Meet Deneen L Garrett | Emerging Art Curator, International Speaker, Podcast Creator & Host

We had the good fortune of connecting with Deneen L Garrett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Deneen L, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
The art world chose me. I became a collector in March of 2020 when I visited Houston. Was surrounded by large, vibrant, powerful pieces that drew my attention while having breakfast at the Breakfast Klub. The owner provided me the artist’s info, we met the next day and I bought my 1st piece of original artwork. Over the next few months, I purchased 5 more, two were commissions, from artist Linda Simien Kelly. I continued collecting then in October of 2023, I started attending the Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club (DFABC) founded by Henry Harper and Harold Braggs here in Detroit. DFABC is a space to support, grow and connect for artists as well as collectors and enthusiasts. Here’s where I became intentional about acquiring art which ultimately progressed to my becoming an Emerging Art Curator.

What should our readers know about your business?
I started Deneen L. Garrett LLC about 5 years ago when I was selling retail. Under this umbrella, I host the Women of Color: An Intimate Conversation podcast which I launched in 2020. This podcast provides WOC a platform to use their voices. I added my Dream Lifestyle Coaching which empowers WOC to live dream lives as well as my Live a Dream Lifestyle™ apparel. Most recently, I added CollectBlackArt.art for my art practice. Since retiring in June of 2022, I explored different opportunities. Consulting businesses on how to create WOC programs was one as well. Today, my focus is on art and podcasting/speaking. I’m also an international speaker. I jumped right into everything after retiring instead of pausing to just be and then later to reflect. Pausing is a practice I highly recommend. Get clear about what you want. I created My 3+Ds system on How to Live a Dream Life; Dream, Decide/Design, Drive towards your dream life. While I have no regrets, I did not “dream” myself into what I was doing. I went about the business of doing and things manifested. I do recommend taking the time to Dream, Decide/Design, Drive before starting things. This will help for a clearer path as opposed to the winding road I took. I appreciate this winding road as it brought me the clarity to pass on to others.

My P.I.E., passion, innovation and execution is what sets me apart from others. I’ve been blessed to passionately pursue my purpose since 2016 when I was promoted into my dream job. For 5+ years, my company paid me to do what I love. I parlayed this into what came after. As I did then and still today, I’m operating in my gifts and purpose which fuels my passion, allows me to think inside, outside, above, under and around the box and to get sh!t done, my P.I.E.

As a curator, I create experiences, make connections and broker deals. My art mission is to inspire 100 Black art collectors, promote Detroit artists and present art in unexpected places. I’ve curated a couple of experiences and am now in my Build Connect Learn phase. I’m exploring my next on this journey and welcome opportunities.

My brand is to Live a Dream Lifestyle™️which I get to do through travel, art and events.

Deneenlgarrett.com

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Wow, a week, huh? Much of it will be spent at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) which is where I spend my time when not traveling. Here’s a partial itinerary:
Monday-5p-730p at the Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club
Tuesday-10a-4p at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) with lunch at my favorite spot, Kresge Cafe or, the DIA Cafe
Wednesday-10a-1p at The Wright Museum
1p-2p Lunch at the DIA
2p-5p The Motown Museum
Thursday-12-4p Explore Downtown Detroit; Campus Martius & Capitol Park
4-6p Happy Hour at Central Kitchen
Friday-12p-12a Explore Greektown; Hollywood Casino, Floods Bar & Grill &
Paradise Valley; La Casa Cigar Bar
Saturday 12p-10p Learn about the Underground Railroad at the Underground
Railroad Living MuseumExplore the Riverfront & Belle Isle
park
Catch a concert; Fox, Aretha, a game; Tigers, Pistons, Red
Wings
Sooooooooo much to do. Just turn a corner and enjoy!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Absolutely! I want to thank Aya Waller-Bey who organized art events which furthered my relationship with the arts. Through Aya’s leadership, we attended an artist talk with Judy Bowman who is the success story I tell about the Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club (DFABC) founded by Henry Harper and Harold Braggs. People bought Judy’s pieces for as low as $50 and today, you can’t even get anything for $10K. Judy is who 1st mentioned DFABC. Our visit to the home of well-respected Detroit collectors, David & Linda Whittaker exposed me to not only a house filled with paintings, sculptors and antiques, also artists new to me and ones to collect. Also thanks to Aya, our group along with the Friends of African American and African Art (FAAAA) had a private tour of the African American Galleries at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA). Unbeknownst to me, seeds were planted. Our docent Daisy suggested more of us become docents. I looked into it which led to me holding several volunteer positions; Gallery Services (GS), Gallery Information (GI), GI Training Chair, GI trainer and was asked to be a committee VP at the DIA and, just nominated for a board position with FAAAA. Excited to stretch even further on my art journey.

So, Shout Outs to Aya, Judy, The Whittakers and Henry & Harold and to Ange who is instrumental as well.

Website: https://deneenlgarrett.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deneensdreamlife/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deneenlgarrett

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@deneensdreamlife

Other: https://CollectBlackArt.art