City Paper Best of DC

Whenever I leave the country, it seems like the City Paper decides to write something about me. Well, okay, it’s only the second time, but the coincidence is eery, no? On this occasion, they anointed me “Best Career Changer” in last week's Best in DC issue.

Philippa Hughes had it made a few years back, at least by the standards of a typical University of Virginia grad: She had good looks, an orthodontist husband, and a career in investment law. But Hughes was bored. So in 2003, in the name of helping her hubby set up his own practice, she quit her job and started insinuating herself into the local art scene. She threw parties at her U Street condo, inviting collectors, artists, and gallery types to brainstorm about the local scene over wine and food. She chronicled her adventures on her blog, hoogrrl.com. The result of all her thinking and playing was the conclusion that D.C. needed human connections more than anything else—parties and events that put creative people in non-electronic contact. For that purpose, Hughes’ condo quickly became too small. Though she still holds the occasional, intimate salon, “Philippa’s parties” now take place in larger venues, an empty brake shop on 14th Street, or at the Arlington Arts Center. Hughes says she plans on organizing a more formal series events through the Pink Line Project, an organization she founded to raise money for artists. —AV

Honestly, I don’t think what I’ve done is particularly original; seems to me that the streets of DC are littered with ex-lawyers hankering for creative outlets.* But I sincerely appreciate the kudos! It's a good sign that anyone notices or cares that DC is a vibrantly creative city beyond politics, lawyering, and defense contracts.

I wanted to make a clarification about this nice distinction though. AV writes that the Pink Line Project is an organization that I founded “to raise money for artists.” That’s not exactly the ultimate purpose and I know it’s difficult to sum up so much when given only a couple newsprint inches so I am not complaining. AV alludes to the purpose when she notes that I orchestrate “events that put creative people in non-electronic contact.” Truth is I started throwing art parties because I like art and I like parties. But I started to notice a certain energy around these events that went far beyond just drinking beer and having a good time and feeling cool by hanging around contemporary art and artists. I noticed that people wanted more meaningful connection to each other, that people yearned to be part of a community and to be passionate and enthusiastic about something, anything. I noticed that emailing, instant messaging, texting, poking each other on Facebook, and obsessively checking Blackberries wasn’t doing the trick.

The original intent for creating Pink Line was to raise money for artists because that was a relatively easy thing to do. Though funding grants remains a task that I have set for Pink Line, it is not the ultimate mission, which continues to evolve and is under development (but watch for something really big this fall!). Some ideas that the Pink Line mission embraces:

• Support artists and creatives in creative and alternative ways.
  
• Supporting artists requires more than just buying art (although that is important too!).
• Cities that attract and retain a vibrant creative class prosper.
• Even if we are not ourselves artists in the traditional sense, each of us can learn to live a more creative life.
  
• Living creatively can help us find creative solutions to everyday problems regardless of our jobs.
  
• The art world and its benefits should be available and accessible to everyone.
  
• Educate emerging collectors and arts supporters.
• Build a sense of community and excitement centered on the art scene.
  
• Connect people in meaningful, fun, and creative ways.
  

This is pretty ambitious, but I think DC is ripe and ready.

The people who get the real credit for setting this stage are creative DIYers like Jayme McLellan, Victoria Reis, Brian Liu, Nick Pimentel, Neil Takemoto, Welmoed Laanstra, David Fogel, and many others too numerous to name. They aren’t shameless self-promoters like me so their names haven't been popping up in magazines a lot lately, but they made a huge difference in this city long before I arrived on the scene and they continue to do great work. And kudos to the new DIYers like Rachel Fick and the guys at 1435Girard. Hooray for all of these creative doers!

*DT and KB: Sorry for the “bored” comment. It was great working with you but I couldn’t take Rule 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 anymore.