Photo by Carlos GonzalezI first met Emma Berg, in 2006, the way most people did in those days: through the paintings of Ben Olson, her then-partner. There she was, battered and bloody, in one emotionally bruising portrait after another.

Of course, outside the storm of acrylics, she was pert and poised -- that vivacious fairy of a woman you saw at every gallery opening, blazingly chic in her fashion sense and evangelistic in her promotion of local art. Berg was our scene-starter. In 2005, she had launched a website, mplsart.com, where she compiled every small gallery opening onto one online calendar. She posted party pics. She ran reviews. She taught us about Rogue Buddha, about Soo Visual Arts Center. She showed us, the uninitiated, what talent looked like. For the first time in decades, the local gallery scene had a hub.

Then, in 2008, she and Olson split -- and Berg went from muse to full-blown maven. She launched a curating career at Fox Tax, where she unearthed gem after gem of undiscovered local talent. She found Deuce Seven before Village Voice dubbed him "The King of New York Street Art." She showed Miles Mendenhall before he appeared on Bravo's reality show "Work of Art."

Today, Berg has added fashion design to her résumé, parading daring dresses down the runway at shows such as Voltage. In September 2010, she was commissioned to create a dress for Lady Gaga's performance at Xcel. And she's still curating, taking over art duties at HAUS, Charlie Brackney's posh new south Minneapolis salon.

Q: You once told me that you started mplsart.com in response to your early experiences at openings. Take us back to that time. What were your first encounters with the Minneapolis art scene like?

A: When Ben and I entered the scene, it was a secret door. We'd go to Soo VAC, Creative Electric. And so often people would ask you, "Oh, do you know the artist?" It wasn't meant to be rude, but it made us feel like we didn't belong, like the opening receptions were private events. Mplsart was really started to expose a larger audience to local artists and small galleries.

Q: When did it finally feel like the local art scene was heating up?

Q: Speaking of Ben, you were the only woman he had ever painted. How did your breakup change your relationship to the art world?

A: I did pull back for a while. I took some time to reflect. I wondered, Is this still relevant to me? Do I still have a passion for this stuff or am I just doing it out of habit? I had to really think about what the art scene meant to me, what it was about it that I was passionate about. So I took some time. And then I started curating at Fox Tax.

Q: Yeah, and you conquered that place: 14 shows straight, a run spanning almost three years, and great, undiscovered talent. Miles Mendenhall. Rudy Fig. Drew Peterson.

A: It was a great opportunity. Here was a situation where I could curate a gallery, and there was no overhead cost. I could put my heart into it, my passion into it, and not have to worry about any risk.

Q: And now you're curating HAUS.

Q: What spurred you to delve into fashion design?

A: I hit this point where I needed to create something on my own. And that was it: fashion. I had studied costume design in college. It's what I know. If I could make amazing paintings, I would do that. But I only know how to create dresses.

Q: So what's scarier: curating an art show, or putting your designs on the runway?

A: The curating is scarier. Because other people are counting on you. With the runway, yeah, it's terrifying. It's totally yours. If it falls flat, you let yourself down. But you're not letting a group of artists down. The worst feeling as a curator is when an artist has put his or her heart and soul into a show, and then at the end of the run, they haven't sold a thing. That is really, really hard. Also, with the runway, as soon as something goes out, there's a response. It's immediate. People make noise. But when people walk into a gallery, they don't say a word.

Q: A lot of people don't know that you hold down a corporate day job at Target. How has that financial stability aided your creativity?

Q: What's your biggest complaint about the art scene today?

A: Two things. And it's the same in the art scene as it is in the fashion scene. Neither enjoys commercial support for the local contemporary work. Also, there's this thing about how Minnesotans are. They're not very good at meeting people. And they're not always very good at hosting and being generous of spirit. So sometimes it doesn't feel open. People feel like there are cliques. That's a problem. Because one has a huge impact on the other.

Q: How do you measure success for your fashion designs? Sales? Media attention?

A: For fashion, it's really not the sales. It's seeing the actual dresses on other women. To see a piece of mine out at an event on someone, that's exciting. Knowing that it can live off the runway. As for goals, I would love to get to a point where there are a few dozen local women that commission pieces from me.

A: The goal used to be: Let's make a scene of it. Now it's: How can we make a meaningful difference? I'm now part of an arts council for the Boys & Girls Club. I'm focused on getting talented local artists in front of people that can support them. How do we make an impact at a higher level? And I'm excited to see what the next generation does, and what impact they have on the local art scene.

Q: So what youngsters are you excited about?

A: There is a lot of talent out there. I'm excited about Faux Poco [an artist-run studio space in St. Paul] and the talent they have involved. I'm excited by the recent street art by 11th Wunder and Hottea. I also am eager to see what changes occur with Emily Blanche coming in as the new director of MNfashion.

Q: Words of wisdom for a young artist trying to catch your eye?

A: I love ambition. I love dreamers. I would say, always be sincere. Always be yourself. Also, I really like nice, kind people.