From Billions to None
Posted on July 02, 2014
It’s difficult to concentrate as I write this blog; the Woodson Art Museum’s fire alarm is bleeping nonstop. No evacuation is necessary. Some sensors are being moved, causing an alarm. I can’t help but be thankful for the technology that warns of fires and ultimately saves lives, but the sound is nerve wracking.
Too bad the passenger pigeon didn’t have a screeching alarm signaling its impending demise. Perhaps the course of history would have changed, preventing this species’ disappearance.
Permission to Play
Posted on June 25, 2014
When was the last time you gave yourself permission to play? Last Thursday evening, during the preview for the Purely Prints exhibitions, Woodson Art Museum members took a moment to play, engaging in a fun printmaking process.
One of my favorite printing methods that I’ve used for over a decade with children now has found its way into the adult realm. Who could resist a pan filled with shaving cream and some colorful drops of food coloring? Resembling a white frosted cake with sprinkles, it’s calorie free and releases your creativity.
Rear Windows
Posted on June 18, 2014
Last summer, my wife and I went on a date to an outdoor showing of the Alfred Hitchcock classic Rear Window. For those who haven’t seen it, I briefly will summarize: Jimmy Stewart is temporarily in a wheelchair and watches his neighbors to pass the time. He sees something suspicious and tries to solve the mystery, all while keeping the ravishing and elegant Grace Kelly (who is madly in love with him) at bay.
Wrinkles along the Writing Road
Posted on June 11, 2014
I’ve been writing grant application narratives and proposals for almost forty years. Longevity doesn’t make the tasks easier, but the processes sure have changed.
At the risk of sounding like my grandmother – I always thought she seemed “old” when she mused about how things had changed – I can’t help but marvel at how technology and other efficiencies have impacted writing tasks.
Ownership: Making the Woodson Your Art Museum
Posted on June 04, 2014
How can we nurture engagement and foster loyalty in our visitors? How can we engender in our volunteers a sense of pride in the Woodson Art Museum? These and other big-picture ideas and lofty aspirations take shape in various ways here – inclusive public programs accessible to all, enthusiastic and passionate staff, dynamic exhibitions, and pleasing public spaces, to name a few.
These are notions I consider when working with new volunteer greeters and docents and this spring has been filled with many volunteer training sessions. In addition to teaching incoming docents about Museum collections or art interpretation, it’s important to communicate our underlying identity: a thoughtful, progressive, and barrier-free institution that seeks to enhance lives through art for all visitors and the north central Wisconsin communities it serves.
Springing Ahead
Posted on May 28, 2014
I love springtime. After the long, snowy, cold winter, I want to relish every minute, feel the warm sun, smell the fresh air, and enjoy the vibrant flowers and verdant grass.
As curator of collections, spring signals planning time for me, and the realization that each of the five exhibition spaces used for Museum collections will be reinstalled before September 1.
That might seem daunting; sometimes it is. But mostly for me, it’s thrilling. To work with our beautiful and varied collection is exciting. I love hearing visitors comment as they encounter an artwork they haven’t seen for a while or even gasp when seeing a recent acquisition.
What Prompts Museum Visits?
Posted on May 21, 2014
I’m always curious and fascinated to learn what brings Woodson Art Museum visitors through the doors. Volunteer greeters provide crucial insights when they jot down comments from their casual conversations with visitors.
In addition to cities from throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest, it’s exciting to see far-flung locations listed on these informal greeter surveys. Since last fall, visitors have hailed from Poland, Russia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Latvia, Greece, Norway, and — during repeat visits — England and Scotland.
Wear Your Words
Posted on May 14, 2014
Wear Your Words on view at the Woodson Art Museum features teens’ social-action statements – upcycled garments from recycled materials. Through this and a recent Art Speaks exhibition of teen artwork created from repurposed furniture, the Museum continues to keep the voices and vision of young area artists in the public eye.
Beyond the Recycled Runway
Posted on May 08, 2014
The Woodson Art Museum’s exhibition schedule is developed to provide visitors with rich visual arts experiences. As curator of exhibitions, I look for variety in building a diverse schedule to appeal to the broadest spectrum of visitors.
A couple of years ago, an exhibition of artist-designed clothes made of recycled materials caught my attention. Through research, I discovered a TED talk by the artist – and environmental advocate – Nancy Judd. In it, Nancy wore a yellow dress that she’d made from strips of plastic caution tape. She explained how her fashionable clothing made from trash was the perfect way to encourage people to recycle. After seeing the talk, I knew it would be a special exhibition.
Three Cheers for Detroit!
Posted on April 30, 2014
Detroit has experienced a bucket-load — and then some — of less-than-desirable media attention in recent months. Whether about the city's bankruptcy filing or the related vulnerability of the Detroit Institute of Arts' collection, the news from the Motor City hasn't exactly been a promotion for tourism.
I'm a Detroit booster and believe that tourism — specifically cultural tourism — is among the activities that will help the city regain its luster.
Today is the start of Day #2 of a six-day Detroit and environs adventure for an intrepid group of Woodson Art Museum travelers.
