Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/304026
About Linda Pace and the role she played in nurturing what we see in the community today. Artpace [created by Linda Pace] is a unique program. Regional, national and international artists come to live in San Antonio and create a body of work while at the residency. Because San Antonio is a small city, many of the visiting artists interact quite a bit with the local arts community here. They talk about their work and are very open with other artists about how they work, and it is a huge benefit to local artists. I feel like Linda really raised the awareness of contemporary art in San Antonio. She inspired a movement for people to collect art and pushed them out of their comfort zones to engage with art and artists in a way that wasn't seen prior to her establishing Artpace. Your work with the Linda Pace Foundation. After I completed a conservation internship at the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, I moved back to San Antonio and immediately began an internship at Artpace. Early on, I met Linda, whom I helped with her large-scale sculpture, Mirror Mirror, which would be included in the Texas Biennial in 2007. A position was created for me at the Linda Pace Foundation as the registrar of her collection and studio assistant. I am now the collection and exhibitions officer and have been here eight years. I'm responsible for organizing exhibitions and overseeing the storage and care of the permanent collection. Special moments at Artpace and the Foundation. Because of Artpace, I have had the opportunity to interact with artists I have greatly admired, such as Do-ho Suh, Mark Bradford and Wangechi Mutu. At the Linda Pace Foundation, I recently worked with Arturo Herrera, one of my favorite artists, on a large-scale site-specific painting titled Adam. This was truly a special experience. He was the first artist I knew that appropriated Disney animation into his work. What drew you to this neighborhood. Our neighborhood is called Dignowity Hill. Located just outside downtown, it's a neighborhood in transition with many homes being currently restored. It was one of the first neighborhoods in San Antonio and was settled by Germans who built beautiful Victorian-style homes at the turn of the century. The home that chose its people. We looked at tons of homes before finding this one. I feel like it has always been mine. It's charming and historical but has clean modern lines and lots of natural light throughout. We've decorated with mid-century pieces my husband has collected over the years and kept the walls white to showcase our art. One of my favorite pieces in the house is a crystal light installation that my husband created out of chandelier crystals he collected over the years. The light casts beautiful shadows on the walls. Thoughts about being a mother-to-be. We are so excited to be expecting a baby. I think having a child will be our greatest collaboration yet and cannot wait to experience motherhood. And I feel that this will be another step in my progression as an artist and a person. Who do you collect? We have multiple works by Tony Feher, Claire Little and James Cobb. The most special piece in our collection is a green-glitter unfolded- box work on paper by Tony Feher. He gave it to us as a wedding gift and made the intentional choice of using green, since we were married on St. Patrick's Day. In closing, any final thoughts about life as an artist? I envision my art career like climbing a mountain: I hope it's a long and positive journey. In Kelly O'Connor's studio hangs an industrial-style lamp from IKEA. Industrial mid-century table. The chair is an Eames original with metal Eiffel base. The tall sculpture in the living room is Kelly O'Connor's Endless Column, 2013, made from steel, foam, concrete and paint. Taxidermy bust of an aoudad. Framed oil painting by Malcolm Bucknall. Vintage armchair and ottoman. The tall sculpture in the living room is Kelly O'Connor's Endless Column, 2013, made from steel, foam, concrete and paint. Taxidermy bust of an aoudad. Framed oil painting by Malcolm Bucknall. Vintage armchair and ottoman. In the dining room, two faux vintage taxidermy heads flank a painting by James Cobb from his 2010 "With Ants" series. Beneath, a sculpture by Claire Little constructed from joint compound extruded from cake decorating tools. Silver-leafed chair by Peter Glassford. On the window sill, a Plexiglas silhouette artwork by Hills Snyder. Sam Giesey, playing solitaire — his favorite game. Overhead are two taxidermy deer busts that have been manipulated by the artists with oil paint, found beetles, glitter, enamel and golden wasp nests. Parents-to-be Kelly O'Connor and husband Sam Giesey in front of their home in Dignowity Hill, San Antonio. Sam wears a Prada suit; Kelly wears a dress by Marios Schwab from Sloan/ Hall, San Antonio. Parents-to-be Kelly O'Connor and husband Sam Giesey in front of their home in Dignowity Hill, San Antonio. Sam wears a Prada suit; Kelly wears a dress by Marios Schwab from Sloan/ Hall, San Antonio. Above, right: Collection of crystals and minerals, with golden wasp nest by Kelly O'Connor, constructed from a found wasp nest, oil paint, Plasticine and enamel. Left: The master bath is home to a framed work on paper by Amada Miller, an antique anatomical model and a Pyrex chemistry flask filled with sculpted Plasticine teeth by Sam Giesey. Mod mirror on an antique frog base. Far left: In the dining room, the chenille-covered down sofa shares space with a painting of a Great Dane, artist unknown. Empire-style antique marble table. On the table, a collection of crystals and minerals, and an assemblage of found objects by Sam Giesey. HER UPCOMING SHOW AT DAVID SHELTON GALLERY, HOUSTON, "BLINDED BY THE LIGHTS," OPENS FRIDAY, MAY 8, 6 TO 8 PM (THROUGH JUNE 7). Kelly in master bath wearing Marios Schwab from Sloan/Hall, San Antonio.