IN BRIEF
William Mangum on art: alliance, resourcefulness and tenacity on March 28, the Graduate school offered a rare and personal glimpse into the world of entrepreneurship and the arts. north Carolina native William Mangum shared how he has parlayed his work as a watercolor artist into business ventures as a gallery owner, publisher and keynote speaker. Mangum has published numerous art books showcasing his work, including his most recent title, North Carolina Beautiful. During two sessions, Mangum spoke to 70 graduate students drawn from disciplines in both the arts and sciences. He discussed how he uses three key principles, “Alliance, resourcefulness, and tenacity,” to transform innovative ideas and research into new business opportunities and aid in the creation and sales of his work. He has drawn upon themes from rural landscapes, which the artist says was a response to a hardscrabble upbringing on a relative’s farm near sanford, n.C. He discovered an ability to draw and paint while living with an aunt and uncle after his mother was hospitalized for several years following a catastrophic stroke. the purchase of an inexpensive set of watercolors unlocked a new set of possibilities for his life, Mangum says. “Always remain a student,” he urges. “the idea was to offer entrepreneurial ideas, strategies, resources and inspiration to our graduate students from someone who
Artist William Mangum addressed a gathering of graduate students on creating career opportunities in the arts.
has truly made his place in the world through his art,” says Dean Maureen Grasso. “It is a rare chance to offer a program to students who are either newly emerging artists, or soon to emerge, in support of their careers.” the concept of such programs is to not only create opportunities for students in the arts, but also to develop networking between UGA students and contemporary working artists, she adds. “It’s also intended to recognize that innovators find a path for themselves, even during times of economic stress. And who is more innovative than our artists?” Mangum received his MFA in 1979 from the University of north Carolina at Greensboro (UnCG). through the doggedly tenacious pursuit of his art,
Mangum was able to support himself solely through his artwork after his first student show at UnCG sold out in 1975. He opened his first gallery in the late 1970s and still maintains a gallery in Greensboro, n.C., where he continues to create and sell his original art and prints to a large collector base. “the greatest joy is in giving,” Mangum says, and explained how he also uses his art to support his charitable interest in aiding the homeless. through annual sales of a holiday honor card, several million dollars have benefitted homeless programs in north Carolina. the Urban Ministry benefits from the sale of the card, which bears Mangum’s original art. n
“It’s also intended to recognize that innovators find a path for themselves, even during times of economic stress. And who is —Dean Maureen Grasso more innovative than our artists?”
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