Woodson Wanderings

Party Demystifies Teen Art Council

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Beck) — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:37:00 +0000

by Amy Beck, marketing and communications manager

Teens who gathered at the Woodson Art Museum Friday night became bidders at a mock art auction and amateur detectives solving the case of the missing “Magnificent Cube” artwork. The Teen Mystery Party, featuring food, music, and fun, marked the second “who-dun-it?” event planned by the Museum’s Teen Art Council, which meets monthly during the school year to plan fun events for teens at the Museum.

Two TAC members, clad in high heels and black dresses, posed as a gallery owner and director greeting mock-art-auction guests. After signing in, each teen received an auction bidding paddle and a small pouch stuffed with “mad money” for auction purchases.
Throughout the evening, young teens munched on grapes and strawberries, bagel chips and hummus, and cheesecakes and cream puffs, and decided upon which items to bid – from artwork to sketchpads, canvases, and paint brushes.
Alerted that some sort of theft would ensue, participants carefully observed vignettes performed by costumed TAC members and noted potentially suspicious behavior. An overbearing hipster artist mercilessly ordered his doting assistant around and never strayed far from the case containing his “Magnificent Cube.” An ostentatious couple argued incessantly before the auctioneer started the bidding.
Once the artwork theft was discovered, Detective Solvesitall unveiled from his evidence folder photos of a handkerchief, coffee mug stain, footprint, lipstick smudge, and black button and led participants’ questioning of TAC suspects.
Did the hipster artist steal his own creation to fraudulently collect a hefty insurance claim?
Fed up with mopping her boss’ brow, did the artist’s assistant snap and spitefully destroy his artwork?
Did the auctioneer steal the artwork to make a tidy profit from a private sale?

Once participants matched a black button found inside the display case to one missing from the argumentative husband’s shirtsleeve, the stolen artwork was discovered in his wife’s purse.
With the case closed and suspects handcuffed, participants gathered their auction “purchases” and headed homeward after an evening of successful sleuthing and bidding.
The mystery party, appealing to younger teens, serves as an introduction to TAC-planned events and the possibility of serving on TAC in high school. In addition to planning teen events, TAC members participate in various art-related community events and learn about museum-related careers.

If you know area high-school students interested in joining TAC this fall, encourage them to call education curator Jayna Hintz at 715.845.7010 to learn more.

It’s no mystery that high-school students (and their resumes!) benefit from volunteer community involvement, and the Museum’s Teen Art Council provides a fun, multifaceted opportunity.

Just Another Manic Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Weinke) — Wed, 08 May 2013 18:34:00 +0000

by Jane Weinke, curator of collections

Monday I had the pleasure of looking at nearly a thousand digital images. Most people probably wouldn’t covet sitting in a dark room for eight hours, but for the three guests and four staff members coordinating and participating in the Birds in Artjury it was a remarkable day filled with “ahhhs,” laughter, light-hearted banter, and serious discussion.

Historically, Birds in Art is juried the first Monday of May. It is eagerly anticipated by staff but especially by artists. Facebook generated a bit of chatter from those wondering about the progress and eager to hear if their entry was selected for the 2013 exhibition.

This year’s jurors were: Tom Davis (author and editor, Green Bay, Wisconsin), Duane H. King (executive director, Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma), and Cameron M. Shay (director, Graham Gallery, New York City). The three viewed 974 images by 605 artists, ultimately choosing the most creative and artistically rendered paintings, graphics, and sculptures to comprise the exhibition.

The process is simple – or so we think. First round, look at all the entries. This is a fairly quick look – a few seconds to view each work (artists can submit one or two works created in 2011, 2012, or 2013).

The task of round two is winnowing down the number of entries. Jurors slowly view all the artworks again to determine if they want to consider the artist in the final, voting round. Jurors are encouraged to discuss the images and ask questions to make thoughtful decisions. During the second round, staff provide the following basics: title, medium, and dimensions; artists’ names are withheld.

We keep the jurors well nourished with snacks and beverages throughout the day, and at the conclusion of round two, a late restaurant lunch provided a much-needed rest. It also allows staff time to prepare for the final round – voting.

For the final voting round, each juror assigns a score between 1 and 5 (one being low) to each artwork. The votes are tabulated and combined to get an overall score for each work. This viewing and voting sequence determines the approximately ninety works that will comprise the 2013 Birds in Art exhibition along with the work of past Master Artists and Terry Miller, the 2013 Master.

Email notifications are sent as soon as the final artwork inventory is complete; we know artists are eager to know if their work has been selected. While there will be cheers and tears, hopefully everyone will be proud to have had their artwork seriously considered.

Making the Cut

noreply@blogger.com (Jayna Hintz) — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:37:00 +0000

By Jayna Hintz, curator of education

Tuesday evening the Woodson Art Museum’s classroom was filled with laughter. Hearing students and parents say “this was a lot of fun,” "I love the sticky ink,” “I love this stuff,” “Mom I got my hands dirty (with a big smile)!” Nothing fills this museum educator’s heart more than the sounds of happy, busy, young artists immersed in a process. In this case, the printing process.

Relief printmaker Sherrie York is the artist in residence this week at the Woodson Art Museum. She’s introducing students and visitors to relief printmaking processes: creating a block, inking the block, and printing it. Sherri uses linoleum blocks and woodblocks as her primary “supports” and hand prints most of her work. She has many years of experience and is a wealth of information on the ins and outs of relief printmaking and “tricks” of the trade.

Student visits begin with an introduction to Beguiled by the Wild, an exhibition featuring Charley Harper’s screenprints. Minimal realism is Harper’s signature style; the simple shapes he utilizes in his work inspire students as they set out to carve their own designs into linoleum blocks.

Sherrie’s residency is made possible by a Community Arts Grant with funds from the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Arts Board, and the B.A. & Esther Greenheck Foundation . . . and we’re grateful.

Plan a Night Out @ the Woodson Art Museum this Thursday, May 2, 5:30 – 7pm for Art History 101/Hands-on Art, when Sherrie shares her techniques and process for creating linocuts. She’ll lead visitors in the creation of Styrofoam prints and also make some of her linocut and woodcut blocks available to participants to help them learn the printing process.

Sherrie is in residence at the Museum throughout the week and will oversee the steamroller printing event on Saturday, May 4, Noon – 5pm. Join us then to witness the printing of twenty large-scale (3 x 4 feet) wood blocks created by teams of area high school students from Wausau East, DC Everest, and Mosinee. We’ll be easy to find: look for the steamroller in the Museum’s parking lot. If it’s rainy and wet, we’ll print beneath the shelter of a tent.

Rain or shine, we’ll “Let the Good Times Steamroll!”

