Bridgette Mayer: Overcoming Tremendous Adversity with Art, Color and Headstrong Determination

Episode 123: Bridgette Mayer is an art dealer in Philadelphia, PA. She opened Bridgette Mayer Gallery on Philadelphia's historic Washington Square in 2001. In July of 2016 the gallery evolved to a private gallery and consulting practice. Mayer represents artists from Philadelphia, New York and around the world, specializing in contemporary painting, sculpture and photography. The gallery also deals in secondary market artwork sales and private and corporate consulting. Gallery artists have won many prestigious awards including the Pew Fellowship in the Arts, Guggenheim Grants, Pollock-Krasner Foundation Awards, the Miami University Young Painters Competition and the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts Grant. Bridgette Mayer Gallery has been featured on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 as a small business "On The Rise" and was recognized as a recommended Philadelphia arts destination in The New York Times Magazine. In 2013, Mayer was named one of the top 500 Galleries in the world by Boulin ArtInfo, and was also featured in the Tory Burch Foundation’s “Women To Watch” series. Mayer has been a featured speaker on many panels in the Philadelphia area and has guest lectured at a number of Universities, where her talks focus on how emerging artists can promote their work and sustain a career in the arts. A graduate of Bucknell University, Mayer was an active member of the University's Arts Board for several years. She is currently a board member of the Arts & Business Council, Philadelphia, PA & Vox Vopuli, Philadelphia, PA. Show notes: What inspired Bridgette to create the beautiful cover for her new book, The Art Cure How her biological mother's neglect forced her to become resourceful when it came to finding food and basic needs (sometimes stealing) when she disappeared from the house for long periods Her mother's abusive behavior, prostitution, neglect and drug use What it was like for Bridgette to constantly be put into new foster homes until she was officially adopted into a loving family on a farm Her time renting a closet as a bedroom, trying to make it in the art world Bridgette's first memory of being enthralled with art and what it feels like for her to be doing something she's passionate about What Bridgette's relationship with her biological family looks like today and what she's had to do to allow herself to move on and grow How she overcame the fear she carried with her that her family's pattern of alcoholism would eventually catch up to her in life Why she knows it is absolutely okay to bounce around with your career and location Why Bridgette never felt entitled, or that the world "owed" her anything, and the ways in which that has benefited her work ethic How she has a tendency to be on the opposite end of the spectrum of having a big ego Dissecting and interpreting abstract art work The motivation behind creating the gallery that she ended up molding Her favourite artist: Jean-Michel Basquit The positive affirmations YouTube channel she listens to every morning as she gets ready: Jason Ellis Must-read book: The Power of Your Subconscious Mind Connect with Bridgette: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram [Tweet "She overcame tremendous adversity by creating an art gallery and finding her passion. #MBMPodcast "] {COACHING} Ready to break limiting beliefs + Take your self-worth to the next level? Apply for my 1:1 coaching HERE. {NEXT LIVE EVENT} Claim your ticket to come to MORE THAN THIS: a two-day intensive to break limiting beliefs, expand your self-worth, and live for something bigger. Play in the mountains with hosts Amanda Gyuran and I HERE. Love the show and want to support it in return? Become a Patreon for the show and pledge as little as $1 per episode HERE. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands