Today we’d like to introduce you to Sherry Washington.
Hi Sherry, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Sherry Washington is the founder of Sherry Arts LLC (SARTS) and has over thirty-three (37) years of experience in providing museum-quality artwork and educational art/cultural services for educational institutions, private collectors, and corporations. We began as Sherry Washington Gallery and transformed to SARTS, which is built on the passion of presenting quality art to the community. Since our inception, we have represented some of America’s most innovative artists. Our artists are among the finest and have earned critical acclaim, including the prestigious Rome Study and Guggenheim Fellow awards. Our artists are America’s master painters: the late Benny Andrews, David Driskell and Gilda Snowden, Harold Allen, Shirley Woodson, M. Saffell Gardner, Dr. Jocelyn Rainery, Taurus Burns, Senghor Reid, Charles Burwell, Bryant Tillman, Richard Mayhew, Bill Sanders, David Fludd, among others. We have had major solo exhibitions by William T. Williams, Nadine DeLawrence, and Emma Amos. We also represent renowned Michigan artists.
Sherry Washington serves as the arts curator for and manages the Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD) Ford Galleries to ensure that the students and community are exposed to some of the finest artworks in America. In 2023, we created and oversaw the publication of the WCCCD catalog “American Visions: The Art of Collecting.” This historic catalog documents two outstanding 2022 exhibitions that were featured in the Ford Galleries. Since 2003, WCCCD Ford Galleries has shown master artists such as Benny Andrews, Richard Mayhew, David Driskell, David Fludd, Shirley Woodson, Elizabeth Youngblood, as well as many esteemed local artists, emerging painters and K-12 artists. Washington is currently managing the publication of the Ford exhibitions marketing project, WCCCD Masters of the Arts catalog, which features the art of renowned artists Harold Allen, M. Saffell Gardner, Bill Sanders, Jocelyn Rainey, PhD, and Jide Aje. At WCCCD, Washington has curated over 60 exhibitions of American artists to ensure that the WCCCD students and the community are aware of the value of incorporating the visual arts in one’s life, thus hopefully improving one’s quality of life. Washington has created 2 annual exhibitions that seek to unite WCCCD with the visual arts community: The Annual K-12 student exhibition and the WCCCD Community Consciousness exhibition. Washington conducts youth workshops and lectures in the Ford Galleries that are taught by professional artists who provide hands-on experiences for the participants.
SARTS provides full support for art acquisition and installation services by engaging personnel trained in all phases of private and corporate art management projects. The services provided include art consultation and selection, site-specific art commissioning, appraisals, delivery, framing, lighting, installation, crating, storage, writing for art endeavors, art collection cataloging, and exhibit production and promotion. We curate and organize Museum-quality art exhibitions for colleges
and cultural institutions. We have assisted numerous architects, engineers, and interior design firms, and businesses with enhancing their facilities or new developments with fine art. We have helped our clients accomplish their goals while staying within budget. SARTS appreciates that a productive, multicultural workforce requires a motivating work environment. Hence, our private, corporate, educational, and museum clients have coveted our expertise and services. Through the acquisition of visually stimulating art, our clients satisfy their aesthetic tastes and those of their personnel and target audiences. Sherry Washington is an expert in art acquisition, installation, and private, public sector, and corporate art development and installation for all the reasons set forth above, due to our experience in the field. You may view our website, sherryarts.com, to see some of the artworks we market.
In 1990, Sherry Washington and John Bolden created The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA)Friends of African and African American Art Dr. Alain Locke Awards. This award honors cultural leaders and artists who have significantly advanced appreciation and support for the arts in Michigan. This coveted award is one of the most distinguished honors in the American museum system!
Washington is a University of Michigan graduate and a Delta Sigma Theta Sorority member. She is a member of the Griots Book Club and the Elliottorian Business and Professional Women’s Club, Inc. Since birth, she has been a member of The Historic Ebenezer AME Church!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been a laborious effort starting the gallery. We started out as brick and mortar with the Sherry Washington Gallery in 1989 and morphed into Sherry Arts LLC.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Sherry Arts LLC?
Sherry Arts LLC is an arts consulting firm and a gallery. We specialize in building museum-quality art collections and managing art exhibitions for clients who want to present some of the best contemporary art. I am proud to have built major art collections and helped guide beginning collectors to find quality art at affordable prices to start their venture into the world of collecting good art. I am very proud of having represented the late Benny Andrews, Richard Mayhew, David Driskell and Emma Amos and launched their major shows in Detroit and the world followed and started coveting their artworks. In 1990, I am delighted to have established with John Bolden the Dr. Alaine Lock award at The Detroit Institute of Arts to honor supporters of African and African American art and culture.
How do you think about luck?
I believe that Luck always plays a role in business. I mostly have had good luck! But having an impeccable eye for good art really is the key to building a successful art gallery and consulting business.
Pricing:
- $500 – $150,000 for Original museum quality art work
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sherryarts.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sherryartsllc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherryswashington/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherry-washington-b69031134/
