How art advocate Ny’Ree Hardyway is building a culture that values artists and their work
Detroit art advocate Ny’Ree Hardyway uplifts local artists through her book, ‘The Art Advocate,’ and a mission to make art more valued and visible.
“An art advocate recognizes the impact and importance of arts in the world. They support community events, local artists, and small businesses,” says Ny’Ree Hardyway, art advocate and author of The Art Advocate: A Heart for all Art. She adds, “An art advocate is okay spending more with a person/small business versus cheaper with retail/big chain. Art advocates create platforms where artists can be hired and highlighted.”
Hardyway was inspired to become an art advocate after hearing about the budgetary cuts to the arts under Trump, including the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). NEA lost millions of dollars in grants that impacted thousands of organizations across the country.
Hardyway has always loved the arts. In high school, she worked at the Black Tourism Network and portrayed Black characters at Detroit historical sites. She was also employed by the city under a grant from the Council for the Arts and did theater, along with African dance. In college, Hardyway majored in performance arts at the College of Creative Studies in Detroit, where she sang, danced, acted, and played the piano.
She found that most artists need a full-time job to support themselves as they do not make enough income from their art alone. They must create during their free time. She also believes that people do not value artwork and balk at paying for it. “I believe that if artists are supported by the community and big business, they could be full-time artists. There is also a negative mindset that some people have towards buying original works. I hear so often that “that’s a lot to pay,” and my response is a machine didn’t make it, it’s worth it, and try to encourage them to understand that.”
Her passion for art is what inspired The Art Advocate: A Heart for all Art. The book covers literary art, performing arts, and fine art, motivating people to value and appreciate art. One chapter talks about how to get children interested in art and dispels the notion that all artists are penniless. Another chapter highlights how studied artists are becoming fewer, and more self-taught artists are emerging, encouraging the reader to support both.
The book led Hardyway into her current project of creating an art portfolio of a client’s artwork collection. She found that many heirs did not know what to do with art collections from their deceased relatives. With the portfolio, the family will know how to distribute the works. “I photograph the works, collect information on each piece, and create a log for each piece along with a spreadsheet. My clients receive two albums, one for them and one for their estate planners,” says Hardyway.
A challenge she’s faced as an art advocate is the varying tastes that people have for the arts. She encourages people, if they do not want to purchase a piece, to at least like and share it on social media. Another issue is reaching people who are not proficient with social media. “It is a challenge for those who do not use social media every day, me included. I do not post as much as I should. These days, TikTok and catchy reels are what gets people attention,” states Hardyway. Instead of using the internet, she creates personal connections by meeting with people at art festivals, workshops, and parties.
Another project Hardyway is a part of is the Black Art and Detroit Doll Show hosted by Sandy’s Land LLC on Nov. 15 at 5555 Conner in Detroit. The show is in its eleventh season and now features artists along with doll creators. “It is the largest event of its kind in the United States. I will be there working the door and selling my book,” says Hardyway. Tickets for the art show can be purchased online here or bought at the door.
“People need art. It’s therapeutic and a wonderful way to express oneself. I’m thankful for my supportive spouse and friends, and for seeing my children thrive as creatives,” says Hardyway.
Ny’Ree Hardyway’s book, ‘The Art Advocate: A Heart for all Art,’ is available for purchase on Amazon and at nyreejtheartadvocate.bigcartel.com.
Author
Leslie Cieplechowicz is a photographer, author, and writer who developed her crafts by working the streets of Detroit as a paramedic and shooting and documenting old, historical buildings she found on her runs. Her newest book, Detroit Revealed: Another Look at the Motor City, features obscure and amazing hidden gems of the city, which is sometimes portrayed as unapproachable. Her other recent book, Michigan Revealed: Exploring the Mitten’s Thumb, is a photographic journey featuring colorful historic sites in the thumb region the reader can explore themselves. Visit Me is her photographic children's book.
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