PS. The Urban Street Bistro food truck will be on the scene on Saturday, too, providing yummy food for purchase. Check out their fabulous menu.

Gallery Layout and Design with a Twist

noreply@blogger.com (Andy McGivern) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:33:00 +0000

By Andy McGivern, curator of exhibitions

If you haven’t visited the Woodson Art Museum recently, you might not know that portions of the Museum currently are being renovated. Last year, while the new addition was being built, the daily operation of the Museum was, for the most part, unaffected by construction. The addition was constructed outside and separate from exhibition galleries and visitors. Toward the end of the project, doorways leading into the new addition were installed behind temporary walls with a smooth, almost seamless transition.

Current construction is taking place in the area leading into our changing exhibition galleries, which alters visitors’ usual route to see these artworks. For now, rerouting takes visitors through the new addition and the Owen Gromme exhibition. This presented a challenge for curator Jane Weinke and me when designing our current exhibition, Torqued & Twisted: Bentwood Today; in effect we had to reverse the layout for the traffic pattern of our visitors.

To create a “wow” factor as you enter the gallery, we chose to install a large hanging ribbon-of-wood sculpture by Jeremy Holmes flanked by Frank Gehry’s Power Play Chair on one side and Clifton Monteith's willow Carlton Chair on the other.

To extend the “wow” into the adjacent gallery, we placed large Yuri Kobayashi sculptures along one wall balanced by sculptures by Matthias Pliessnig and Michael Cooper’s Big Bang Theory sculpture in the center. At the end of the gallery are two Mike Jarvi benches and a video installation showing Jarvi making one of these works out of a single piece of oak.

In a few weeks the main entrance will be closed for further renovation and gallery access will change once again. Visitors will come through the Museum’s Twelfth Street entrance and enter Torqued & Twisted via a temporary “hall” into the gallery featuring work by UW-Madison woodworking instructor Jason Ramey. Ramey’s artist residency during the opening weekend offered an adult wood-bending program, a gallery walk, and demonstrations of steam-bending techniques.

If you haven’t checked out these current exhibitions, stop in and take a look. You’ll see how Jane and I were challenged by the installations. When the dust settles and construction is completed this summer, I’m certain you’ll enjoy the new spaces and enhanced flow even more!

Adventures in Travel

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Foley) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:34:00 +0000

By Kathy Kelsey Foley, director

I thoroughly enjoy travel – every aspect, even with today’s sometimes erratic airline schedules. I enjoy the planning, too – the attention to details as well as the responsibilities that go along with group travel.

And, it’s a good thing . . . because this week I’m exploring Seattle and environs with twenty-six Woodson Art Museum members.

A trip many months in the making, the robust – truly packed-full – itinerary is the result of research, initial question-asking, more poking around, and the best possible logistics partner.

The Woodson Art Museum has developed a dynamic travel program over the past dozen years and since the midway point we’ve worked with Academic Travel Abroad, based in Washington, D.C.

Thanks to ATA’s expertise and guidance, Woodson members have traveled to The Netherlands, Charleston and Savannah, Philadelphia, Tulsa and Bentonville, and Cuba.
Each trip has provided unparalleled experiences.

Seattle will raise the bar!

Seattle Art Museum

From museum visits – Seattle Art Museum, Frye Museum of Art, Asian Art Museum, Tacoma Art Museum and the Museum of Glass – to artists’ studio visits – Sueellen Ross, Ross Matteson, Bart Rulon, and Tony Angell – we’ll be kept more than busy. The culinary arts play a prominent role, too, with lunches at SAM’s TASTE, the Hotel Murano, and Salty’s, and dinners at Maximilien – Max’s to locals – Wild Ginger, and FIVE.

Museum of Glass

No trip to Seattle would be complete without a Chihuly encounter, and we’ll have that with a private, before-public-hours tour of the Chihuly Garden and Glass, followed by a trip to the Space Needle observation deck.

Chihuly Garden and Glass

Music is also part of the experience. We’ll sample the Seattle Symphony on Thursday evening, with a program that includes Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite.”

I know these six days will fly by and in the blink of an eye we’ll be traveling home. What fun it will be to hear the impressions of our travelers: what surprised them, how we did in meeting their expectations, and what did they enjoy most.

Of course, I’ll also want to know where they want to travel next. It’s never too soon to begin planning another Woodson Art Museum trip.

Have you considered joining a Woodson trip? Where would you like to go?

Artists' Voices in My Head

noreply@blogger.com (Catie Anderson) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:13:00 +0000

By Catie Anderson, curator of education

Woodson Art Museum staff is feeling the heat as we gear up for Friday’s opening of three exciting new exhibitions: Torqued & Twisted: Bentwood Today, Functional & Abstract: New Work by Jason Ramey, and Beguiled by the Wild: The Art of Charley Harper. While the galleries are busy being transformed from one exhibition to the next, the offices upstairs are high energy as well. Everyone has preparations to make before the galleries open and the new programming begins.

One of my duties is the development of the audio tour for the new exhibitions. Sometimes this means scripting an audio tour – selecting artworks and attempting to write engaging but succinct nuggets of interpretative copy. Other times, ideally, it means inviting artists to narrate their own artwork on view. Through email exchanges, phone calls, and many trips to Dropbox artists provide me with audio files of self-conducted interviews, created with the guidance of prompts like:

Speak clearly and not too quickly

It’s fine to ramble a bit – I will edit your audio files down to one or two minutes

Please begin with “Hello, my name is _____ and I’m from . . .

Act as though you are in the gallery, standing next to your work and you are introducing it to someone who has just approached it.

Share tidbits of information: insights, anecdotes about creating the work, process, etc…

For many artists, recording themselves for an audio tour interview, which typically would be conducted in person by me or other Museum staff, is a new experience. Other artists are experienced with technology and giving audiences a behind-the-scenes look into their studios, tools, and techniques. No matter the experience level, the results are always worth the effort.

Writing about someone else’s artwork is “the norm” and can yield incredibly insightful and informative catalogue essays, articles, or in this case, sound bytes. Hearing directly from the creator, though, is my preference. Hearing the voice, personality, and story-telling abilities of an artist colors the viewing of their artwork. I love receiving the audio files and giving them a first listen. After reading about an artist and his or her work, especially works that I am drawn to most, I have some idea of what the artist will sound like or what their personality may be. It’s like meeting someone you’ve been emailing with for a long time or like picking up an artist-in-residence up at the airport after months of phone calls and exchanges.

