Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Williams.
Hi Elizabeth, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in San Antonio. I am a fourth generation San Antonian, fifth generation Texan. When fellow San Antonians meet one another for the first time, the next question tends to be, “Where did you go to high school?” I always love this question because it shows the pride of each person’s upbringing. I attended John Marshall High School in Northside ISD. Then, wanting an adventure away from home (but not too far), I attended Texas State University in San Marcos, where I obtained my degree in Interior Design with a minor in Art. I returned to San Antonio with an internship at a commercial architecture firm, worked for architecture firms or as a client representative for 20 years. I then decided to be industry-adjacent, transitioning to the promotion of visual arts professions via digital media and storytelling through Modern in San Antonio.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As with many companies and organizations, the pandemic years presented challenges. Most of us thought it would last weeks not years. The biggest struggle was determining how our audience wanted to connect as the various waves of COVID-19 rolled through. Few were comfortable with attending events in person. I think our decision to use video enhanced our reader experience.
As you know, we’re big fans of Modern in San Antonio. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Modern in San Antonio is a digital publication that was founded in 2018. Also known as M!SA, its mission is to celebrate local contemporary art and design while advocating for and educating the public about art and design in South Texas. Our references to “modern” include the visual arts of today and the historic preservation of mid-century modern buildings of yesterday.
As the Editor of Modern in San Antonio, I write for the publication, coordinate contributing writers, and work with independent contractors to keep the content fresh and the organization running. Our articles are engaging and tell of the thought leadership and creative genius of local designers, visual artists, and art organizations. We love educating the public on regional art and design and keeping them up to date on events and exhibitions. Many times, we serve as connectors. We connect artists to buyers and designers with potential clients. I am proud of the resource that we are for the community. We also have a rotating Advisory Panel that meets quarterly to discuss what is going on in the various creative professions specific to our community.
Our brand visuals were designed by the local marketing agency, Texas Creative. The typeface of our logo is a bold sans-serif which gives a nod to the Modernist Movement and Bauhaus design school in Germany that lasted from 1919-1933. We love the bold colors in our logo, as they pay homage to Mexican Modernism and colors found in traditional papel picado. Papel picado references can be found all over the city, from the banners hanging in Market Square, to being represented in the perforated metal railings of the river barges on the River Walk, to shade structures attached to the facades of many buildings.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
The Google Arts & Culture App is a fantastic resource if you want to educate yourself about art from any genre or era.
Our most recent coffee table book purchases include “Spectacular Women of Architecture & Design of Texas” and “Lake Flato Houses: Respecting the Land”. The next book purchase I am looking forward to is “The Art of Dreams, Visions, Other Worlds: Interviews with Texas Artists” by Robert Craig Bunch.
Our podcast, called ViVA M!SA (currently found on YouTube under @ModernInSA), features community conversations on contemporary art and design.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://moderninsanantonio.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/moderninsa
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/moderninsa
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/modern-in-san-antonio
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@moderninsa
