Today we’d like to introduce you to Beth West.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My husband, AJ Meadows, and I launched our first gallery in the garage of our home in early 2021. Starting a gallery was something we had talked about for years, and that moment felt like as good of a time as any to start.
In 2022, we expanded into a small space in downtown St. Croix Falls—a former safety deposit vault inside the historic Eagle Valley Bank building (now Vincent House Commons). We call it The Vault. The unique, non-traditional nature of both the garage and The Vault has made them ideal for experimentation and creativity.
Creating an accessible space—especially for emerging artists—has always been central to our mission. We’ve hosted open calls, accepted proposals, and invited past exhibiting artists to nominate others for future shows. It’s been amazing to see how this model continues to foster community and connection.
In 2023, when the opportunity arose to purchase the former Clayton’s hardware building just across the street, we decided to go for it. We’ve since built a wonderful roster of talented local and regional instructors who share our vision for accessible arts education.
A little more about us: AJ and I first met at Franconia Sculpture Park, where he was working as the Site Manager. I later moved to North Carolina for a ceramics residency at The Bascom, and we got married shortly after I returned to Wisconsin. AJ holds an MFA from the Glasgow School of Art, and I earned my BA from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. You can learn more about us and our work at:
ajmeadows.com
elizabethdiannewest.com
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
We couldn’t have done it without the support of our community. The biggest challenges we have faced were renovating the building. So many neighbors came out to lend a helping hand with tiling, moving stuff, drywalling, trim, framing, sanding, cleaning, just to name a few!
As far as planning exhibitions and artists talks, we have worked with so many amazing artists. Everyone we have worked with has helped shape WHAT’s programming and future.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Beth: I started out in ceramics—handbuilding, throwing, the whole process really clicked for me early on. I got my degree from UW–La Crosse and taught ceramics at The Phipps in Hudson, and later at The Bascom in North Carolina where I was a resident artist.
AJ: My background is in sculpture. I got my MFA from the Glasgow School of Art, and my practice is largely interdisciplinary, ranging from found objects to earth works and stone carving.
Beth: When I was in North Carolina, I really began thinking more about the social and cultural impact of functional objects. It shaped a lot of the work I’m making now—especially my photography and video performance pieces that explore function and value in everyday life.
AJ: After grad school, I had the opportunity to create and install outdoor sculptures during some residencies in Europe. When I returned to the States, I started working at Franconia Sculpture Park. One of the things I valued most about my role as Site Manager was collaborating with artists—helping them troubleshoot and problem-solve as they built their work on-site.
Beth: I feel like that’s where we overlap a lot—teaching and supporting other artists is a big part of both of our practices. Even when my work started to shift more toward digital mediums, I found myself looping back to clay, especially through performance. I still make functional ceramics too—it all kind of connects for me.
AJ: That’s probably part of why starting WHAT Art School made sense. We’ve both had these experiences that brought art, community, and education together.
What are your plans for the future?
We are most excited to start an open studio program in the future! We want people to come and use the ceramics studio independently to work on their projects.
We are in the process of converting the Mezzanine (the old Radio Shack) into a small apartment so we can start a residency program.
Pricing:
- our pricing is dependent on the instructor, please visit our website and reach out with any questions!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://whatartschool.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what_scf?igsh=MXEwNWpuY21yejJvbA%3D%3D
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatartschool/