Torqued & Twisted: Bentwood Today features the work of nine contemporary artists who use the process of bending wood to create a range of artwork – from abstract sculptures to stylish furniture pieces and everything in between. Five of the nine artists (so far) will share their stories and voices with visitors in the galleries via the audio tour. One of the exhibition’s curators, artist and UW-Madison Art Department Chair, Tom Loeser, will be filmed by curator of exhibitions Andy McGivern and me on Friday afternoon, just hours before the exhibition opening, for a “virtual gallery walk.” One of the many benefits to having an audio tour app available to visitors through iPod touches is video capabilities. Loeser’s popularity as an artist and prowess as a curator make him an ideal video addition to the audio tour.

Jason Ramey demos his steam box for Museum staff

Jason Ramey explores his Functional & Abstract gallery

Artist Jason Ramey also will lend his voice for an audio tour complementing his exhibition, Functional & Abstract. In addition to his assistance with in-gallery interpretation through the Museum’s audio tour, Ramey is offering opening weekend programs for the public, including a gallery walk through the bentwood exhibitions followed by a wood-bending demonstration with his steam box.

I can’t imagine my work at the Woodson Art Museum without “relying on the kindness of strangers” – a.k.a. artists – who graciously provide insights that welcome us into their worlds.

What would you like to learn from bentwood artists?

The Convoluted Tale of the Tiny Folded Cranes

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Beck) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:03:00 +0000

By Amy Beck, marketing and communications manager

Would you like to have a hand in solving a Woodson Art Museum mini-mystery? Help crack the case of the two incredibly tiny folded cranes and you could claim Sherlock status and offer a tip of the hat to someone who must be a dedicated origami enthusiast.

The story begins with a discovery. Two teensy folded paper cranes were found a week or so ago in the crane depository in Art Park, the Woodson Art Museum’s interactive family gallery. Throughout the Folding Paper and Paper Sculpture exhibitions, visitors are folding paper cranes to add to Flock to Fold, a community art project on view through Sunday, April 7. Most visitors follow supplied printed instructions to fold cranes that are a couple of inches tall and leave them to be added to a series of colorful mobiles suspended from the ceiling.

The two tiny cranes in question, though, are no bigger than the tip of a pinky finger. Museum educator Catie Anderson folded a little one out of a restaurant’s paper-strip napkin ring and placed it in the hollow of a spoon for scale (and the waiter’s amusement). Even that little bitty bird seems like a giant in comparison to the two found in Art Park.

Museum staff members Dave Jones and Joe Ruelle discovered the tiny cranes and erected a shrine of sorts in a "back-of-the-house" hallway recently and we posted a photo on the Museum’s Facebook page, asking if anyone wanted to take credit for the amazing feat of folding. Although the shrine photo was well “liked,” no one as yet has claimed to be the creator.

When Museum volunteer Sue Weinkauf sported her lovely paper crane necklace while greeting Museum visitors last Friday, I thought a new lead might’ve surfaced. The necklace was an early 80th birthday gift she’d received from Marilyn Middleton, her Wausau YMCA ai chi water aerobics instructor (you go, Sue!) who visited the Museum recently to see the origami exhibition at Sue’s invitation. Sue called me to report after her class on Monday that although Marilyn is adept at making miniature folds, she wasn’t the tiny crane creator.

So the mystery remains.

I’m just curious; might a bit of social media sleuthing help solve this one yet? If you have any clues to contribute, comment here or on the Museum’s Facebook or Twitter pages. Although clearly not a conundrum worthy of Agatha Christie, it has made fun Facebook fodder. A nice, glossy origami PR poster – suitable for framing – awaits anyone with information that leads to identity of our talented tiny crane folder.

Temporary Walls; Worth the Wait

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Beck) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 18:19:00 +0000

by Matt Foss, project coordinator
We at the Woodson Art Museum don’t like barriers. Let me clarify. Our director, Kathy Foley doesn’t like barriers. Me, I love a good barrier. I’m enthralled by partitions, have a slight crush on hedgerows, and I adore a good blockade. It’s a good thing that I don’t call the shots here. If I did, the results of our current construction project probably would have the Museum looking like the giant garden maze in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.

Jack Nicholson surveying garden maze in "The Shining."

Luckily for everyone, the Museum director and curators make the decisions. They’ve carefully examined our existing building and finalized renovation plans to improve visitors’ experiences in the main entrance, at the Visitor Services desk, and in Art Park, the Museum’s interactive gallery in the lower level.

Temporary wall in Art Park hints at good things to come.

At the Woodson Art Museum, we’re always striving to improve, and this project targets opportunities to better serve visitor needs, regulate the climate in some areas, and enhance public engagement with artwork on view. All three outcomes are critical to maintaining a world-class art museum.

Once again, the Woodson is partnering with local design/build firm The Samuels Group. They continue to be a receptive partner, listening to our ideas, creating appropriate plans, and beginning renovation work with enthusiasm and a keen attention to detail.

During the next few months, visitors will encounter some detours en route to the galleries and a few barriers in front of familiar spaces. Rest assured that good work is happening behind those walls and that most of the barriers are only temporary. We’re confident the end result will improve your Woodson Art Museum experience “forever, and ever, and ever.”

Creepy twins from "The Shining."

Teens Join the Fold

noreply@blogger.com (Jayna Hintz) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:04:00 +0000

by curator of education Jayna Hintz

Area teens involved in this third year of the Woodson Art Museum’s Teen Art Council (TAC) have been busy planning programs for teens by teens. This Friday, March 22, 6-8:30 pm, teens are invited to the Museum to learn origami-folding techniques.

Area origami enthusiasts, Roger Zimmermann, Michael Schneider, and Roman Baca will teach a variety of folded-paper forms. Teens also explore another paper artistry technique – papier-mâché.

TAC events bring together teens from area high schools who share a common interest in art – viewing art, creating art, discussing art – fun, hands-on events just for teens! Did I mention the music and food? TAC selects the music and menu, and those attending reap the benefits.

TAC is on a roll, hosting two more events at the Museum before the end of the school year. During Steamroller Printing, May 4, Noon-5 pm, artist Sherrie York will direct the oversized printing – via a steamroller in the Museum parking lot. More than 100 area high school students are creating 30” x 48” woodcuts. You can witness the creative process and show your support for the artists; the combination of food, music, art, artists, and a steamroller makes for a recipe for a perfect Saturday in May.

Don’t miss TAC’s second Teen Mystery Party, Friday, May 10, 7-9 pm. Teens are invited to bring friends to solve a mystery that unfolds during a mock art auction. TAC has planned a thrilling night of food, music, and sleuthing.

TAC members do more than attend monthly meetings and plan events; recently they created a collaborative artwork and attended the Color Me Beautiful silent auction held by two organizations raising funds to support research for cancer and chromosome disorders.

TAC members also have plans to once again design and build a river-worthy craft and race it in the United Way’s Big Green Derby, June 8, at Oak Island Park.

