About 300 lbs. lighter! Why? I did a top-to-bottom purge of my office on Monday and Tuesday and it felt fabulous.
The sad part is that when I look around, my office looks exactly like it did on Monday morning when I got to work. No fair!
But I can now pull out file cabinet drawers without worrying about toppling the whole unit or having a volcano of paper spew out. I can fit all the things that need to be kept under lock-and-key in chronological order on their proper shelves. I can even put my hands on current grant files and recordkeeping binders more quickly.
It may not look different, but it sure feels different. I felt almost giddy coming to work this morning, and once I know everything is safely in the hands of Industrial Recyclers of Wisconsin (IROW) for shredding, I’ll sleep like a baby.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
A Mark Is Made
Inspiration comes in various forms – from beauty encountered in everyday topics discussed on the news or a chance meeting with someone who awakens possibilities within you. Wherever it comes from, I LOVE when people get inspired.
I have the great pleasure of being inspired daily – by a colleague, a volunteer, a visitor (young visitors are my favorites; they never hold back!), or an artwork. I suppose it’s one of the many reasons I went into the museum field. I find museums to be a giant pilot light for inspiration.
I digress . . .
Scratchboard artist-in-residence Paula Waterman sparked inspiration among all those with whom she interacted.
During Paula’s October residency she met with Wausau East High School art students just as they were to begin their scratchboard unit (perfect timing).
Paula definitely inspired these students in the way she works, through her powerful imagery, or simply by her presence.
East art specialist Joel Pataconi copied me on an email he sent to Paula, thanking her for sharing her experiences and attaching images of scratchboards completed by students Paula worked with.
There’s no question that Paula left a mark on these students.
Enjoy!
Above: Peacock by Magdeleane Ingram, Tiger by Emilie Waack, Lion by Jessica Boorse, Eagle by Tommy Xiong, Wolf by Wendy Yang
Impressed? I am! This is an awesome aspect of my job; I witness sparked inspiration and creativity in action.
Don’t be jealous – be inspired!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
One Classy Lady
I fondly remember my first visit on a sunny spring day in 2003. I awoke in the Manhattan Sheraton Towers, the noise of the vibrant city filtering up to the room. While I am by no means a world traveler, I have been fortunate to visit many exotic cities, and by far New York is my favorite.
Kathy Foley and I got an early start, taking an 8am taxi to Penn Station to catch the Long Island train to Babylon. Riding the train is a special treat for me. As a lifelong resident of the Midwest, rail travel is not a normal mode of transportation, so I was eager for this journey. The hour-long trip passed quickly as Kathy and I chatted about the scenery and the impending visit to Virginia Eckbelberry.
Mrs. Eckelberry (as I always called her) was the wife of wildlife artist Don Richard Eckelberry, the connection that brought us together. Don died in 2001 and their artist friends, including many regular Birds in Art participants, encouraged her to seek assistance to preserve the body of Don’s work that remained in the house and studio. She invited Kathy and me to visit their residence and offer conservation assistance. We spent that first day getting acquainted, sharing a fabulous pasta Alfredo lunch Mrs. Eckelberry prepared (she was a gourmet cook), discussing Don’s artwork and options to preserve it, and getting a tour of Babylon.
I have many memories of our first meeting: the spritely woman who met us at the train, the stylish hat she wore, her huge smile, and what had to be the longest surviving Datsun sedan on earth. The vehicle looked to be in good repair though Mrs. Eckelberry did mention she believed it to be the oldest running “non-collector” car in Babylon. While the exterior was intact, years of Long Island dampness had taken a toll on the interior, which was riddled with mold and had an overpowering musty odor. If that wasn’t disturbing enough, the roads in Babylon are narrow and winding, and I suspect Mrs. Eckelberry had a slight perception problem as we narrowly missed parked vehicles and curbs as we careened down the roadways. All priceless memories.
