The Business of Art

Business sensibilities and the artistic mind don’t always mix. But for artist Gordon Huether, of Gordon Huether Gallery in downtown Napa, it’s the most likely pairing in the world. As I sit down with Huether at his expansive studio in Napa, he shares his take on the mix, “A lot of people would consider art and business diametrically opposed. But there are artists out there who [have an entrepreneurial spirit, and] see entrepreneurialism as an extension of creativity,” says Huether.

As he rattles off his involvements, which include business, political and community-related endeavors, it’s clear that his interests go well beyond the art world. “Creativity has a lot to do with problem solving. The left and right side of my brain are in some sort of balance. I’ve always known that for me to be creatively fulfilled as an artist, I’d need to have some sort of business machine behind me to make that happen,” says Huether. “Going from a little model to the actual installation, there are a lot of steps, and you need to know how to run a business and have a team of people around you that are all pulling on the same rope.”

Huether, born in Rochester, N.Y. to German immigrant parents, grew up in the Bay Area, attended junior high school in San Francisco and spent the better part of his youth in Napa, where he founded Gordon Huether Studio in 1987. His expertise lies in creating large, site-specific installations and fine art.

Rather than limit himself with a simple artist statement, he’s driven by a life mission: “To edify humanity by bringing beauty into the world,” he says. Lofty yes, artistic and lyrical, certainly. A tall order, most definitely. But for Huether, the words are backed by action in the business community and beyond. There are too many ventures to name, but some of the notables include: He’s been the Napa planning commissioner for the past five years. He served as co-sponsor of the Art on First program, which places art installations in empty storefronts to, as Huether describes, “Put a better face on downtown [Napa].” He opened a fine art gallery across the street from the AVIA hotel to further cement his commitment to the revitalization of downtown. He’s an active member of the coalition behind the Napa 9/11 Memorial Garden, to such an extent he donated his services and will build the final sculpture, which will include six salvaged beams from the World Trade Center. In addition, he’s been heavily involved with Friends of the Napa River and worked extensively on the public art ordinance. And that’s the short list.

Then there are the political rumblings. Huether’s name has been linked to the bid for a vacating City Council seat (he ran previously in 2010). When pressed for confirmation of his intentions, he morphs from pensive artist to cagey politician. “It’s too soon to say,” he comments. A moment later he recants. “What I’m really doing is looking to see who might step forward. If there’s a potential candidate whom I respect and believe would do a good job as a council member, I won’t have to run. There are lots of ways to serve a community without being on the City Council. I would argue you could do just as much, if not more, because you’re not constrained.”

Always on the record

He defies political norms by being a straight shooter, “I have an unfortunate habit of speaking very candidly. I believe in saying what you mean, meaning what you say and saying it clearly. I’m not sorry if that will cost me a vote. If we were more honest and concise with one another, the world would be a lot better place. Nationally, it seems we’re so polarized we’ve become paralyzed.” Huether is anything but paralyzed. Five minutes into our interview, it becomes apparent that he’s an “always be thinking” kind of guy, which manifests in a restless exuberance. He jumps from topic to topic, showing me models in the making all the while describing upcoming projects. According to Huether, he’s been like this his whole life.

His outspokenness surfaces at whim, as he comments on everything from 9/11 to the latest “movement” of our times. “Don’t go to Occupy—I think that’s being part of the problem not the solution. I grew up kind of old fashioned. You work hard, find out who you are, point your head in that direction and work your ass off. Eventually all your dreams come true,” says Huether. At every turn, he’s both charming and opinionated—which makes for a lively interview. “I don’t care what kind of economy you’re in,” he says with both a softness and sternness. “If I can work with really expensive shit and sell it with no formal education, I say, ‘no excuses.’”

Huether has been hard at work for most of his life. His exploration of art came at age 16 and he’s been driving forward ever since. “I quit my last real paying job in my twenties where I worked at a window store fixing broken windows.” Glass is one of the many artistic mediums Huether still works in today. Prior to “making it” as an artist, he did everything from selling suits and flipping steaks to working on road crews. “That’s one of the problems. The new generation has become soft. I say turn off the TV and turn on your brain. Get your ass off the couch and work, for menial money if you have to.”

In comes that “do it all/get it done” attitude Huether is notorious for. And it’s not all talk—he is always on the go. His days start early, a breakfast cigarette on the deck, arriving at his studio before his crew of 12 does. “Attending meetings, knocking out some cool art and models. I think about what I’m going to do and get it done. I might win a project and lose another.” When asked to describe his personality, he shares, “I’m always telling my girlfriend, ‘I’m bored, and I am boring.’ I’m so restless and have so much capacity. I just want my brain to be challenged.”

With an intensity level always set on high and more than 30 years as a working artist, it’s a wonder Huether has any energy left to live his life. Yet he does, and then some—a fact he credits to his “restless” mind. “The reality is, my creative capacity far exceeds the opportunities I’ve been able to find. I know I can double and triple the work I do.” After just 15 minutes of free-flowing conversation, it’s hard to imagine how anybody could do more than he’s already doing. He explains, “It’s not like we’re not busy. We have seven to eight months’ worth of work, yet I find myself restless, walking around wondering ‘What next?” I feel like I’m getting older and running out of time.” Spoken with the verve of a teenager.