After a summer break, TAC resumes monthly meetings in September. Do you know someone interested in becoming a TAC member? Attend upcoming events, email me at jhintz@lywam.org, or call 715.845.7010 and ask for Jayna Hintz.

Paper Cuts with Calvin Nicholls

noreply@blogger.com (Andy McGivern) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:49:00 +0000

by Andy McGivern, curator of exhibitions

If you follow the Woodson Art Museum’s social media, you’ve seen Facebook and Twitter posts, photos, and links to news coverage of Canadian artist Calvin Nicholls’ weeklong residency that concluded Saturday.

Calivin is a sculptor who makes low-relief sculptures by cutting out shapes of paper, forming them, and gluing the pieces together to create visually stunning sculptures with wonderful textures presented in shadowbox frames.

During the week, he led many central Wisconsin school groups during their Woodson Art Museum visits, and on Thursday evening he gave an Art History 101 presentation followed by a hands-on project in which Calvin guided participants in making a paper owl.

About 90 visitors flocked to the program, so I filmed Nicholls’ demonstration and projected it on a screen behind him so the audience in the back could see. Here are three video segments of Calvin’s presentation and two clips of the artist demonstrating how he makes his sculptures. Enjoy!

Triple Score

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Foley) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:39:00 +0000

by Kathy Kelsey Foley, director

I made a quick trip to the Land of Lincoln last week. Not Springfield, Illinois (a favorite destination of mine; the Illinois State Museum and Lincoln Presidential Museum are not to be missed!) . . . Washington, D.C., also a great destination that’s home to some of our nation’s superb and dynamic museums.

The reason for my visit was to participate in the American Alliance of Museums’ fifth annual Museums Advocacy Day program and Hill visits.

I’ve been a Museums Advocacy Day stalwart since its inception. I’m passionate about museums and their important roles in communities large and small throughout the country. I believe it is incumbent upon those of us who champion museums to share that message with clarity on Capitol Hill.

In the small and coincidental world of things, Abraham Lincoln was a recurring theme of my visit to Washington.

It began with Daniel Day Lewis’ Oscar for his extraordinary portrayal of the sixteenth president, included dinner at a delightful farm-to-table American tapas restaurant called “Lincoln,” and was capped off by a visit from “President Lincoln” at a breakfast to ignite the spirits of the 300+ museum advocates before our day filled with meetings and impassioned pleas.

Our three-person Wisconsin delegation – Madison Children’s Museum director Ruth Shelly, Milwaukee County Historical Society director Scott Stroh, and I – visited Wisconsin’s eight congressional offices and both senate offices.

I was especially proud to have a few minutes with seventh congressional district representative Sean Duffy. Congressman Duffy has been a willing listener on the subject of museums. I look forward to welcoming his family to the Woodson Art Museum soon.

Ruth, Scott, and I maintained a rapid-fire pace through the morning and early afternoon. In a cab headed for Reagan National Airport – I had to be back in Wausau for an early-morning Wednesday meeting – as we crossed the Potomac River into Virginia, I caught a glimpse of the Lincoln Memorial . . . an inspiring end to a productive day.

With the memory of the massive seated Lincoln serving as a wrap-up to my visit, my triple-score experience feels much more like a Grand Slam.

It's Great to See You

noreply@blogger.com (Catie Anderson) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 17:30:00 +0000

by curator of education, Catie Anderson

The Woodson Art Museum hosted a daylong accessibility training for community members, Museum volunteers, and colleagues on Friday, February 22. Museum educators from the Museum of Wisconsin Art and the Milwaukee Public Museum joined other speakers in presenting how their institutions offer diverse programs for visitors of all ages and abilities. Panel discussions and presentations focused on audiences with specific needs and programs that serve them such as SPARK! for individuals with memory loss and Art Beyond Sight for those with low vision or blindess. Peter Berg of the Great Lakes ADA Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago offered an informative keynote address, which covered the requirements and logistics stemming from the Americans with Disabilities Act. Berg is an outstanding representative for the Great Lakes ADA Center and also a champion for the blind community. Berg’s PowerPoint visuals served his audience well, while he relied on “Job Access with Speech” or “JAWS” a screen-reading program for the blind. It was enlightening to observe this technology in use and to see how Berg, upon hearing a five-second or so sound byte of his slide title, was able to articulate his points.

When I began assisting educator Jayna Hintz with the Woodson Art Museum’s Art Beyond Sight program last year, I was nervous. Working with individuals with vision loss and blindness in an art museum concerned me – how was I going to communicate effectively? What should I or shouldn’t I say? Could I use the words “see” or “look?”

Leading public programs usually prompts an adrenaline rush that comes from being “on” for visitors, but Art Beyond Sight had me anxious. Accessibility for all visitors is a goal at museums across the country but at the Woodson, it’s a priority. After training from Jayna about how best to serve this audience – serving as a sighted guide, offering verbal descriptions of artworks, and etiquettes for various interactions such as assisting an individual in finding a seat in the galleries – I was prepared to greet participants and join them on their in-gallery sensory experience . . . .

I loved it.

Over a year later I find myself looking forward to Art Beyond Sight on periodic Saturday mornings at the Museum, before we open our doors to the general public. What I’ve found through this program is a consistent group of thoughtful, generous, and enthusiastic art lovers who make the journey to the Woodson Art Museum during each exhibition for art making and appreciation. In the ten minutes before the program begins, the Museum’s main entrance fills with “It’s so great to see you” and “What are we going to look at today?”

Saturday, March 9, artist in residence Calvin Nicholls will join Jayna and me for an Art Beyond Sight program in the galleries amid Folding Paper and Paper Sculpture by Design. Nicholls will provide materials and a hands-on exercise in paper sculpting for participants, inviting them to enter his world of highly detailed paper sculptures. Like me, before my first Art Beyond Sight program, Calvin is filled with questions and earnest concerns – the last thing anyone ever wants to do is say or do something inappropriate. His passion for his work and hours of preparation for his residency assure me that he’ll be a wonderful addition to the March 9 Art Beyond Sight program.

Museum accessibility means more than wheelchair ramps and push buttons to open doors – although these amenities are important. It challenges educators to think about multiple points of access and making meaningful connections with individuals from all backgrounds and abilities.

Efforts to be an accessible and welcoming place for all visitors come in a variety of forms. Tuesday afternoon, I worked with Hmong adults who are students in an ESL program at the Neighbors’ Place in Wausau. I provided a guided gallery tour for two Hmong interpreters several weeks ago so that they could guide their group of English-language students through the galleries this week. The students’ time in the galleries was followed by forty minutes of origami folding in the Museum’s classroom. Through hand gestures, broken English, and lots of giggles we were all able to create origami penguins and fish – a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

Origami Fosters Connections

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Beck) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:08:00 +0000

by Amy Beck, marketing and communications manager

Like origami artworks held together via paper tucked into compatible pocket folds, collaboration is key to Woodson Art Museum programs for all ages. Often, as staff members plan and work alongside community partners, we develop soft spots for these people.