Happily, that was the first of many visits and, as I write this, I realize I could relate dozens of
stories from our gatherings over the years. Mrs. Eckelberry was a pioneer in many ways: a 1937 graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art, a woman with a long and distinguished textile-design career, a world traveler, an accomplished artist, and a wife who supported her husband in his artistic endeavors. She and Don were instrumental in founding the Asa Wright Nature Center in Trinidad. I could go on and on.
Kathy Foley and I got an early start, taking an 8am taxi to Penn Station to catch the Long Island train to Babylon. Riding the train is a special treat for me. As a lifelong resident of the Midwest, rail travel is not a normal mode of transportation, so I was eager for this journey. The hour-long trip passed quickly as Kathy and I chatted about the scenery and the impending visit to Virginia Eckbelberry.
Mrs. Eckelberry (as I always called her) was the wife of wildlife artist Don Richard Eckelberry, the connection that brought us together. Don died in 2001 and their artist friends, including many regular Birds in Art participants, encouraged her to seek assistance to preserve the body of Don’s work that remained in the house and studio. She invited Kathy and me to visit their residence and offer conservation assistance. We spent that first day getting acquainted, sharing a fabulous pasta Alfredo lunch Mrs. Eckelberry prepared (she was a gourmet cook), discussing Don’s artwork and options to preserve it, and getting a tour of Babylon.I have many memories of our first meeting: the spritely woman who met us at the train, the stylish hat she wore, her huge smile, and what had to be the longest surviving Datsun sedan on earth. The vehicle looked to be in good repair though Mrs. Eckelberry did mention she believed it to be the oldest running “non-collector” car in Babylon. While the exterior was intact, years of Long Island dampness had taken a toll on the interior, which was riddled with mold and had an overpowering musty odor. If that wasn’t disturbing enough, the roads in Babylon are narrow and winding, and I suspect Mrs. Eckelberry had a slight perception problem as we narrowly missed parked vehicles and curbs as we careened down the roadways. All priceless memories.
Happily, that was the first of many visits and, as I write this, I realize I could relate dozens of
stories from our gatherings over the years. Mrs. Eckelberry was a pioneer in many ways: a 1937 graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art, a woman with a long and distinguished textile-design career, a world traveler, an accomplished artist, and a wife who supported her husband in his artistic endeavors. She and Don were instrumental in founding the Asa Wright Nature Center in Trinidad. I could go on and on.Sadly, Mrs. Eckelberry died on October 18th. With her passing comes the realization there will be no twice-yearly visits to 
Babylon, long lunches spent in wide-ranging conversation, pampering her cat Victoria as if she were my own, that this is truly the end of a fascinating period I doubt will ever be matched. But I trust Mrs. Eckelberry knows that Don’s work will be cared for and exhibited, that my memory of our time together is treasured, and our encounters made me a better person. My hope is that her many friends and admirers will come to think of the Woodson Art Museum as the new home of the Eckelberry treasures and be reassured they are safe and secure as well as loved and used.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Musing on the Passage of Time
Where does the time go? How can we already be approaching the final week of the 2009 Birds in Art exhibition? It seems as though we just said goodbye to the artists and guests who joined us in September for the opening weekend.
The exhibition’s final week is a bittersweet time. So many hours are spent preparing Birds in Art – from posting the prospectus to logging entries and from catalogue editing and fact checking to the actual installation – that its nine-week run just seems to go too fast.
But it’s more than the passage of time that gets my attention. It’s the enjoyment that I get from walking through the galleries, looking again and again at artworks that pique my interest for different reasons day after day. It’s the steady stream of enthusiastic visitors, their chatter, and their often heartfelt comments left on post-it notes for others – including staff – to read.
These are among the things that I’ll miss, even though we’re already at work on the 2010 Birds in Art exhibition and have a full and demanding schedule of exhibitions and programs to keep us more than busy between now and next fall.
Birds in Art is, well, Birds in Art. There’s a certain je ne sais quoi about it that just makes the exhibition special, like a good friend you can count on, but who also keeps you on your toes. There’s both a comfort factor and a challenging factor at play and I’ll miss both when the exhibition closes on November 15.
On a positive note, there’s still time to take in Birds in Art 2009, whether it’s for the first time, a return visit, or one last look. I’ll be making the most of these final days.
