The Roads Less Traveled

I was invited to speak about my professional experience as well as my time at the Women Entrepreneurial Center of Québec. I would like to bring my colleagues from the training program into the discussion by asking them this question: Do you believe that it is possible to be artists, women, mothers, single parents and to support ourselves, all while making money doing what we enjoy?

We believe that it is possible and we came here to find out how to do it. The women who created this organization also believe it is possible, and they have decided to show us the way.

Let me introduce myself. I am Rollande Goudreault; I am an artist and I have practical experience in contemporary art. Over the course of my career, I have acquired considerable expertise in graphic design in governmental and private companies and as a consultant. Melding this expertise with my experience in contemporary art, my network in the design world opened the door to a new career opportunity, that of Art Consultant. This can be summed up as placing a painting in the best environment possible while taking into consideration installation, height, lighting, and neighbouring artworks. I suggest new frames and guide people in choosing and purchasing new works.

The training program at the Women Entrepreneurial Center of Québec helped me to crystallize what was already there by forcing me to reflect on all the possible avenues that this new career could offer. I believe that this training program is indispensable for anyone who would like to start a business. The intensive training program took us through all the aspects of management. Well, it was a little fast. But, since we all couldn’t wait to succeed… We were “tortured” with every conceivable question to make sure our projects were viable.

This course included a significant aspect that we don’t usually find in the numerous volumes at our disposal: the human aspect. We sincerely appreciated the trust, non-judgment, and immense generosity of our resource providers, as well as their availability. Moreover, we were greatly enriched by each group member’s professional and life experience. Some of them even contributed to our training by providing tips on public speaking.

I have come up with yet another business opportunity: designing green roofs. My company is called Vert-Tige. I am project designer and I do on-site management.

I will conclude by wishing a long professional life and much success to my fellow colleagues and women artists. Being an artist is hard work. I understand why it took me so many years to accept myself as an artist because it means accepting that poverty goes hand-in-hand with art, something I refuse to buy into. I believe that the training program is going in the same direction by offering us a seminar called “Women and Money”.

- Rollande Goudreault