Michael assists visitors on opening day.

Roman with Little Masters participants, February. 19.

Two origami enthusiasts, ages 16 and 20, are helping lead paper-folding programs during this exhibition. Both, nudged by an art teacher or mom in the weeks before the origami opening, brought their folded-paper creations to the Museum to meet with education curators Catie Anderson and Jayna Hintz. Michael Schneider, a UW-Marshfield/Wood County student from Stratford, helped teach visitors to fold cranes during opening weekend and has shared his meticulous, pleat-folded origami models to be handled by Museum docents and examined by visiting students. Roman Baca, a Wausau West High School student, folds origami forms with 5- to 12-year-old children during Little Masters and Young Artists after-school programs at the Museum this week.


Michael with origami artist and WPR host Ruthanne Bessman

WAOW-TV9 reporter Rob Duns interviewed Roman for a Wandering Wisconsin segment airing today. This isn’t Roman’s first media interview. The Wausau Daily Herald’s Keith Uhlig interviewed Roman (and Michael, too) during the Museum members preview party for a front-page story and posted the interview video on the newspaper’s website.

Roman and Michael with Keith Uhlig

Maybe it’s just the mom in me, but seeing Roman and Michael at the preview party in their dress shirts and ties and accompanied by proud family members made me smile. As the Museum’s media liaison, I was tickled to connect them with reporters after each graciously and eagerly agreed to be interviewed.

Michael and his mother during the preview party.

Just as eagerly, I tried to facilitate another connection. After chatting with Michael’s mom and learning that they’re searching for colleges that best equip and nurture students for careers utilizing origami applications in math, science, technology, or architecture, I emailed origami artist Christine Edison. I’d gotten acquainted with Edison while facilitating a connection with Wisconsin Public Radio host Glen Moberg, who interviewed her during a recent Route 51 program. A Chicago Academy High School math teacher, Edison knows many origami artists who also are mathematicians and scientists working on cutting-edge, origami-inspired designs and inventions.

I hope Edison offers sound advice about where Michael can best further his education to pursue an origami-related career.

Like delicate origami artworks, we rely on one another and the connections we make to form and hold our lives together with increasingly beautiful complexity.

Tracing Artwork's Trail to Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Weinke) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 13:19:00 +0000

by Jane Weinke, curator of collections

Some of the best information I’ve discovered lately has come from blogs. For me, the relaxed writing style and personal observations are appealing. Brevity is another welcome feature.

With those thoughts in mind, I am going to succinctly address how the Woodson Art Museum acquires artworks and how that information appears on the accompanying gallery label.

My first task is clarifying museum lingo to spare you from deciphering jargon.

One of the missions of the Woodson Art Museum is to acquire artwork that sets the standard for art of the avian world. Artwork the Museum owns is referred to as the permanent collection. These objects – whether paintings, sculptures or graphics – are acquired (through gifts and purchases), owned, and cared for in perpetuity.

Gifts from artists and donors comprise the majority of the artworks in the Woodson’s permanent collection. That said, the Museum also purchases artworks thanks to special funding. All potential acquisitions are carefully reviewed by a Board committee – eight members representing the Board, staff, and community. A Collections Management Policy along with a Collecting Plan guide decision making. Staff diligently research artworks under consideration and share their findings and recommendations with the Committee.

Lastly, the information on how the Museum acquires artwork can be found on the second to the last line of the label.

Here is an example of a gallery label.

Ajay Brainard American b. 1971

The Final Embrace, 2001

Northern Parula warbler

Oil on hardboard

Museum purchase with funds provided by

the John and Alice Forester Charitable Trust

2012.28

For the most part, museum labels contain the same basic information. Woodson Art Museum labels include bird species for our indoor birding fans.

I’ve observed that the last line raises the most questions among visitors. The common thought is it’s the price paid for the artwork. Alas, no. It’s a tracking number, called an accession number. Similar to your social security number, an accession number is unique to the work, stays with it forever, and is used to distinguish one work from another.

Although brevity was not possible, my hope is that armed with this information your next trip to a museum will be less mysterious and even more enjoyable.

Family Field Trip Yields Benefits

noreply@blogger.com (Jayna Hintz) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:05:00 +0000

by Jayna Hintz, curator of education

The A.C. Kiefer Educational Center is a 4K and early childhood center that supports families and enhances development of 3- to 5-year-old children and takes family field trips in the Wausau community to model teaching skills for parents and ways to integrate classroom curriculum into daily life. Each month, A.C. Kiefer teachers Lori Kurszewski and Maria Hachfeld invite early childhood students and their families to join them in visiting sites such as the Woodson Art Museum.

Tuesday, students and families met and interacted in Art Park, the Museum’s interactive family gallery, and experienced hands-on artmaking activities – painting with ice cubes and tempera powdered paint and more. The A.C. Kiefer teachers used this time to build language from the curriculum and demonstrate ways parents can teach children in various settings. Art Park, books, building blocks, and puppets were used to describe birds and colors, ways to engage children. Teachers also modeled communication skills during conversations with children and parents.

An important aspect of meeting at community locations, Lori explains, is to provide group time for people with similar needs. Navigating public spaces as a group breaks down perceived barriers and transforms seclusion into inclusion – being a member of a community and being welcomed and accepted as an individual.

As a museum educator, I have enjoyed meeting the A.C. Kiefer students, families, and teachers. It’s always exciting to meet first-time visitors who “didn’t know we existed” or weren’t even aware that the Woodson Art Museum “allowed children.” These participants learn that we love children and visitors of all ages. I look forward to greeting these families as return visitors; they affirm that the Woodson Art Museum fosters an atmosphere of sensitivity, understanding, and acceptance.

Sculptors Play in the Snow

noreply@blogger.com (Andy McGivern) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 23:27:00 +0000

By Andy McGivern, curator of exhibitions

Do you remember when you were a kid and school was called off due to an unusually heavy snowfall? It was like getting a Saturday during the school week; what a treat. My brothers and sisters and I would go sledding, build forts, have snowball fights, and just enjoy winter.

That’s what I figure it must’ve been like for the three talented snow carvers in Team USA, Mike Martino, Tom Queoff and Mike Sponholtz. I’m sure Tom, Mike and Sponz enjoyed the heck out of playing in the snow as kids and that they took to carving their first snow sculpture like fish to water.

