Supporter Spotlight: Lorrie Cardoso
Published: May 31, 2019
Categories: Donors | Spotlight | Spring Campaign
Lorrie Cardoso is an advocate for the arts. She founded a social group for the arts on Meetup called Seattle Arts and Cultural Events which grew to 5,000 members under her leadership, and has served on the Board of Directors of the Center on Contemporary Art (CoCA) and Whim W’Him contemporary dance company. Lorrie is currently on the Board of Directors of the Mini Mart City Park, a pocket park, art space, and community center opening in the fall of 2019, in addition to being a member of the leadership team of the Northwest Chapter of ArtTable. She partners with 3 female leaders in the Seattle arts community to lead art tours called COLLECT. Lorrie works for Starbucks Corporation as a Senior Paralegal specializing in commercial real estate.
Lorrie is also an Artist Trust donor, most recently in support of our 2019 Benefit Art Auction! We recently interviewed Lorrie about why she chooses to support individual artists and Artist Trust.
As someone who has been working in and supporting the arts for years, what do you think is necessary for artists to feel supported and succeed?
Artists are skilled professionals and deserve financial compensation for their time. “Exposure” doesn’t pay the bills! However, being creative and having artistic skills and training isn’t enough to succeed and sustain a career as an artist. Artist Trust provides a valuable service to artists by teaching needed business skills and mentoring.
What motivates you to support the arts and artists?
I’m in awe of the creative mind. I grew up being exposed to the arts by my parents and while I didn’t always appreciate it at the time, that exposure during my formative years shaped the person I am today. In 2012, I founded a social group for the arts with the goal of meeting peers who shared my interest in the arts. As the group grew and evolved over time, I saw my role as matching art lovers with artists and took great pleasure from group members discovering new artists, buying art, and from witnessing their emotional response and connection to the art.
How did you first get acquainted with Artist Trust and how have you seen AT positively impact Washington State artists?
My first experience with Artist Trust was the Fellowship Exhibition in 2015. The work of artists such as Humaira Abid, Ellen Ziegler, Michelle de la Vega, Tom Gormally, June Sekiguchi, and Aaron Haba resonated with me. Since that time, I have followed their careers and supported them by attending their art exhibitions, participating in their art projects, or collaborating with them through my art nonprofit volunteer activities. It has been a pleasure to watch them grow and evolve as artists.
What motivates you to support Artist Trust?
I have become friends with many artists that have benefited from the services and financial support that Artist Trust provides to artists. By supporting Artist Trust, I’m supporting the professional development of artists and hopefully enabling them to pursue art as a full time career.
This spring, we’re focusing on the role of risk in artistic practice – and in day-to-day life! What’s a big risk you’ve taken and what support was necessary for you to take it?
I’m currently in the process of changing jobs after 15 years with the same company. In order to accomplish this, I needed to reach out to my network of supporters to request references and was very pleasantly surprised at their enthusiastic response and willingness to support my professional development. Without their support, this wouldn’t have been possible.
What would you say to someone who is considering a gift to Artist Trust?
We are living in troubling times. In order to move forward as a society, we need to hear from a diverse range of voices. Artists have a unique ability to bring attention to societal issues and connect with people on a personal level. I would tell someone considering a gift to Artist Trust that Artist Trust takes a sustainable approach to supporting artists. By sustainable approach, I mean Artist Trust prepares artists to launch, achieve, and sustain success in their careers and take risks that they may not have taken without the support of Artist Trust.
Join Lorrie in supporting Artist Trust by making a gift to our spring campaign today!
