Three blocks from the train station and on your left, is precisely what Kendrick told me. It’s my first day as an editorial assistant for Art Nouveau, an art magazine that infuses pop, avant garde, and eclectic to give you a nouveau take on the field. I am to meet with the curator of the magazine Kendrick Daye aka GreatEclectic at the writers mecca: Starbucks Of course, I nervous and of course I am late. As I shuffle along Midtown praying that he gave me the right directions, a bucketful of excuses run through my mind. I might use the usual train was running late one or I might even pull the dramatics and create a fictional car accident along the corner of 7th street that caused me to have to take an alternative and longer route. In the end, I settle on neither and instead focus on how I am going to introduce myself.

You see, I know nothing of art, however I know everything about writing. This position, I sought as an attempt to work at a place that would give me more creative freedom and in the southern somewhat conservative city of Atlanta, Art Nouveau was first pick. I know little of Picasso, Dali, and Basquiat but Poe, Dickinson, Christie and Hurston I have mastered. I’ll probably last a week, but the experience will be worthwhile, and that is precisely what I have been telling myself to ease the realization that my ignorance of the art world yet my inquisition of a job at an art magazine may just end up horribly.

With that final sentiment, I push open the metallic Starbucks doors and stand there for a couple minutes, awkwardly scanning the room for the man of the hour. I know that he’s Black and that helps just a tad bit considering that half the people in here are White, white collars brewing up business plans. I know that his manner of dressing is a bit eccentric and that singular but vital factor knocks out the rest completely. I’ve found him.

In the very back corner of Starbucks, there’s this man poised whose macbook is a walking advertisement for various brands and organizations. The obnoxiously sized headphones that his ears are accessorized with serve as a buffer to the chaos going on in the cafe around him. With each head bob that he gives to show his approval to the melodies that are being placed in his ear, with equal grace and ease, his cocktail ring clad fingers become a storm of taps and punches unto his macbook’s keyboard. His outfit is giving a mixture of effortless mixed with art, funk with a street lower east side flair. His hair is a typical buzz cut, but once again he has added his own pizzazz to it and on the crown there is a patch of curls sprouting. This has to be Kendrick.

“Kendrick Daye?!?!” I call out, as I settle into a chair besides him.
At first he doesn’t hear me, so I clear my throat and pronounce it a little bit louder this time.

“KENDRICK DAYE?”
He glances up and first stares at my face and then my outstretched hand begging for a shake. He turns back to his screen and for a few tedious seconds does some more
tapping and punching before he pulls off his head phones and greets me.

“Hello, Rose!”
And so my time with Art Nouveau officially began. That was this past August and flash forward to five months post and my art vocabulary has grown along with Kendrick’s reassurance that writing is a segment of art in itself. During my time with Kendrick I’ve come to know quite a bit of him, but the rest of the world I’m not so sure can understand such a profound spirit through casual observation. You know they say that artist love to keep to themselves and are sensitive about their shit, so this interview is an attempt for Art Nouveau to understand it’s creator: Kendrick Daye.

What inspired you to start Art Nouveau Magazine?
I was always into magazines. And when I was younger my dream job was to be the editor of Vibe. As I went from opportunity to opportunity editing and interning and writing for other publications I just thought I could do this and it be totally my vision.

You have a bachelor’s degree in English, but you own an Art Magazine. How do the two correlate?
Although Art Nouveau is an Art Magazine, it’s still a magazine. I was drilled on AP style, editing and being a concise and effective writer so that helps. That’s what I think is most unique about Art Nouveau. A lot of times the assumption is with Art Magazine, you’re only posting photos of art. I want to engage people with words as much as images.

Name three of the most esteemed artist that you have had a chance to collaborate with for Art Nouveau’s print issues.
Ron English. Alex Gross. Blaine Fontana.

You own an art magazine, but besides that, do you dabble in art? What form?
Yes,, I’m an artist. My personal work consists of collages both digital and mixed media. I’m having my debut solo exhibit. It’s called Want To See A Sad Boy Smile? Pay Him. It’ll be March 31 in Atlanta.

Where do you see Art Nouveau in three more years?
I see Art Nouveau as a physical magazine in more places. In boutiques and galleries all around the world. I see Art Nouveau being in a more prominent position to continue to promote new artists. Also see a cute office in Manhattan.

List three artist dead or alive whose work you think have done measures for the art world.
Andy Warhol. Picasso. Jean Michael-Basquiat/Keith Haring. The reason I picked them, besides how awesome and influential each of their distinct styles were, they in their own way killed the stigma of “starving artist” by creating a demand for their work.

Let’s say Art Nouveau was a gallery, as a curator what type of artist do you try to showcase?
Typically younger artists with saying off the wall to say. Visually striking, vibrant, brooding work. It’d have to be someone outrageous every month.

Do you see art as being limited to visual elements, or as also being composed of genres such as literature and music?
No not all. There is very artful literature and music out there. Art is everywhere.

Name three writers, that you feel have do measures for the literary art world.
Cormac Mccarthy, Alice Walker, Amy Hempel. They’ve done measures for me and influenced me, and I’m sure the literary art world.

Name three musical artist that you feel have done measures for the art world.
Madonna, Kanye West, Lady Gaga. All of them include artists as stars. They commission artists to design projects for them (Madonna & Mr. Brainwash, Kanye & George Condo).

If you could have dinner with three famous people: one a painter, the other a singer, and the last one writer, who would they be, and what would you talk about?
Basquiat. Madonna. & Stephen King. We’d probably get wasted and end up talking shit.

A lot of famous artist, have been well known drug and alcohol abusers. Do you feel as if drugs and alcohol draw out inspiration or just do harm in the long run?

I think that’s subjective. For some it’s their downfall, for some it only helps. Depending on what drug it’s going to do some harm or more. LOL. But, we all gotta go some day anyways.

Besides being an art magazine, Art Nouveau is also a media group. Tell us a little bit about that and the various artist that you represent.
As a media group Art Nouveau cultivates niche brands that include blogs such as The-Socials.com & CocainePretti, an online radio show Gas Up Radio and a roster of artists including Corinne Stevie, GreatEclectic, Jay Scott & Ben Carson. We you see anything Art Nouveau you know these brands will be in the mix in some way shape or form. It’s a family more than anything.

GreatEclectic vs. Kendrick Daye…besides being a moniker, is it also an alter ego.
I don’t know. In a way it is. GreatEclectic, is the quirky artist you see every now and then at art shows, the Art Nouveau guy. Kendrick is just Kendrick. I don’t like to look at it like that. but, I think that’s the way it’s presented so people look at that way as well.

Define Art
Art is taking nothing and making something out of it that someone hang on white walls and then someone else will come and buy it.

Define Fame
Fame is weird. Everyone that’s not famous wants to be famous. And everyone that is famous, is miserable and wants to be normal.

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