I first met the guys back in 1989 to work out the details of their initial Woodson Art Museum sculpture. It was called “The Hatchling” and was an elegant carving of a baby bird in a nest with its wings extended. In 1995, after a string of bird-themed carvings, Team USA began carving exhibition-related sculpture subjects. That year they carved a giant “Very Hungry Caterpillar” to coincide with an exhibition of children’s book illustrations by Eric Carle.

Throughout 23 years of winter visits to Wausau and the Woodson Art Museum, Team USA has sculpted such subjects as a kangaroo, a gingerbread house, a giant one-eyed ogre, a cow and calf, a giant dragon slide, and a seated ball player from Colima. Last year they completed a figure riding a dinosaur to complement the popular James Gurney Dinotopia exhibition.

Team USA will be joining us Thursday through Saturday to complete a twelve-foot-tall sculpture of a tropical tree frog scaling down a leaf in a giant picture frame, as seen in the Museum’s exhibition of paper sculpture by Toronto artist Calvin Nicholls.

Be sure to stop in and say hi to Tom, Mike, and Sponz. After coming back for so many years, they’re like family – family that likes to play in the snow.

Love Is in the Air

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Foley) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 17:02:00 +0000

By Kathy Kelsey Foley, Director

Valentine’s Day is three weeks away, but I’m already feeling the love.

In fact, “love” is a theme that permeates our Woodson Wanderings’ posts. We love our work; we love this program and that, and the participants who bring wide-ranging experiences to the table; we love the opportunities we are offered – from attending conferences to considering artworks for the collection; and we love hearing what visitors think and how they react to exhibitions.

There isn’t much we don’t love. (I even love Brussels sprouts!)

Museum work is not for everyone – even though all of us at the Woodson Art Museum love it. It does require quite a bit of juggling, and for those of us who like to keep multiple balls concurrently in the air, the museum environment is perfect.

What I mean by this is that in order to keep projects flowing and moving forward, we’re always working months and even years ahead.

Case in point: this is an installation week. Two fabulous new exhibitions – Folding Paper: The Infinite Possibilities of Origami and Calvin Nicholls: Paper Sculpture by Design – will open on Saturday, and I’m confident that I’m going to love both.

Why? Because we’ve been working on developing the programming, graphics, audio tour, and more for many months, and I’ve also had the pleasure of a sneak peak as artworks for these exhibitions have been unpacked. (Another thing I love about my work!)

I’m thinking blog readers – and all visitors this winter – are going to love the origami and paper sculpture exhibitions, too. Hasten to the Museum on opening day – Saturday, January 26, Noon to 5:00 p.m. – to not only get a first look, but also to meet Wisconsin Public Radio host and origami artist Ruthanne Bessman and participate in “Flock to Fold,” a community art project that will grow with your help between now and April 7.

Think cranes. Think fun. Think you’re going to love this, too!

Shaker Exhibition Jogs Family Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Catie Anderson) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 18:08:00 +0000

By Catie Anderson, curator of education

Woodson Art Museum staff can easily get attached to exhibitions, and I have to admit that I’ll be sad to see the Shaker exhibition exit our galleries next week. This winter, Gather Up the Fragments: The Andrews Shaker Collection offered visitors a journey back to an intriguing chapter of American history. The story of the rise and decline of Shaker communities in America can be told through their inventions, craftsmanship, and utilitarian objects currently on view in the galleries. The Shakers, one of the longest surviving religious communities in America, were a dynamic and ever-evolving group of artisans and innovators.

The Andrews collection of decorative arts and Shaker artifacts is stunning in both breadth and quality. A collection this large – over 200 objects! – rarely travels and its presence in Wausau will not soon be forgotten.

I had an affinity for Shaker material culture before the arrival of this exhibition. I grew up an only child whose parents enjoyed antiques, historic homes, and museums. One of my family’s favorite get-away destinations for a fall road trip was Pleasant Hill, Kentucky – one of the best-preserved and most-popular historic Shaker villages open to the public. Pleasant Hill is the only Shaker settlement where visitors can stay overnight in the original rooms of stately dwelling houses carefully preserved to convey the community’s zenith in the mid-nineteenth century. I went through a brief phase of feigned athleticism as a pre-teen, and I remember losing a baseball down a gutter while playing catch with my dad at Pleasant Hill. I remember trying corn mush for the first time in the Pleasant Hill dining hall one morning and after adding a pad of butter and generous amounts of maple syrup found it to be quite palatable. My parents will drive up to Wausau from Chicago this weekend to visit – just in time to take in the exhibition before it closes on January 20. I look forward to recalling our visits to Pleasant Hill together as we create new memories in the galleries.

I never would have guessed that the Shakers – a community of individuals so foreign to me – would evoke such memories. But I suppose that’s what makes museum experiences so special; they can spark a memory or be the basis for a new one.

Have you created a museum memory in the New Year? It’s the perfect time to bring the family together and make a connection to art and one another. I promise, you’ll never see things the same way again.

A Hand- and Heart-warming Campaign

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Beck) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 14:51:00 +0000

by Amy Beck, marketing and communications manager

About fifty Wausau-area community members will be a bit warmer during the remaining cold winter months, thanks to Woodson Art Museum visitors’ generosity through the Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s Big Bundle Up campaign.

The Woodson Art Museum, one of two Big Bundle Up drop-off locations in the Wausau area, collected forty pairs of kids’ gloves and mittens, two children’s hats, eight pairs of adults’ gloves and mittens, and two matching adults’ hats and donated them locally.

It warmed our hearts to see mittens and gloves pile up in the collection basket in the Museum’s main entrance and spill into a bulging bag that I delivered to the Marathon County Child Development Agency-Head Start main office in Wausau yesterday.

“We certainly appreciate being the recipients,” said Cindy Thorpe, Head Start family and community partnership specialist. “Be assured they’ll be put on hands just as soon as we can.”

The adult-size gloves and matching hats went to North Central Health Care for the clients and residents it serves.

Both organizations quickly responded to an inquiry about winter-gear needs, relayed to Wausau-area organizations by Shelly Kaiser, volunteer connection director at United Way of Marathon County. The joy that comes from connecting acts of kindness with people in need “is a side benefit of my job,” she said. I agree; involvement with this campaign certainly has wrapped many of us at the Museum in its warm glow, as well.

Throughout this year’s Big Bundle Up campaign, people statewide were encouraged to donate new or gently-used mittens, hats, scarves, earmuffs, hats, coats, sweaters, jackets, snow pants, and other warm clothing items. Drop-off sites such as ours were asked to report the collection tally and then donate the items to local charities. The Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s first-ever mitten collection program launched last winter yielded more than 3,100 mittens collected statewide.

