A Conversation with Eden Stein, Owner and Curator of Secession Art & Design

Recently, we had the chance to catch up with Eden Stein, Secession Art & Design – Owner & Curator.

I am excited about the challenge to transform 307 Cortland into a popup gallery featuring 15 artists. It is always satisfying to conceptualize this giant puzzle of hand-selecting each piece of art and curating a large exhibit that tells a story from the moment you enter the door. I aim to sell art right off the wall and connect with my community. When you purchase a painting, a ripple effect happens. I use my commission to pay for rent, childcare, pay down my covid debts, and food. Artists use their commissions for immediate expenses, art supplies, and to pay for their studios. We hope to create a gorgeous collection that will look fantastic in your home. Collecting art is a powerful way to keep every dollar local.

Doing this popup allows four glorious days for clients to wander in on their own time to see the collection, purchase art, ask about home curation services, or say hello. Most of my business is now virtual, so having a physical space where we can meet in person is refreshing. Being in business for 15 years, I have gotten to know many people. I have watched kids grow up and become young adults, been people’s go-to for holiday gifts, and a place where customers could always go to tell me what was happening in their lives.

I look forward to a long retail weekend, opening doors to possibilities and watching everyone’s happiness as art finds it forever home.

I was a preschool teacher at Eureka Learning Center on the border of Noe/Castro for a decade. While teaching, I supplemented my career by hosting holiday popups featuring local artists and makers. I also made vintage reconstructed necklaces at the time and sold them at local street fairs. One day, half-jokingly, one of the parents at the school said to me that I should sublease his commercial building on Mission Street, home to his architecture firm, and create a gallery. Without hesitation, I said yes to his offer and left my career as an educator after getting so many kids to kindergarten and opened Secession Art & Design in 2007. My aesthetic early on was inspired by a trip my husband and I took to Vienna, especially seeing the work and collaborative approach of the Vienna secession movement of the early 20th century. The first location was 750 square feet on Mission Street across from Safeway. This space had a gallery and artists’ workspaces. I lost our lease after seven years and moved my business down the street to a 1500 sq ft location across from Blueplate. The second commercial lease was my dream gallery. I renovated it and put all of my love and money into it. This storefront allowed me to practice my art as a curator and community leader for eight years. When my lease was up, I decided to close the brick-and-mortar in 2022 and transition my business model to a virtual gallery.

Covid changed everything for my family. We were trying to live in a 1.5 bedroom on Tiffany Ave with a toddler and my husband working in the living room. Our move to Santa Rosa was seeking affordable rent and childcare to be closer to my aging parents. One of my artists, Hilary Williams, was helping her boyfriend renovate the house next to hers. We were in the right place at the right time to say yes to a sweet home nestled between a farm and a small winery. We also found a preschool for our 4-year-old to attend with a farm and lots of outdoor learning. It was a big risk to close my gallery, but I did it for my family and us to have a less stressful lifestyle with lots of room for play.

Curating is an art form for me. I usually choose one artist as a jumping-off point for a show and then begin to create the collection based on a theme, colors, and textures. My New Year’s resolution this year was to continue my practice of meeting artists in their studios when they are not open to the public. Seeing the paint everywhere, works in progress, hearing about their trials and goals, and finding hidden treasures among their work inspires me. I was lucky that four bay area artists welcomed me to their creation stations, and this popup was born.

When I opened, most galleries were only showing one type of art. I like to blur the lines and do shows that allow artists working in different mediums to experiment. My goal has been to find juxtaposition and how each piece creates an overall conversation with the viewer as they experience an exhibit. This is why I always sell art, clothing, and jewelry. It pushes me as a curator to think in three dimensions. Moving the gallery all online has been my biggest pivot. My entire business was based on people walking through my door. I have worked hard to create an easy website where people can collect art or hire me for home curation services. My biggest obstacle does not have a marketing budget to ensure people see my content and know that Secession exists.

Create a website with your art so galleries can read and discover you independently. Have inventory ready to be shown, join group shows, and be confident in your vision. Artspan Open Studios is a great way for artists to get seen by many people for not a lot of money. You get put in a printed guide and have an opportunity to show your work. Never give up if you are rejected. Just keep applying, and you never know who will say yes.

I did a maternity leave fundraiser that allowed me to be home for two weeks after giving birth. My son, Luca,  was two weeks old when I strapped him to me, installed our spring show, and did the opening. The show was called Midnight Moon in the Garden of Goodbye by Shane Izykowski. The concept was for people to leave their regrets behind and be at peace. We collected people’s regrets and burned them on a live stream. It was a powerful experience to hear everyone’s stories and feel Luca’s every movement as I worked. I was sleep-deprived but hyper-aware of every moment and my passion for being in the gallery.