In The Frame With Weswal Gallery, Tamworth

We chat with Weswal Gallery Director Kate Hofman on alleviating artist anxiety, honouring their work and celebrating the moment they develop their own distinct visual language. 

It’s hard to believe, looking back now, but before working in the arts, I was in real estate. I realised after a few years that it was the houses and architecture I loved, not the 24/7 pressure to sell, sell, sell. That was not my vibe. 

But one element I did take from the experience was helping people during the emotional transaction of buying a home – because investing in fine art works the same way. You can walk into a gallery, see an artwork and that’s it, an emotional connection is formed and you just know it’s something you want to have in your life. 

I started a traineeship at the Tamworth Regional Gallery and it was honestly the best decision I ever made. I spent four years there surrounded by some incredibly accomplished industry professionals and absorbed so much knowledge simply by being in their presence. After some time off to have my first child, the Regional Gallery’s previous director bought Weswal Gallery and invited me to work here on weekends. 

That was seven years ago. Two years ago I accepted the role as Director. I sold two artworks on my first day and it rolled on from there. The Weswal Gallery has such a strong foundation. It’s been operating since 1981 – making it the longest-running independent commercial art gallery in the New England. Stepping into such a beloved institution like this and having learnt so much from the previous director, I knew I was in a good position to support the artists within our walls. 

That support is crucial. Because no matter how long you’ve been creating, there’s a level of anxiety that every artist brings into a show. How’s it going to be received? Are people going to like it? Am I going to sell some works? It doesn’t matter if you’re an emerging artist at your first show or an accomplished one at your 40th, that level of anxiety is always there. 

You have to wear so many hats in this role – one being counsellor to your artists, to guide them through that experience and ultimately honour them by giving their work the best hang possible.

That’s something I love, the curation process. It’s like visual problem solving and it’s very instinctual, there’s nothing mathematical about it. I’ll spend the morning laying out the work and hanging it, then walk away and come back with fresh eyes. I know that’s something artists do within the process of creation too. If you can’t figure it out, if something’s not feeling right, put it down, walk away and come back later. More often than not, you’ll see what needs to be changed – the same goes for the process of hanging a collection. 

It’s really done by feel. Sometimes pieces work side by side, sometimes they fight like fire and ice. It can be difficult having those conversations with artists, explaining why it’s hung in a certain order or why some works have been left out all together. But as a curator it’s your job to step in and tell them when it’s not going to work so that you can do their collection justice – in the end, I know they appreciate that. 

It’s taken me a while to find that confidence, to step out of the shoes of ‘employee’ to ‘director’ – but I’m there now. I’m at a point where I’m creating my own vision within the business and it feels good. We show artists from all over the country, from emerging to more established, but the one common thread is that I see merit in their work. I can see they’re at a point where they’ve developed their own distinct visual language and they’re committed to their practice. That’s an exciting, beautiful development to witness in an artist, and I’m so thrilled to help share that pivotal shift with everyone who sets foot inside the Weswal Gallery.