The exhibition’s final week is a bittersweet time. So many hours are spent preparing Birds in Art – from posting the prospectus to logging entries and from catalogue editing and fact checking to the actual installation – that its nine-week run just seems to go too fast.
But it’s more than the passage of time that gets my attention. It’s the enjoyment that I get from walking through the galleries, looking again and again at artworks that pique my interest for different reasons day after day. It’s the steady stream of enthusiastic visitors, their chatter, and their often heartfelt comments left on post-it notes for others – including staff – to read.
These are among the things that I’ll miss, even though we’re already at work on the 2010 Birds in Art exhibition and have a full and demanding schedule of exhibitions and programs to keep us more than busy between now and next fall.
Birds in Art is, well, Birds in Art. There’s a certain je ne sais quoi about it that just makes the exhibition special, like a good friend you can count on, but who also keeps you on your toes. There’s both a comfort factor and a challenging factor at play and I’ll miss both when the exhibition closes on November 15.
On a positive note, there’s still time to take in Birds in Art 2009, whether it’s for the first time, a return visit, or one last look. I’ll be making the most of these final days.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Memory Loss Program Initiative
On Tuesday, the Woodson Art Museum presented “Memory Loss, Creative Engagement, and Museum-based Programming” a seminar supported by the Helen Bader Foundation. Open to our community partners, docents, and the public, speakers were Mary Dickman, Outreach Specialist, Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Wisconsin; Anne Basting, Director, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Center on Age & Community; and Erin Narloch and I, Woodson Art Museum Educators.
Mary Dickman began with dementia-causing diseases and their symptoms, sharing information on the challenges faced by those with the disease and their caretakers. Most relevant to the Museum’s future programming was Mary’s assessment that “successful activities should reflect a person’s life story; be adult in nature; stimulate all five senses; perhaps be initiated by others; and consider the process to be more important than the outcome.” It’s promising that these attributes are already ingrained in Woodson Art Museum programs.
From Anne Basting’s perspective, the way museums treat people with dementia will eventually become the norm because statistics suggest that in the next decade, more than 14 million people will have some form of dementia or memory loss. These numbers mean that we must change how we address the needs of people with memory loss, especially when it comes to delivering museum services.
One of Anne’s core philosophies is the importance of focusing on the PERSON, not the disease. This “mantra” should inform the development of museum-based creative engagement programs. It’s also essential that creative engagement nurtures self-expression, which can be accomplished through the arts. By putting aside misconceptions about dementia, museums can create environments in which patients and caregivers can learn new skills and enjoy positive experiences.
Erin and I provided an overview of preliminary plans for future museum-based programming at the Woodson for individuals with early and mid-stage memory loss and their caregivers. We are developing these plans as part of a Wisconsin Museum Consortium, which includes the Milwaukee Public Museum, Racine Art Museum, Kohler Art Center, Museum of Wisconsin Art, and the Woodson, all recipients of Helen Bader Foundation planning grants.
The Woodson Art Museum is working toward developing a five-year implementation plan. We’re currently in year one: planning and information gathering. In year two, we’ll test two pilot programs: for individuals still living at home with early and mid-stage memory loss and their caregivers and for various service-providing centers.
We’ll offer additional monthly programs as needed in year three and consider expansion to satellite locations. In year four, we’ll evaluate the need for programs for individuals with later-stage memory loss and their caregivers, and in year five we’ll review all activities and implement appropriate changes.
We have a long road to travel, but we’re committed to serving the needs of dementia patients and their caregivers, and we’re confident that with our local partners, Wisconsin museum colleagues, and Helen Bader Foundation support, we’ll be successful.
Stay tuned.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
In Memory of Carol
Monday morning I received a call alerting me that good friend and longtime Wausau-area arts supporter Carol Mularkey had died on Sunday. For more than fifty years, Carol taught art in central Wisconsin.
I knew Carol for most of my twenty-nine years at the Woodson Art Museum. During this time, we had countless conversations about art and a variety of other subjects, too. Carol was never shy about expressing her opinions or engaging in conversation, as those who knew her well can appreciate.
