Meet Diana-Marie Haddad | Art Gallery Owner and Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Diana-Marie Haddad and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Diana-Marie, why did you pursue a creative career?
I have been an artist since a really young age and have always seen art as an outlet for daily challenges that we all face. I am very much a believer in art being able to say what words cannot. Art allows me to express myself in ways i never could through conversation. With that however, the art-word has always been criticized for being closed off and a tough business to break into. I wanted to create a space that felt inviting because art is for everyone. My gallery is designed to bridge together artists and viewers in a way that steps outside of conventional supplier/buyer mentality. This is also why a big part of my business plan was offering a variety of classes in different mediums to immerse art viewers and buyers in the creative world.

We take into consideration that local artists often have full time jobs and have to pay their way into open calls and gallery features. RemainReal prizes itself on being accessible and that starts with free submission for all of our monthly supporting shows as well as free to become a resident. We want to be as involved in the community as we can through various events, classes, and partnerships with local artists and businesses.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our Mission:

RemainReal Fine art is proud to serve the community of Denver, Colorado by converging luxury art curation with community creation. While our featured galleries showcase local, high-quality artists for collectors to peruse, we also offer beginner friendly art classes in a variety of mediums to help involve more people to become interested in the creation of artwork.

We prize ourselves on offering completely free opportunities for local artists through our monthly rotating open calls that have themes that fit with the featured solo artist show for that month. These shows are made up of a collection of 20-30 artists of varied mediums and skills.

This business was incredibly hard to start and we are still learning everyday. I took a chance by starting a gallery with very little experience or knowledge in business, but have enjoyed meeting professionals who have helped me thrive, including my well rounded and talented staff. I have learned how important it is to surround yourslef and your business with people who want to see it thrive and have the same passion as you do. I am lucky to have build a staff who are local artists as well as young business professionals. I have learned this industry is always changing and thriving. It is important to recognize what trends are present that you should lean into. I also value knowing when to pivot and recognize when something is not working, throughout this process I am constantly finding better ways to do things and make those adjustments for the better. I value the importance of letting myself make mistakes and growing professionally and personally from them.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We are lucky to be a part of the Santa Fe Arts District First Friday Art Walks that have an array of amazing galleries to enjoy new artworks from all over the Denver. Along those same lines the art district third Friday collectors night give people the chance to meet the artists in a more controlled setting. Our gallery itself hosts the public for live music and great conversations surrounding the current month’s featured and supporting show. I am a big fan of anything art related including visiting the Denver Art Museum and other local galleries in the Rhino Arts District. While I am still fairly new to Colorado, I have found a few fun eateries including Leven Deli Co. a perfect place to go after visiting the DAM. Another personal favorite is Meow Wolf!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
When wanting to start this venture, i went out on a limb without anyone paving the way for me. Through this I have found my biggest support to be the art community itself. When i was first thinking about starting the gallery I attended many of the Santa Fe Art District’s First Friday events and felt inspired to start my journey. The district and their representatives have been very welcoming and a big support as well as the many people/artists who attend our events.

Website: https://www.remainrealfineart.com/

Instagram: remainrealfineart

Facebook: RemainReal Fine Art

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@remainreal?app=desktop