Some conversations instantly feel warm, like you’re sitting at a table with someone who loves what they do and can’t help but pull you into it. That’s exactly what Episode 69 of Inside the Frame feels like.
In this episode, Dave welcomes Kelly Netishen, the newly announced Executive Director of South Shore Art Center. But this isn’t just a “meet the director” interview. It’s a thoughtful conversation about how people connect with art, why collecting doesn’t have to feel intimidating, and what it takes to build a thriving creative community.
Kelly’s path to the art world is anything but typical, and that’s part of what makes her story so compelling.
A Lifelong Love of Art That Started Early
Kelly grew up in Minnesota, just outside of Minneapolis. She didn’t grow up calling herself an artist, but art has always been part of her world. She remembers being young, walking into the Minneapolis Institute of Arts on a field trip, and feeling completely awestruck. That moment stayed with her.
Even as she moved through different stages of life, that early connection to art never faded. It just waited for the right time to take center stage.
A Detour Into Politics
Before she ever worked in galleries or helped clients build art collections, Kelly actually started her professional career in politics.
She studied political science at the University of Minnesota, interned with the State Department, and later worked in Washington, DC, at the Capitol. It’s a world that couldn’t feel more different from the art space, but as Kelly explains, politics can be a “go all in or get out” kind of environment.
Eventually, she stepped away and began following what had always been in the background: her love of art, creativity, and design.
Art Girls Minneapolis: Making Art Feel Less Intimidating
One of the most fascinating chapters of Kelly’s story is the business she helped build in Minneapolis.
While raising young children, she started doing interior design on the side to stay connected to creativity. That led to an opportunity to run a gallery, and from there, she and her sister-in-law recognized a gap in the local art scene.
They realized that many people loved art, but didn’t know how to buy it.
Not because they lacked taste, but because galleries can feel intimidating. People often don’t know what questions to ask, how pricing works, or whether something will actually feel right in their home.
So they created a new approach: bringing artwork directly to clients. Instead of asking people to walk into a gallery and “figure it out,” they made collecting feel personal, comfortable, and approachable.
It worked quickly. The business grew faster than expected, and they found themselves helping both homeowners and large hospitality brands build collections that felt intentional and meaningful.
The Moment Art Becomes Personal
One of the strongest ideas Kelly shares in the episode is that collecting isn’t about decorating.
It’s about identity.
The best art choices aren’t the ones that match a couch. They’re the ones that make you feel something, because you’ll be living with that piece every day.
Kelly describes how powerful it is to walk into someone’s home, especially someone older who has collected for decades, and see a mix of original art, travel pieces, and family photographs. When you take it all in together, it feels like you’ve been given a quiet tour of their entire life.
Art, in that sense, becomes more than something you hang.
It becomes a story you live inside.
Falling in Love With a Photograph
Kelly also shares a moment that feels instantly relatable to anyone who has ever “just known” a piece was theirs.
She describes seeing a photograph by local photographer Mike Dick- two women sitting on a park bench in New York City, deep in conversation. Something about it hit her immediately. It felt intimate, real, and familiar.
And when she thought someone else had purchased it, she didn’t hesitate.
She made sure it came home with her.
It’s a small moment in the episode, but it captures something important: the way art can stop you in your tracks and feel personal before you even understand why.
The Puzzle of Hanging a Show
Now that Kelly is leading South Shore Art Center, her role includes many moving parts- programming, fundraising, gallery improvements, community outreach, and supporting artists.
But one part of the job she still genuinely loves is something many people don’t even realize is an art form in its own right: installing exhibitions.
Kelly describes the show installation like a puzzle. When you’re working with dozens of pieces in different mediums and styles, you have to think carefully about flow, spacing, balance, and how pieces interact with each other on the wall.
The goal is always the same: make sure each piece has a moment to stand on its own, even when it’s only a few inches away from the next.
It’s a behind-the-scenes part of the art world, but it shapes how visitors experience the entire exhibit.
Why the Frame Matters More Than People Realize
As the conversation continues, Kelly and Dave naturally land on something Frame Center knows better than anyone: framing can completely transform how art feels.
A frame can shift the tone of a piece, help it fit into a new space, and elevate it in a way that feels intentional rather than accidental. It can also help bridge styles, allowing contemporary work to feel at home in a traditional room, or softening a bold piece so it feels balanced.
Kelly also points out how frames play a huge role in gallery installations. Unlike in your home, you can’t reframe pieces for consistency. The frames that artists choose become part of the exhibit’s overall rhythm, and sometimes even add an extra layer of challenge when sequencing a show.
It’s a reminder that framing isn’t an afterthought.
It’s part of the storytelling.
Art Off the Wall: A Night That Turns Collecting Into an Experience
One of the most exciting parts of the episode is Kelly’s enthusiasm for South Shore Art Center’s major fundraiser: Art Off the Wall.
The event is built around 100 donated works of art. When you purchase a ticket, you’re guaranteed to go home with an original piece. Names are drawn throughout the night, and when yours is called, you choose your artwork on the spot.
It’s lively, fast-paced, and surprisingly strategic, because people come prepared with their “draft picks” in mind.
For first-time collectors, it’s also one of the most fun ways possible to start collecting original art without feeling overwhelmed.
A Community Space That’s Open to Everyone
Throughout the episode, Kelly keeps returning to one core idea: an art center can’t thrive without supporting artists and welcoming the public.
She highlights that South Shore Art Center’s galleries are open and free to visitors, and that the center hosts everything from exhibitions to adult classes to youth programs. One of the most meaningful initiatives she mentions is their Artist-in-Residence programming for schools, where students can come in and create art with working artists.
It’s the kind of mission that doesn’t just benefit artists. It strengthens the entire community.
If this episode inspired you to start collecting, revisit a piece you already love, or finally frame something meaningful, Frame Center is here to help. Our team specializes in custom framing that enhances the story behind your art, so it feels finished, protected, and truly at home.