Carol regularly brought her students to the Woodson Art Museum, and I often joined her classes on these visits to share insights into how an exhibition was organized or installed. Most often it was her drawing students, who were most eager to sketch in the galleries. Carol was a stickler for style and handling and she’d push students to work just a bit harder to achieve results she thought worthy. Carousel Animals: Art in Motion, the Museum’s spring 2007 exhibition, especially lent itself to in-the-gallery sketching and the enthusiasm of Carol’s students pleased her greatly.
A few years ago Carol and I judged ChalkFest and were asked to join the committee that organized the annual event. Carol was in her glory each year as she strolled along the sidewalks of Wausau’s City Square viewing the abundance of drawings and visiting with artists, many of whom were former students.
The
Museum’s annual Birds in Art exhibition was perhaps the occasion that Carol most looked forward to each year. She was a fixture in the galleries on Saturday morning of the opening weekend, engaging artists in conversation and asking them to sign her catalogue. No surprise that long-time Birds in Art participant, artist Paula Waterman, who is in residence at the Woodson this week, knew exactly who Carol was when staff members were talking about her on Tuesday morning. Carol always made herself known.
In addition to teaching art and nurturing students,
Carol enjoyed traveling. She often told me about trips she had taken to visit museums and experience other cultures. She participated in many Woodson Art Museum trips, traveling with me to a number of Midwest cities, including Milwaukee and Chicago. She particularly enjoyed the latter, which included visits to the Art Institute of Chicago, where Carol proudly received her Masters in Art degree.
Carol was to join me and a group of thirty Woodson Art Museum members on a three-day trip to the Twin Cities in early November. Despite failing health, Carol hoped to have the stamina for a fast-paced schedule of museum visits and theater. She was not the sort to admit defeat or to let anybody or anything get in her way. Alas, we’ll be making the trip without her.
Over the years, Carol developed quite a large circle of friends who enjoyed her zest for life and benefitted from her insights on art. I include myself among that group of friends and can honestly say that Carol will be missed. We have many fond memories and lots of stories to tell.
Carol, you’ll always be in our hearts.
I knew Carol for most of my twenty-nine years at the Woodson Art Museum. During this time, we had countless conversations about art and a variety of other subjects, too. Carol was never shy about expressing her opinions or engaging in conversation, as those who knew her well can appreciate.Carol regularly brought her students to the Woodson Art Museum, and I often joined her classes on these visits to share insights into how an exhibition was organized or installed. Most often it was her drawing students, who were most eager to sketch in the galleries. Carol was a stickler for style and handling and she’d push students to work just a bit harder to achieve results she thought worthy. Carousel Animals: Art in Motion, the Museum’s spring 2007 exhibition, especially lent itself to in-the-gallery sketching and the enthusiasm of Carol’s students pleased her greatly.
A few years ago Carol and I judged ChalkFest and were asked to join the committee that organized the annual event. Carol was in her glory each year as she strolled along the sidewalks of Wausau’s City Square viewing the abundance of drawings and visiting with artists, many of whom were former students.
The
Museum’s annual Birds in Art exhibition was perhaps the occasion that Carol most looked forward to each year. She was a fixture in the galleries on Saturday morning of the opening weekend, engaging artists in conversation and asking them to sign her catalogue. No surprise that long-time Birds in Art participant, artist Paula Waterman, who is in residence at the Woodson this week, knew exactly who Carol was when staff members were talking about her on Tuesday morning. Carol always made herself known.In addition to teaching art and nurturing students,
Carol enjoyed traveling. She often told me about trips she had taken to visit museums and experience other cultures. She participated in many Woodson Art Museum trips, traveling with me to a number of Midwest cities, including Milwaukee and Chicago. She particularly enjoyed the latter, which included visits to the Art Institute of Chicago, where Carol proudly received her Masters in Art degree.Carol was to join me and a group of thirty Woodson Art Museum members on a three-day trip to the Twin Cities in early November. Despite failing health, Carol hoped to have the stamina for a fast-paced schedule of museum visits and theater. She was not the sort to admit defeat or to let anybody or anything get in her way. Alas, we’ll be making the trip without her.