With the breadth of his experience comes a level of intensity and confidence that could be off-putting but, rather, is inspiring, like the work Huether does for at-risk kids in the community. He invites local students into the studio for what he calls, “pep talks.”

“I remind them that you can do and be whoever you want. You’re only trapped by your own perception of the world and yourself,” he says. “I also believe in karma and doing the right thing. It eventually comes home to roost, just as doing bad comes back.” In 2010, Rep. Mike Thompson presented Huether with a Certificate of Recognition from the United States Congress for his contributions to public education and community service.

Huether’s work spans both private and public sectors and has been commissioned for hospitals, universities, churches, airports, malls, medians and more. He’s also the artist in residence for Artesa Winery, where he’s been contributing for more than 20 years. Is there any project type or medium this man won’t tackle? “Never say never,” he says. “I can’t afford to limit the kinds of environments and material I work in. I’m 52 and still very ambitious. I want to double the size of this studio fiscally, so if it’s a private home, airport, parking garage or something for the homeless, it doesn’t matter—as long as there’s a budget I can work with and an opportunity to bring beauty and storytelling into the world.”

The artistic process

While many of his works are in the public realm, he also has private and corporate clients. For Huether, regardless of who’s commissioning his work, elements of the creative process remain the same. “They all have their own story to be told. I look at ways to understand that story and how to tell it. Then there are the technical engineering things to think about, and the budget that will drive some of the esthetics and material decisions.” Huether likens the process to building a house. “There’s the foundation and how the walls will attach. There’s a long list of things to do from project management to engineering design refinements, while monitoring and making sure it’s going where it needs to go. There are hundreds of decisions to be made before the final installation is complete.”

His process encompasses the business cycle of a project, from presenting the concept to the client for approval to sales and budget management. There are certain phases that he most enjoys. “I like the beginning and the end of a project. The beginning is thinking about the story, what wants to be told and how to tell it,” says Huether. “Then the light bulb goes on and I go ‘A-ha! That’s what I’m going to do.’ When that happens, I start cutting and gluing and making the model; that’s the fun part.” As he describes this, I can almost see the bulb illuminate. As he explains the prospect of fashioning a new project, he gets more animated by the second. Soon enough, though, his serious side kicks in. “Then I like the end, when you see it finished and installed and it exceeds everyone’s expectations, including my own.”

Revitalization

Huether continues his active involvement in the revitalization of downtown Napa, which stems from what he viewed as a failed attempt in the early 1970s. “I was permanently scarred when I left [Napa] in 1970 and came back five or six years later. The redevelopment had come through and taken down all these buildings and built ugly ones. I saw all these new opportunities coming my way and thought my community could benefit from my limited talents, which have to do with aesthetics.”

He notes that there are some in the community who are uncomfortable with the ongoing transformation, Huether isn’t one of them. “I embrace it and I’m excited about it. I’m realizing Mare Island is gone forever, Napa Pipe gone, the walnut trees and apple trees—all gone. What’s replaced this, what the economy of Napa Valley rests on, is four legs: the wine industry, hospitality, food, and the shaky fourth leg is the arts. I hope we’ll stay on the path of density, building up, not out.” He would also like to see an increase in hotel rooms in the greater downtown area, more galleries (his was one of the first in the downtown area) and a thriving retail core. But there’s more work to be done, in his opinion. “I’d also like to see continued protection of the rural urban limit.” He hesitates for just a moment before continuing, “I’d like to see the county step up and be even more restrictive in building on the hills. I think that poetically, Napa is fast becoming more of what it was in the beginning, which is a place to drink, love and spend money.”

While Huether is a staunch supporter of the revitalization efforts, he also sees some of the inherent hurdles the community faces. “The people who live and work here have some challenges to overcome. It’s expensive to live here. How do our children afford to live here working in the restaurants, hotels, wineries and at the galleries? And where do they live and buy groceries and how can they afford that?”

Despite the economic challenges of our times, Huether isn’t discouraged as it relates to his business. “We haven’t shrunk but we haven’t grown. I’d imagine that staying constant in this environment is like the ‘new growing,’ which I’m not into at all.” He hopes to see a 10 to 20 percent growth in the next year. He adds, “I’m not sure how much this has to do with the economy or not, but our business used to be 50 percent public art and 50 percent private sector. Now we’re at 80 percent public art. The money is still out there, it’s just harder to find opportunities,” he pauses before continuing and laughs, “the Occupy people don’t want to buy any art from me. The 99 percenters don’t buy art from Gordon.” This is said with a level of indifference while at the same time making a point.

Reinvention

As my time with Huether draws to a close, I can’t resist the urge to ask him what the future holds, especially given his long-term goal of doubling his business. At the mention of the future, it’s as if Huether’s internal light bulb has once again ignited. He smacks his hands together with excitement. “In the shop there is a big wall that’s covered with models and posters. We have a dozen projects we’re doing right now. I look around and try to jump on finding something else to do. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring,” he says. He stops to catch his breath, “I’m peddling as fast as I can.” Indeed he is. Despite a multi-decade spanning career, it seems for Huether, his work has only just begun.