We had the good fortune of connecting with Alison Limtavemongkol and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alison, you love what you do. It’s clear to anyone who knows you. Why and what about your work do you love so much?
I love being an art gallery owner because I can allow myself the creative freedom to express my ideas and my passion for art by curating exhibitions, and to represent my values with authenticity through my business. Being my own boss also gives me the flexibility to maintain a healthy work-life balance. What I love most about what I do is being able to help artists by providing them with opportunities to showcase their art and share their talents with the world. I’ve met so many like-minded and incredibly talented artists, who are not only a pleasure to work with but are also just wonderful human beings. Seeing the hard work and dedication they put into their art motivates me to maintain my own art practice and include artmaking as part of my regular self care routine. I love connecting with the local community and providing a space for people to come in and engage with the art. I am grateful to have decided to follow my creative passions in my career. What drives me every day to work hard is my passion to advocate for the arts, and to also inspire others to follow their passions and feel free to express themselves. We only have one life, and we can make it count by doing what we love and spreading positivity in the process!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Keeping an open mind (pun intended) and not being afraid to take some risks along the way, has gotten me to where I am in my business today. Every challenge has been a valuable lesson on how I can adapt and improve. One lesson I’ve learned is how to make decisions with confidence. Starting and running a new business on my own can be scary and full of uncertainty, and I’ve doubted myself a countless number of times. However, I’ve come to realize that staying true to myself and what I value in life, and being realistic with my goals are what helps decision-making a lot easier. The more in tuned I am with my intuition, and the smarter I get about managing the risks I take, the better I feel about making sound decisions for my business. Another takeaway from my experience so far is to always try learning new things and know when to delegate tasks to others when I’m feeling overwhelmed. Practicing different skills keeps me well-rounded and better capable of dealing with challenges when they arise. Being an entrepreneur forces me to wear a lot of hats when it comes to running my own business. I have had to teach myself a lot of different skills along the way. In the beginning, I had to do just about everything myself to save on as many costs as possible, from painting the gallery walls and installing art, to marketing and accounting. Over time I’ve learned to identify my strengths and weaknesses, so I can manage my time more efficiently by taking on the roles I’m best at and delegating more time consuming tasks to my student interns or hiring vendors to help with the more physically laborious workload. However, I can always rely on myself to deal with any hiccups that pop up along the way. Since Open Mind Art Space opened in 2016, we have been dedicated to facilitating a curatorial process that allows our artists to create impactful work that inspires and challenges viewers to open their minds. We showcase contemporary art from a diverse blend of talented emerging artists from Los Angeles and beyond, and we specialize in conceptual and experimental fine art by artists working primarily in painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media and installation art. Much of the artwork we feature highlights the artists’ unique conceptual perspectives and experimental processes. We are proud to provide the Los Angeles community with a comfortable, engaging space where people can momentarily escape the hustle and bustle of the city to view and experience art. We consider Open Mind Art Space to be a hybrid between a commercial art gallery and an alternative art space. While we offer art for sale to art collectors who seek new art fresh out of artists’ studios, we apply equal focus on creating a cohesive visual experience for viewers with each exhibition we curate and with the intent to make art accessible to everyone.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
I love the beach so I definitely recommend that as one of the first stops. While on the westside, visit the iconic Santa Monica Pier or check out the street performers along Venice Beach, and go to the Westfield Century City outdoor mall to do some shopping and grab a bite at one of my favorite spots, like Eataly or Din Tai Fung. For beautiful views of the city, visit the Griffith Observatory, and while in Hollywood, catch a show at the Pantages Theatre. If you’re into theme parks, visit Universal Studios or take a drive down to Disneyland. LA also has so many great art museums, like LACMA, MOCA, and the Getty (and Getty Villa) and the Hammer, so I recommend planning a day to hop around to see as many as you can. A few of my other favorite spots are Descanso Gardens for nature walks, Koreatown for fun bars and relaxing spas, and Downtown for fine dining.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would not be where I am in life without the support of my family, friends, and the LA art community. I would like to dedicate my shoutout to three awesome people. The first shoutout is to my mom, who has encouraged me from a young age to explore my curiosities and develop my passion in art. She instilled the belief in me that I should do what makes me happy. The next shoutout is to my mentor, Tom Müller. He taught me that anything is possible if you put your mind to it and, to never be afraid to think outside the box. And the last shoutout is to Scott Harris of BackspaceLA, who welcomed me into his amazing exhibition space to curate my dream art show last year, showcasing larger scale sculptures and interactive installations that I wouldn’t otherwise have been able to show in my smaller gallery space. I thank him for supporting my vision and helping to elevate my curatorial practice.

Website: https://openmindartspace.com/ http://www.alisonlimtave.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openmindartspace/
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/alison-limtavemongkol-7042616
Twitter: https://twitter.com/omas_westla
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/openmindartspace/
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/open-mind-art-space-los-angeles?osq=open+mind+art+space
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbTXbP5Jf2iQbH9rSWLOfeQ
Other: https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/5992308e3b3ea02a020b1eef https://www.instagram.com/alisonlimtave/ https://www.instagram.com/alisonlimtave.art/

Image Credits
Birdman Photos, Sara Martin, John Kim