Over the years, Carol developed quite a large circle of friends who enjoyed her zest for life and benefitted from her insights on art. I include myself among that group of friends and can honestly say that Carol will be missed. We have many fond memories and lots of stories to tell.Carol, you’ll always be in our hearts.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
I'll Never Delete It
I remember it well. The morning of Tuesday, August 25. Approximately 8:15 a.m. I opened my e-mail inbox and saw the subject line “Birds in Art for the Wall Street Journal.”
Before jumping for joy and calling across the hall for director Kathy Foley to come into my office to read the message with me, I thought I better open it and see if the message was what I hoped it would be – or if it was an ad solicitation come-on.
The message from freelance writer Ann Landi said what I prayed with all my heart that it would say:
“Hi, Marcia: The Wall Street Journal would like me to cover the “Birds in Art” competition and exhibition at the Woodson. I’m wondering if the best time to visit would be your Artrageous Weekend, or if it will be quieter and easier to tour the museum and show at a slightly later date. Please drop me a line or give a call when you can.”
I calmly (I think!) asked Kathy to come to my office. When she saw the subject line, she whooped. When she read the message, we both whooped and then did a little “happy dance” – a must in an adrenaline-fueled situation like this!
I contacted Ann (above left with artists Wes Hyde and Jan Stommes) pronto and we both got working on the details for her to have a successful trip to Wausau for the Birds in Art opening weekend. She ended up spending two full days with the artists, attending all their events, and getting a firsthand look at the exhibition. I guess that made Ann an “embedded” reporter.
Ann’s article, “Birds of a Feather, Together,” appeared on Thursday, October 1, which set off another round of whoops in staff offices. The aftermath has been phenomenal. We still can’t believe how many people – folks from the Wausau area and from across the US and around the world – saw the article and e-mailed us their congratulations.
I can’t adequately describe what a tremendously satisfying feeling it is to have the Woodson Art Museum, Birds in Art, the artists who make it possible, and Wausau in the spotlight of such a prestigious international publication.
To make sure I never forget the joy of it all, I’m never deleting Ann’s message from my inbox. It’s simply too exhilarating to sneak a peek at it every so often!
Before jumping for joy and calling across the hall for director Kathy Foley to come into my office to read the message with me, I thought I better open it and see if the message was what I hoped it would be – or if it was an ad solicitation come-on.
The message from freelance writer Ann Landi said what I prayed with all my heart that it would say:
“Hi, Marcia: The Wall Street Journal would like me to cover the “Birds in Art” competition and exhibition at the Woodson. I’m wondering if the best time to visit would be your Artrageous Weekend, or if it will be quieter and easier to tour the museum and show at a slightly later date. Please drop me a line or give a call when you can.”
I calmly (I think!) asked Kathy to come to my office. When she saw the subject line, she whooped. When she read the message, we both whooped and then did a little “happy dance” – a must in an adrenaline-fueled situation like this!
I contacted Ann (above left with artists Wes Hyde and Jan Stommes) pronto and we both got working on the details for her to have a successful trip to Wausau for the Birds in Art opening weekend. She ended up spending two full days with the artists, attending all their events, and getting a firsthand look at the exhibition. I guess that made Ann an “embedded” reporter.
Ann’s article, “Birds of a Feather, Together,” appeared on Thursday, October 1, which set off another round of whoops in staff offices. The aftermath has been phenomenal. We still can’t believe how many people – folks from the Wausau area and from across the US and around the world – saw the article and e-mailed us their congratulations.
I can’t adequately describe what a tremendously satisfying feeling it is to have the Woodson Art Museum, Birds in Art, the artists who make it possible, and Wausau in the spotlight of such a prestigious international publication.
To make sure I never forget the joy of it all, I’m never deleting Ann’s message from my inbox. It’s simply too exhilarating to sneak a peek at it every so often!
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