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Courtesy of facebook.com/pages/Kismet-Creative-Center
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Courtesy of facebook.com/pages/Kismet-Creative-Center
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Courtesy of facebook.com/pages/Kismet-Creative-Center
As if Cherokee needed another interesting hook for fans of art and music, the Kismet Creative Center’s taken root at the intersection of Cherokee and Iowa, just a stone’s throw from the main drag and tucked immediately next to Yaqui’s.
A combination arts space, there are books and music for sale; visual art, as well. On a given night, people have been seen writing, sketching and conversing in what’s a compact, cozy space, but with significant storefront windows and proximity to several other grassroots arts endeavors. Though Kismet's been active for a bit, it'll be hosting a grand opening this Saturday night.
The principals behind the operation are Tom Maher and Sonia Dae Slankard. Asking the pair the same seven questions we ask of local creatives every other week, they answered as something of an amalgam.
Art school? Self-taught? Some variety of both? Or none of the above?
Sonia went to art school, earned an associates of art degree from ECC in ’97, then studied art ed/art therapy at Webster, also with a semester studying engaged Buddhism. Tom got his B.A. in creative writing at the University of Omaha-Nebraska.
Regarding your creative habits, are you a night owl or an early bird?
Neither of us are early birds… nooners at best... but we’re always in the shop every evening. We love Kismet; it’s our favorite place on Earth. Tom writes every day, and Sonia is constantly creating, unless she is taking a nap.
In basic terms, can you describe the set up and vibe of your studio?
Kismet is rustic, mellow, open-ended, compassionate, and encouraging to all ideas. Our music is eclectic and, as far as art goes, the stranger the better. We hope to use crowdfunding as a resource often, by use of raffle tickets or special events, I find that people want to help, but cannot afford a lot. But if a lot of folks give a little, it’s like moving a mountain one rock at a time.
Do you have a dream project that lacks only funding or time?
A dream project is Kismet, our way to share what we love with our community; we are running out of money really fast, and hope to start generating revenue as soon as possible.
To what degree do you enjoy having public contact, whether that means selling your work at a fair, a gallery opening, etc.?
We are fascinated by other people. We are deeply moved by other people’s stories, and want to know what attracted them to us. Making crafts is productive and made to be sold, but art is deeply personal and difficult to let go of; sometimes hard to sell. Its value is worth so much more than money.
What other St. Louis artists inspire or motivate you?
Sonia has worked at City Museum for more than a decade teaching art, and she was a special muse to Bob Cassilly, taking from her hero a relentless sense of productive creativity; she is driven to be an influence for creative thinking to everyone she meets. Tom has an open heart and mind, and has an amazing record collection he loves to listen to, and hopes to share with as many record lovers as possible.
You can find Kismet Creative Center on Facebook here.
