Lights, Traffic, People, Noise.

New York City embodies energy, experimentation, and forward thinking. It was the perfect location for Helen Bader Foundation-sponsored training on Alzheimer’s Disease and Museum Programming. The Woodson Art Museum is one of five Wisconsin museums to receive a planning grant from the Bader Foundation to develop programming for individuals with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.

We – Jayna Hintz and Erin Narloch – traveled to NYC together. This is our diary.

Day ONE
The first day of training was held at the Museum of Modern Art, a must-see destination for anyone interested in modern art. We were there on a Tuesday, when MoMA is closed to the public – what a treat.

The first speaker, Dr. Meg Sewell, Ph.D., is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, the Director of Education for the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and the Director of the Memory Enhancement Program. WOW. Dr. Sewell provided powerful and practical information on understanding patients with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Anne Bastings, Ph.D., spoke next. She is the Director of the Center on Age and Community at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and also an Associate Professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the Peck School of the Arts. Anne presented an overview of creative engagement programs for people with dementia. This was uplifting, as she highlighted the possibilities for creative programming.

The day continued with speakers from the worlds of medicine and art; a panel discussion comprising museum staff (representing MoMA, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and American Folk Art Museum) focusing on dementia programming at museums; a program planning session; and a mock experience in MoMA’s galleries.

After Day One, we felt like sponges filled to capacity. That evening after discussing our impressions of the day as well as the possibilities for programming at the Woodson, our sponges emptied a little, making room for Day Two learning.

Day TWO
We began at the American Folk Art Museum, an impressive mid-sized museum a stone’s throw from MoMA. Museum educator Jennifer Kalter discussed the Folk Art Museum’s program and answered our questions – a fruitful hour and a half.

The afternoon session took place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where we observed an art-making program for individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease and their caregivers. This experience put everything we learned about and discussed into action. Over forty participants filed into the room, sitting as dyads or groups as they prepared for the class to start.

Close to where we were sitting was a father in a wheelchair, surrounded by his two sons and his wife. Before the class began, they exchanged smiles with one another; one son kept saying, “Hey, Dad, smile!” – trying to get his attention to take his photograph. Even though the class hadn’t yet begun, John and his family were fulfilling the objective for museum-based programming for individuals with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers – they were engaged in a meaningful experience.

As the class started, the educator invited participants into the discussion. Projected on the wall was an image of an Alberto Giacometti artwork – a cat. Next was an Indian frieze of Krishna fighting a demon horse. When asked what they saw, one participant exclaimed, “Well, I can tell you the animal isn’t Kosher,” pointing to its hooves! The group erupted in laughter (during our previous day’s training we learned that individuals with Alzheimer’s tend to retain their sense of humor until the very end). The class concluded with participants making their own sculpture, each successful – it was great to witness.

Following the class, the educators mentioned that John’s sons thought it was their last visit as they would be putting their dad into hospice care. We were perplexed by the news, as this was the engaged family that we observed prior to the start of the program. While this family faced the hard decision to place their father in hospice care, they took time to come to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to participate in a program! They must see great value in this experience. What a powerful message for us.

The observation concluded our training. With this information and firsthand knowledge, we returned to the Woodson Art Museum with a mission: to create a program that engages individuals with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers in meaningful experiences at the Woodson Art Museum.

Stay tuned . . .

One Mother, One Daughter, Two Museums

My parents never expected me to work in a museum. They sent me to college thinking I’d be an English teacher all my life. Well, that only lasted six years.

My husband and I never thought our daughter Kimberly (that’s Kim and me at the Field of Dreams in Iowa) would work in a museum. We sent her to college thinking she’d go into law enforcement or tourism/destination marketing. That never happened at all.

Instead she ended up getting an art history degree from UW-Milwaukee, moved to Texas (a long story!), and got a job in the registrar’s office at the University of Texas, Austin. Eventually she migrated to the School of Architecture and then to the membership department at the Blanton Museum of Art on campus.

She’s now the assistant director of development—annual giving and celebrates her tenth anniversary at the Blanton in August.

The Woodson Art Museum and the Blanton Museum of Art are worlds apart in more ways than distance. We are more a community museum; they are a university museum. Our collection focuses on nature in art, theirs on European and contemporary art. We are housed in a retrofitted former residence; they are housed in a brand-spanking new building built specifically to be a museum. The Woodson has nine fulltime staff, the Blanton 59. Our membership numbers 864; they have a membership of 6,300.

Yet when Kim and I talk, we speak a common language. I like that. I’d rather talk about museums, membership mailings, fundraising challenges, preview receptions, education programs, fun stuff like OctoBIRDfest, artists, and artworks than the ins and outs of law enforcement! Sometimes my husband (an accountant) scratches his head and gives us a “What are you two talking about?” look.

But that’s OK. It’s the internal language that connects one museum to another. And one mother in Wausau to her daughter in Austin.

New York Recap Coming Soon

Regular Woodson Art Museum blog readers know that six staff members share responsibility for weekly postings in rotation.

Curator of education Erin Narloch, on tap to blog this week, is in New York City along with fellow educator Jayna Hintz, training at the Museum of Modern Art for an exciting new program to be developed at the Woodson.