Although this year’s statewide tally has not yet been released, the Big Bundle Up campaign got a jump start from Wisconsin Knitwear, which graciously donated 500 winter hats to the program. Packers fans also donated warm clothing items at Lambeau Field prior to the start of the Dec. 9, 2012 Packers/Lions game.

It’ll be heartwarming, no doubt, to read about the total statewide tally soon!

Happy and Healthy Artwork in 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Weinke) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 13:50:00 +0000

by Jane Weinke, curator of collections

I write this so often, but at the start of 2013 it bears repeating. I love my job!

Recently Woodson Art Museum director Kathy Foley, longtime museum patron, Judy Cherwinka and I embarked on a day trip to Minneapolis. Our mission was to deliver five artworks to the Midwest Art Conservation Center (MACC) and retrieve three recently treated works.

MACC is a non-profit regional center for preservation and conservation of art and artifacts. Think of their staff as doctors who repair artwork. If a painting’s surface is in need of cleaning, a work on paper is torn or stained, or if a sculpture is in need of repair, these are our “go to” friends.

And yes, the folks at MACC are friends as well as colleagues. Over the years, through a series of successful grants, our dedicated associates have examined and documented nearly every artwork in the Woodson Art Museum collection. These examinations are critical for two reasons: they ensure the artworks are and will remain in good condition (think healthy), and from these reports we developed a long-range treatment plan. This prioritized list allows yearly budgeting for ongoing treatment.

As you might imagine, the conservation of artworks is time consuming and costly. Just as when you visit your physician, myriad tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis. Following the examination, conservators write a lengthy report outlining their observations and proffering a treatment plan. The final detail on the report is an estimate of treatment costs. Can you imagine if this were standard with our personal physicians!

The Woodson Art Museum is fortunate to have ongoing commitment from the Board of Directors specifically for collection care. Another element key to our success is Judy Cherwinka; she is the Museum’s “conservation angel.” Her yearly support enables the Museum to have a relatively short long-range treatment list – an achievement made possible because of her ongoing commitment to collection care. Every museum should be blessed with such support.

While at the Conservation Center, another Museum patron, Anne Marie Gromme, joined our group. During 2012 we worked closely with Anne Marie on the exhibition of her father’s work, Owen J. Gromme: An Enduring Legacy. She, too, understands the importance of protecting and preserving artworks, which she has done so well with her father’s work.

The photos accompanying this blog show the hospital-like organization and cleanliness of MACC. The staff generously took time from their work to explain the various stages of their current projects.

The drive home gave us time to discuss our experiences, the importance of the treatments, and the talented and dedicated staff of MACC. It not only takes a village to raise a child, it takes a team to care for artwork – we certainly have a first place team.

Artists Team Up for Teen Project

noreply@blogger.com (Andy McGivern) — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 23:42:00 +0000

By Andy McGivern, curator of exhibitions

A recent hands-on bench-building program for teens is among many dual-artist residence programs enlivening the Shaker exhibitions on view. Area woodworker Mark Duginske and Door County furniture maker Jim Rose teamed up, along with volunteers and staff, to help nearly two dozen Wausau and Merrill teens build Shaker-style benches.

Mark developed his bench design by referencing a bench in the Gathering Up the Fragments exhibition.

Wood for the benches was donated by Marathon County Solid Waste Department from trees harvested to make way for an expanded landfill site. Using his portable sawmill, Duginske cut the oak and maple trees into usable lumber, planed the wood in his workshop north of Wausau, and cut it to size for the various bench components.

After teens gathered for pizza on a recent Friday night, Mark and Jim explained elements of the bench-building project. Students then paired up and moved to various workstations to construct their benches. I helped students drill holes where tapered wooden dowels later were inserted to join the bench parts.

Once the benches were assembled, students painted or applied a water-based acrylic to finish their works of art.

At the end of the evening, everyone left with a smile on their face and a bench to call their own.

Upcoming Shaker-related programs include a woodworking clinic and Shaker pastimes such as basket weaving and quilting. Check the events calendar or call 715-845-7010 for details and to see what Shaker treasure you can create.

Treasuring Memories Program Designed for Those Grieving this Holiday Season

noreply@blogger.com (Jayna Hintz) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:01:00 +0000

by Jayna Hintz, Curator of Education

Do you have friends or family who are coping with the death of a loved one this holiday season? During Treasuring Memories next Thursday, 2-4 pm, participants bring mementos to incorporate into commemorative artworks.

The Woodson Art Museum and Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services embarked on a collaboration in 2008 that resulted in Treasuring Memories, a program offered twice a year. Amy Kitsemble, grief coordinator for Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services, spearheaded the project. She based Treasuring Memories on work we had done together with Head Start. Following discussion and planning, we centered the program on creating memorial art in a museum setting. The program is free to minimize any possible barriers for participants. At each Treasuring Memories program, I lead the art-making process; Amy Kitsemble and hospice staff and volunteers are present to hear and honor stories of those grieving.

Art expression becomes part of the grieving passage because it allows hard-to-express feelings to be acknowledged. Grief is a universal experience and a normal emotional response to the death of a loved one. It is easier to share and discuss with others who have encountered the same transitional difficulties and understand the experience.

During Treasuring Memories, Thursday, December 27, all ages can drop in 2-4 pm at the Museum; plan for at least 30 minutes to complete a memory box.

Participants will embellish a box with photos or mementos they select and bring;these items can become a centerpiece of the box. Another option is to make a collage with provided materials, such as images from magazines, fabric, and found objects. These materials can represent a loved one’s favorite color, hobby, sport interest, or career. The inside of the box can become a special place for mementos or somewhere safe to keep notes or journal entries about the journey through grief and loss. When the memory boxes are completed, participants are invited to share their story of loss – no one is urged to share more than they wish or are comfortable sharing.

The program offers the opportunity for those who are grieving to use this personal, creative process to enhance their lives through self-expression. During the holiday season when extended family often gather, Treasuring Memories can be a healing activity designed to encourage sharing family stories while engaging in new experiences.

Reflecting on American Art Week

noreply@blogger.com (Kathy Foley) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 13:58:00 +0000

By Kathy Kelsey Foley, Director

Since 2008, the week after Thanksgiving has been dubbed “American Art Week” in New York City and eagerly anticipated by collectors, scholars, curators, and dealers who focus on nineteenth- and twentieth-century American artworks.

Woodson Art Museum curator of collections Jane Weinke and I have long hoped to be in NYC for all that comprises the week, including lectures, gallery openings, and auctions at both Christie’s and Sotheby’s.

The stars were aligned this year, and Jane and I headed east with a chock-full schedule that would have been the undoing of a less eager and less intrepid pair. We were determined to do it all!

