Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Kluk.
Hi Stephanie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hello! Thank you for having me. My name is Stephanie Kluk and I am an artist and arts administrator in Cleveland, OH.
I have been a visual learner and communicator from a young age. I knew I wanted to pursue visual arts as a career right around my sophomore year of high school. With help and encouragement from my art teacher, I applied to the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, OH. After receiving a scholarship, I attended the school and received a BFA in Still Based Media Design (Photography). After school, I moved to Chicago, IL. While in Chicago, I exhibited my artwork throughout the city and worked as the Program Director for the Chicago Artists’ Coalition. This is where my passion for helping artists succeed really began.
In 2008, I made the move back to Cleveland and became the Program and Community Enrichment Manager at Art House, Inc. where I managed a variety of programs that included free art education classes for children and families. During that time, I also helped develop a Program Coordinator position for Shore Cultural Center, and sat on the Board of Directors for the Cleveland West Art League (CWAL) for six years. In 2014 I was elected Board President of CWAL and helped lead the organization through its first strategic plan. That same year I was awarded a scholarship by the Cleveland Foundation to enter the National Guild’s Community Arts Education Leadership Institute.
In 2016, I became the Director of Operations and Co-Executive Director, respectively, of Zygote Press. Zygote is a makerspace for printmakers and offers national and international residencies programs. In June 2020, I left my position at Zygote to join The Collective Arts Network (CAN Journal) as the Development Director, and to launched my own arts organization, Future Ink Graphics (FIG).
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?
Growth is normally never without its challenges, and my journey has had its fair share. After graduating college, I did all I could to volunteer and network with as many arts organizations as possible. I moved alone to Chicago, IL. to explore my own art making and connect with a large city’s art scene. It meant working non-art related jobs to support myself as I volunteered. But after some time, it paid off and all of my networking landed me a job at the Chicago Artists’ Coalition, a dream job. Then I became a mom, a working artist with a new little baby to care for. I decided to move back to my home town of Cleveland to be closer to family.
Once in Cleveland, I had to start all over again, networking and learning about Cleveland’s art scene. Since moving back to Cleveland I have worked and volunteered for many arts organizations, and on many community arts projects. I took my knowledge and experience and moved into leadership roles. Leadership comes with its own challenges, including being a woman and mother in a male dominated workforce. Finding my style of leadership and being able to shape programs and projects has taken time and inspired me to start Future Ink Graphics.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Sure! I love talking about FIG. Future Ink Graphics (FIG) is a makerspace for professional, emerging and student graphic designers and digital and silkscreen artists. FIG provides space and equipment along with educational programs, resources and mentorship to help develop and advance individual artists, with the goal of strengthening the larger creative community. FIG’s mission is to foster the development and advancement of Cleveland designers, artists and youth, bringing economic opportunities and arts education to the Clark-Fulton neighborhood and Greater Cleveland community.
FIG provides several services:
• FIG is open to artists/designers who would like to become members and use FIG’s facilities to create their own work.
• FIG offers classes and workshops to schools, businesses and the larger community both in the facility and offsite.
• FIG advertises its services and member artists to the local business community to acquire commissioned work.
• FIG operates a store front at the facility and online to sell artists’ wares.
FIG is a community makerspace that will serve local artists/designers, patrons looking to utilize and support local talent, and educational institutions who want their constituents to experience and learn graphic design and silkscreen printing.
FIG is not a large commercial production print shop. It looks to promote individual talent and bring awareness to the professional creatives living and working in Cleveland. FIG is a for-profit mission driven organization. It’s programs and initiatives focus on the development of creatives in several ways by:
• Providing resources and opportunities not available through typical philanthropy.
• Elevating capacity.
• Investing in the growth and development of Cleveland creatives.
• Shifting power dynamical to provide more equity in the arts.
• Driving economic growth.
• Cultivating clients.
• Addressing economic inequities in which artists currently work.
• Changing the perception of arts and culture work in Cleveland.
FIG is proud to have been developed to be an equitable organization, embracing the rich cultural community of the Clark-Fulton neighborhood to drive its purpose and priorities. At its core, FIG was created to provide high quality, accessible programs to everyone. The FIG community is smarter and stronger when drawing from a wide variety of experiences and perspectives. FIG is specifically committed to supporting women and girls in digital art technology and entrepreneurship. I am so excited to share FIG with my fellow Cleveland creatives!
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
FIG is an organization based on collaboration. Schools, non-profits, service organizations, individual businesses, and emerging, mid-career and professional creatives have a place at FIG. You can learn, teach and mentor at FIG. All are welcome. With a mentorship program growing, FIG is looking for professionals in all fields to help young creatives navigate their way through the ups and downs of developing skills in both craft and business. FIG is always looking for sponsorships of its programs that have been developed to allow its resources to be accessible to all.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to share my path and passion! Anyone interested in FIG is welcome to contact me at info@futureinkgraphics.com.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@futureinkgraphics.com
- Website: futureinkgraphics.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fig_futureinkgraphics/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Future-Ink-Graphics-102488674950900
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oAyOkaVtGI&t=1s
- Other: https://stephaniekluk.com/home.html
Image Credits
Yana Mikho-Misho