Thanks to a Helen Bader Foundation planning grant, the Woodson Art Museum and four other Wisconsin museums are embarking on in-gallery services and activities especially designed for early-stage Alzheimer’s patients and their families, modeled on the successful “Meet Me at MoMA” program.

Stay tuned for insights into Erin’s New York City experiences as well as news about the Woodson’s programs for Alzheimer’s patients.

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My Day at the Office

During a gathering this past weekend, someone asked what I do for a living. Generally, my simple answer, “I am the curator of collections and the registrar at the Woodson Art Museum,” causes puzzlement. I have become adept at recognizing those who understand the meaning of the words and those who don’t. Those interested enough to continue the conversation inquire about what I do in an average day. That makes me chuckle because what I love most about being a curator/registrar is that no two days are the same.

I thought I would share some of the interesting tasks I tackle during an “average” day.

This morning started with email. My inbox held a few messages that needed immediate response, which I tackled first. I subscribe to a LISTERVE and the discussion topic was “The worst things we hear when installing an exhibition.” My favorite of over two dozen responses is “Oops,” something you never want to hear in the vicinity of artwork. Other contributions included Why are you hanging it that way? Is that really the color you’re using on the walls? Can we bring a tour through before you’re finished hanging? Those comments in list form have a comical tone, but when asked during an exhibition installation, especially one with an imminent deadline, can cause backs to stiffen and tempers to flare.

Preparations for the September opening of Birds in Art are front and center in my duties this time of year. First on the agenda this morning was fact-checking aspects of the exhibition catalogue, including proper titles, mediums, dimensions, etc. Exact information is critically important. The artists complete numerous forms that provide the facts, but not everyone includes the particulars, proper names, or exact details. These omissions and our desire to have each entry letter-perfect take time and additional research.

My next task requires properly cropping the digital images of each artwork. This includes making sure that each piece is properly positioned and that the entire image is visible – but not too much of the image. I do this by comparing the digital image against the artwork (some have already arrived at the Museum) as well as using printed images provided by the artist. The good news is I get to know each of the artworks well; the downside is I develop eye strain!

I also coordinate shipping artworks to and from the Woodson. For Birds in Art that equals 130 incoming crates. We provide artists with substantial information concerning proper packing and shipping, but inevitably I need to answer calls or e-mails ranging from how to complete the air waybill, build a proper crate, or complete the ever-important customs paperwork for those shipping from a dozen or so foreign countries. Today an artist requested an extension on the date his artwork is to arrive at the Woodson – a fairly common request this time of year.

Finally, after numerous emails and phone calls, I placed an order with a Las Vegas company for six crates to be shipped to Scotland. Things like this that sound simple generally result in a large investment of time. Tomorrow I’ll make arrangements to return three crates much closer – to Illinois. Two of the Woodson’s exhibitions that are on the road – A Reflective Nature and Birds in Art 2008 – move from one museum to another in August. To make sure each arrives in a timely manner, I need to book space on a carrier now. More emails and phone calls and pulling strings with a van line, one I’ve developed a solid relationship with over the years.

Another project nearing completion requires reframing four paintings. Finding the appropriate style and finish color takes time and a good eye. Typically I make two-to-four-choices and consider those options for a day or two before making the final decision. Soliciting opinions from other staff members can also make this selection easier.

This summer I am fortunate to have two young women helping with projects including washing and waxing the outdoor sculpture, framing and unframing exhibitions, and taking photos of collection materials. The list is endless. Getting their supplies in place and providing adequate instructions and training also takes a few minutes each day, but the return on my time investment is tremendous.

Lastly, I wrote this blog. My hope is I will be better prepared to answer the question “What do you do for a living” after sharing my day in writing. To those unfamiliar with the workings of a museum my job may still seem unclear. Many days I leave my office feeling as though I have not accomplished much, but by writing this I realize that projects eventually are completed even if I have moved on to others before some are fully realized.

Chalk One Up for Wausau

While working at the Art Museum, like most professional jobs, is demanding and time consuming, I do make time to get involved with other community events.

A few years ago, I joined the board of Wausau’s ChalkFest as the Museum’s representative. Now in its sixth year, ChalkFest is held on Wausau’s City Square in the downtown area. It takes place this year on Saturday and Sunday, July 11 and 12.

This creative community event attracts artists of all ages and artistic abilities. Participants make artworks in assigned spaces ranging from three by three feet to eight by ten feet. Artists receive a pack of 48 colorful pastels when they register and can work as individuals or in groups, which provides a great opportunity for families and/or friends to collaborate as artistic teams.

Last year an estimated 5,000 viewers perused the downtown Wausau Square, admiring over 230 chalk drawings. The event concludes on Sunday afternoon with a reception at the Center for the Visual Arts, where awards are given to five participating artists selected by their peers.

Helping to coordinate ChalkFest is rewarding and fun. I work with a terrific group of artistic and community-minded volunteers, and interacting with the artists is a real pleasure. Like the Woodson Art Museum, ChalkFest helps promote the arts in north central Wisconsin and provides a public venue for aspiring artists.

Wausau is fortunate to have so many organizations and events that foster an environment of artistic creativity.