity, fundraising, video creation, and social media savvy. After 5-years in the organization, balancing everything feels comfortable now, but not without all-new growing pains as we continue to expand and further our mission of bringing visual art to the community.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Just reach out. I’m easy to find at annarborartcenter.org or jeremywheeler.com. If you’re around Ann Arbor, stop into the Art Center. See what kind of fantastic creators we are fostering. Other than that, follow me on socials: Instagram/Threads @jeremywheeler.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jeremywheeler.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremywheeler/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jeremywheelerart