Meet Catherine Haggarty | Artist, Co-Founder & Director of NYC Crit Club

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

Hi Catherine, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I have always been rewarded for taking risks….in small or big ways. The apparent payoff wasn’t always clear, it is just that the risk felt more urgent than the alternatives that seemed easier and more safe. I think being an artist is a sort of inherent risk but also there isn’t much of a choice. As an artist I just keep investing in myself, the work and my studio time. I think you have to have an irrational idea of what you can do to really put yourself in tough positions and be challenged. Playing small and avoiding risk won’t push you or the work.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am an artist – always have been. First thing I did I thought might be art was building trash sculptures in my garage as a kid. I had no model for what it was like to be an artist but I knew I had to try. I am a painter based in Brooklyn, NY. I teach part time at the School of Visual Arts and I am the co-founder and current Director of The NYC Crit Club.

I think wherever I am is a good place to be – I am grateful to have a studio and a community. I got here because I persisted.
I had many hurdles and doubters along the way. I kept telling myself ‘do the next right thing’, even when it felt sort of hopeless. I’ve lived in studios, held 2-3 jobs my whole life to afford making art and only now at 38 can manage a slightly better work life balance of the studio and being the Director of NYC Crit Club.

Art is hard – but it is also a privilege so I try to take this attitude daily in my life. I am so proud I didn’t settle in jobs or in relationships. I think if I had departed from scarcity I would have settled, but all these years I kept thinking ‘nope, doesn’t feel right’ and kept moving on. I trust my gut and I am a worker – so I am not afraid of starting over. If everything I’ve build fell apart tomorrow, I’d have to problem pouring drinks to get by so I could paint. Teaching and education has been one of the great joys of my life and offered me a voice to others that makes the hours alone painting even more enjoyable. It has also made me a better artist; learning with others has made my work more substantive and reflective.

As an artist – I am excited by the hours alone painting and listening to podcasts. That is the reward and the point of it all.
I try to remember this when life feels overwhelming and the goal posts of ‘success’ feel like they move annually. I am forever in love with making pictures and see that as my life’s work.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Met Museum for as many hours as we can handle, Oysters at Bobo, Thai at Thai Diner, cocktails at Otis in Brooklyn and many studio visits with good friends. If we could do all that in a weekend, we would be tired and happy.

New York is endlessly amazing – and no matter how many other cities I’ve visited and lived in – it remains the best in the world to me. The galleries in New York City and it’s boroughs are also incredible. Chelsea is an easy visit but Tribeca and The Lower East Side hold countless amazing galleries showing incredible work.
Galleries I’d be sure to visit are Mrs. in Maspeth Queens, Derek Eller or James Fuentes in the Lower East Side, Fredericks and Freiser in Chelsea and The Brooklyn Museum. Bike riding around Prospect Park is always so fun and Brooklyn is endless for it’s amazing restaurants and wine bars.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
No one does anything alone. I am inspired by so many artists and organizers. I think kindness goes a long way and years ago I reached out to the amazing Kathy Bradford asking for advice for an upcoming residency. This was long before I felt I had a consistent practice or community. She replied at length with advice and she barely knew me. I thought to myself then whatever the art world was – I wanted to be a part of that one and to continue that level of generosity. I have tons of friends who have started great projects and artist run solutions to the many gaps in the art world. Leeza Meksin is one of the co-founders of Ortega Y Gasset Projects – an artist run gallery in Brooklyn. I have been friends with leeza for years since being a co-director with her at OYG. Watching her organize and build what doesn’t exist has been incredibly influential to me as an artist, curator and educator. Among many other people, my dear friend Jen Hitchings determination and ingenuity has kept me excited and inspired. Paddy Johnson who began the project, vvrkshop has been someone to discuss the organization and ideas behind our two different but somewhat similar projects.

The cool thing about the art world is that it is all about replacing and improving structures in place. That is a part of the politic of art – the importance of it. There is no lack of examples and a few more include: Amy Talluto who began Pep Talks for Artists Podcast, Sharon Butler who began Two Coats of Paint, Zach Keeting and Chris Joy who began and run Gorky’s Granddaughter Studio Visit Archive and Will Hutnick who is one of the most driven and organized artist / curators I’ve ever met.

Website: www.catherinehaggarty.com

Instagram: @Catherine_haggarty

Other: My organization’s website and instagram – https://www.nyccritclub.com instagram – @nyccritclub

Image Credits
image 1: Solo show, Geary Contemporary – NYC, April 2022 Image 2: Dreaming for Sofonisba, 16×20 inches, acrylic and wax crayon on canvas. 2022