Remarkably, we arrived as scheduled on Monday, November 27, with just enough time to check into our hotel before an evening lecture at Christie's. Erica Hirshler, Croll Senior Curator of American Paintings at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, presented a superb assessment of John Singer Sargent watercolors as a prelude to an exhibition that will debut at the Brooklyn Museum and then travel to Boston.

Following the lecture, the standing-room-only crowd adjourned to Christie’s exhibition galleries to preview the American art sale that would take place on Wednesday morning.

And so began our whirlwind week.

Tuesday’s schedule included the American Art Fair at the Bohemian National Hall, an opportunity to view an array of artworks offered by seventeen distinct dealers. The elegant setting was not only perfect for the featured artworks but also most conducive to engaging conversations with gallery staff. In the evening, we previewed the auction lots to be offered at Sotheby’s on Thursday.

Visits to a range of galleries – Conner Rosenkranz, Arader, MME Fine Art, Gavin Spanierman, Graham, Godel, Debra Force, and more – were sandwiched in between time at the New York Historical Society and the Metropolitan Museum of Art as well as attending the American art auctions at both Christie’s and Sotheby’s.

John Rogers: American Stories at the Historical Society and George Bellows at the Metropolitan were two of the superb exhibitions we enjoyed. We also spent considerable time in the recently re-installed American galleries at the Metropolitan where Emanuel Leutze’s Washington Crossing the Delaware (1851) is a show-stopper and Sargent’s Madame X (1883-84) is as intriguing and mysterious as ever.

No surprise, the week flew by. Before heading to LaGuardia on Saturday morning, we had just enough time for a visit to the Morgan Library & Museum, where we savored Pierpont Morgan’s 1906 library, which has been restored to its original grandeur. In addition to the impact of the lush interior, the volumes singled out for presentation in free-standing cases were remarkable and enhanced by superbly crafted label text.

On a high note we “sailed” back to Wisconsin via O’Hare but were delayed by fog that led to an extra night in Chicago. Although Jane and I were concurrently exhilarated and exhausted, we talked almost nonstop about all that we saw and did in New York. What a learning experience!

Neither of us would object to making American Art Week a fixture on our calendars.

Celebrating Lifelong Learning

noreply@blogger.com (Catie Anderson) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:00:00 +0000

By Catie Anderson, curator of education

The Woodson Art Museum’s annual docent holiday gathering celebrates the hard work of a dedicated group of volunteers who lead guided experiences at the Museum for visitors of all ages – especially school children. Sunday evening, beverages were sipped, gifts were given (gotta love Etsy!), and I even made an awkward toast. Thanks to Allister Deacon’s for the fantastic food and inspired atmosphere.

Museum docents come from all walks of life. By volunteering at the Woodson, they find and create a community – a community of fellow lifelong learners who recognize the importance of experiential learning, the arts, and storytelling. The diverse backgrounds of the Museum’s docent corps is a strength of the program. Varied perspectives and wide-ranging experience levels lead to distinct insights and multiple points of entry for visitors. The docent corps is a remarkable group of agile thinkers and interpreters who are hungry for knowledge.

The dynamic work environment of a museum is challenging and exciting. My first year at the Woodson Art Museum flew by, and I’m still settling into the fast-paced cycle of changing exhibitions and the balancing act that’s required. Learning curves are inevitable in every professional position and museums certainly know how to throw a curve ball. Time crunches and other duties aside, one of my favorite aspects of my work is the research that accompanies each exhibition.

The culture and craftsmanship of the Shakers captured my attention for weeks as I prepared to craft audio tour tracks, train docents, and entice educators – through pre-visit materials – to bring students to the two Shaker exhibitions. Diving into new areas of research is a perk of my work as a museum educator and would feel self-indulgent if I didn’t aim to put my findings to good use.


Richard Sweeney, 03M (Partial Shell), 2010, watercolor paper, wet folded. Photo by Richard Sweeney.

Partnerships with area artists and experts help to enliven exhibitions and attract visitors. A dual-artist residency with master carpenter and author Mark Duginkse and artist Jim Rose offers opportunities for hands-on Shaker furniture making and contemporary interpretations of Shaker decorative arts designs. While there are many fantastic public programs in store during this period, the Woodson Art Museum team is “on to the next one” so to speak. The docents are now carrying the Shaker interpretive torch and I’m turning my attention to origami. Folding Paper: The Infinite Possibilities of Origami and the paper sculpture of Calvin Nicholls will fill the Museum’s galleries beginning Saturday, January 26. I’m already looking forward to learning with and from our docents in the months ahead.

Calvin Nicholls, Tree Frog

Interested in learning more about the docent program? Email me at canderson@lywam.org.

Curatorial School in Session

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Beck) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 21:36:00 +0000

by Matt Foss, special projects

One of the benefits of working at the Woodson Art Museum is being privy to the installation of temporary exhibitions such as Gather Up the Fragments: The Andrews Shaker Collection. As the unofficial “muscle” of the operation, most of my work during installation week revolves around moving artwork, exhibit cases, movable walls, and other large objects. However, as a person learning how to be a museum curator, I always have my eyes open to watch curators Andy McGivern and Jane Weinke place artwork and artifacts, move them around, and finally decide how to lay out an exhibition. I think it’s important to exercise the cerebrum as well as the biceps.

Frequently, I ask questions: Why would this go there? Does it have enough room for a label? Who chose this color for the walls? Although sounding like an insufferable pest, my goal is not to annoy but to learn. I was not formally trained in Museum Studies, so I’m picking up an education on the fly, learning from two of the best. With over sixty years of combined experience in curating art exhibitions, they’re like an old married couple, with occasional disagreements, frequent episodes of “selective” hearing, but mostly in complete agreement on all decisions. “You're wearing that shirt?”

Recently, when I curated an exhibition for the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame about the career and life of longtime Packer photographer Vernon Biever, I channeled my inner Andy and my inner Jane. I hung and laid out the framed photos the way I thought Jane would do it, and I used a page from Andy’s playbook (pun intended) to display Biever’s personal effects, including cameras and sideline clothing. The Packers Hall of Fame was even able to reconstruct his actual darkroom, where he developed photos documenting over sixty years of Packer and NFL history. The darkroom in the exhibit attempts to live up to Jane’s re-creation of Owen Gromme’s studio in Owen J. Gromme: An Enduring Legacy.

Although I have learned a lot over the past two years under Andy and Jane’s tutelage, I have a long way to go. So, if you happen to stop by the Museum during an installation week and you see me hanging from a ladder on the circular staircase, covered in fresh paint, or loading one of several large exhibit crates onto a Mayflower truck, just remember that school is also in session.