Odeleye+interview

CS: How did you get into public art?

AO: Well I always made large scale art, so it was easy to get into public art. I submitted to many different commission projects until I was accepted, once I was accepted, that gave me the accreditation to get more commissions.

CS: How did you get from public art up north to public art in Atlanta?

AO: You mean, how did I move here? I was looking for a good teaching job, and there was an opening at the Howard University in Decatur as a resident artist and part time teacher. Then Spellman had a full time position open up, and I got that.

CS: How do you choose what commissions to apply for?

AO: To start, I got one of those books that have a mailing list for public art committees. I pay my daughter money to screen the commissions for ones that have all the criteria for how I pick them.

CS: What are the things that makes a commission stand out from the rest?

AO: Mostly money, but it is the nature of the project, how much they want from me for free, I don't do anything for free, so if they want a model, and sketches and a summary, then that is a definite no. I get paid for models. also, I know when a project sounds exciting, and if I get many ideas from it and I get excited, then I know I want it.

CS: How much money?

AO: When I first started, the money didn't matter as much, I wanted to be able to do what I wanted for free. In the beginning, there was just enough that I broke even, now with the expenses I have, I cant do anything for less then 100,000 dollars.

CS: How long does it take to do a commission?

AO: Well that's hard to say, it takes about three months from the time I win the contract to get the contract written up. Then from there I give it to my lawyer to read it and rewrite it and send it back, with another three months to get the contract finalized. Then I don't start the project until I get the first check, which is usually around 30%.

CS: What are some of the things that you would tell someone who wants to get into public art to be aware of... like what are the things that the committees would try to gip you on when you first started?

AO: Designing something that costs more then the project. You need to know your materials. Many people try to go all out on these projects, and end up spending more money then they are receiving, design to a budget, not impress. It takes experience to know right away how much something is going to cost. Learn to manage your budget. You need to set money aside for insurance if you have people helping you, you have to insure your place of work. I need to hire an engineer to look at all of my drawings and models to make sure that they are structurally sound enough to go on display, and many will charge you an arm and a leg just to look at the stuff. The cost of electricity, if I do a metal piece, then my electric bill is going to go up as well as the extra time spent with the lights on. Help, when I ask someone to help, I need to pay them, that should be part of the cost. Transportation, If it is in another state, then I have to rent a truck, and lifts, food, gas and so on, that is my responsibility, I have to install it, and that costs money. Tools. Consumables, the things that need to be replaced...

CS: And then there's the chance of the ground not supporting the sculpture, like on that one project where you had to place a cement block down to support the weight?...

AO: Yeah, there is that too, if the ground is too soft where you put your piece, then you have to pay for the concrete to be placed there, I usually try to set aside a miscellaneous budget aside of 20% or 20,000 dollars for the stuff that pops out of no where.

CS: Is there anything else that you would tell someone to do to help them get started?

AO: Know some law, or have a sense of law for the contract. If your just getting started, you have no money. Be stern, don't let the committee take advantage of you. Do an apprenticeship first. Study under someone who is doing it, that is the best way to get an idea of what a commission entails. Once you have signed a contract, there are no oops, what you say you will do, you must do. Once you sign a contract, you have made a legal binding to what you have said.