Internships: Supporting NMWA and Building Careers

Are you curious about interning at the National Museum of Women in the Arts? Interns at NMWA learn about museums and gain work experience in departments from publications to curatorial to development. What’s a NMWA internship really like? Interns’ experiences in their own words:

Brittany Beyer, recent graduate and NMWA development intern, Fall 2012:

• What’s your educational background?
• I graduated with a major in Women’s & Gender Studies and a minor in Art History. I applied for a NMWA internship because my majors and interests correlated perfectly with NMWA’s mission.
• Can you describe your job?
• I had the unique experience of being at NMWA every day—I was therefore able to work with a lot of different departments. I worked on various projects, including administering the on-site visitor survey and formatting its analysis; drafting a press release; writing blog entries on Women Who Rock; writing a book review to be published in Women in the Arts magazine; creating a visitor experience map; preparing membership department files for the archives; and inputting data into Raiser’s Edge.
• What has been your favorite part of working at NMWA?
• My favorite part of working at NMWA was working with my supervisors. They were very inclusive and helped me to understand how the museum functions on a larger scale rather than strictly from the perspective of one department. Oh, and Fro-Yo Fridays!

Deanna Doyle, art and museum studies graduate student and NMWA education intern, Fall 2012:

• What has been your favorite part of working at NMWA?
• My favorite part was giving tours. It’s fun working with visitors of different ages and from different backgrounds. I like watching their reactions when they learn something new or are really interested in a fact or artwork.

Katherine Rice, art and museum studies graduate student and NMWA development intern, Fall 2012:

• What are your career goals?
• To work in an art museum in some capacity.
• What has been your favorite part of working at NMWA?
• The NMWA staff and my fellow interns were my favorite parts. Everyone with whom I worked or interacted was helpful, warm, and, quite often, hilarious. I always felt comfortable asking questions, and always looked forward to coming in to work.
• What was something fun or unexpected you learned about NMWA?
• I was surprised, and pleased, to learn how small NMWA’s staff is. A smaller staff allows for more collaboration and interaction, which I really enjoyed.

Interested in learning more? Click here to see which departments are currently accepting applications!

Member Preview Day: A Sweet Success!

On Valentine’s Day, NMWA members were treated to a delightful day, along with some tasty snacks! Those who attended snuck a peak at NMWA’s two newest exhibitions, A World Apart: Anna Ancher and the Skagen Art Colony and Freya Grand: Minding the Landscape. 

Anna Ancher and Michael Ancher, Judgment of a day’s work (detail), 1883; Oil on canvas; Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen

A World Apart provides a glimpse into the life of one of Denmark’s premier female painters, Anna Ancher (1859–1935). Ancher was commended for her artistic talent during her lifetime, but remains little-known in the U.S.  She was respected by colleagues—including her husband, painter Michael Ancher—in the predominantly male art colony in Skagen, a remote coastal town on the northern tip of Denmark. The couple collaborated on a piece, Judgment of a day’s work, that is on view in A World Apart. Ancher’s works, many of which depict interiors, are complemented nicely by the striking landscapes of Freya Grand in NMWA’s other spring exhibition, Minding the Landscape.

Grand, a D.C.-based artist, has traveled the globe in search of remote and breathtaking landscapes for her subject matter. Her works capture specific moments in time, such as a wave breaking on the rocks, drawing viewers into her experiences of the awesome power of nature.

NMWA curators lead tours of Freya Grand: Minding the Landscape

On Member Preview Day, members received tours of the Grand and Ancher exhibitions throughout the day, led by NMWA’s curatorial and education staff. A wonderful time was had by new and veteran members alike! One member, who had never been to an NMWA member event before, noted that her tour guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and had excellent pronunciation. Another member wanted us to know that she enjoyed her day: “Both exhibits were inspiring, excellent, wonderful—featuring artists only the Women’s Museum would promote!” She added that she was “very proud to be a benefactor.”

Members tour A World Apart

Between tours, members gathered in the museum’s stunning Great Hall to enjoy tea, coffee, and an array of scrumptious mini cupcakes in honor of Valentine’s Day. Many had lunch at the museum’s Mezzanine Café and visited the Museum Shop, receiving a special Member Day discount of 20% at both locations. Members also explored NMWA’s collection galleries and received a free gift from the membership department before they left for the day!

One member stated, “My neighbor is so impressed that she plans to join as a member!”  If you would like to take part in the next batch of Member Day fun, join today at http://www.nmwa.org/support/membership. For a list of our upcoming events, visit: http://www.nmwa.org/visit/calendar .

—Abigail Luhn is the member relations intern at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

Not a DC resident (but want to support NMWA)?

Did you know that 75% of the National Museum of Women in the Arts’ members resides outside of the DC metro area? Our members commonly cite our mission to bring recognition to the achievements of women artists as their main reason for supporting the Museum. And let’s face it – our membership benefits certainly sweeten the deal. All of our membership levels $100 and above include the North American Reciprocal Membership Program (NARM)   which translates to access to over 500 museums throughout the country, Bermuda, Canada, El Salvador, and Mexico for members. The North American Reciprocal Membership Program also extends discounts like those offered to NMWA members on purchases made on the premises in the gift shop as well as on concert and lecture tickets of the participating museums! 

And just to whet your artistic appetite, here is a sampling of exhibitions at participating NARM museums:

Current:
 
The Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art in Evanston, IL
I Myself Have Seen It: Photography and Kiki Smith through August 14, 2011

Bechtler Museum of Modern Art in Charlotte, NC
Niki de Saint Phalle: Creation of a New Mythology through October 3, 2011

Bennington Museum in Bennington, VT
Grandma Moses and the “Primitive” Tradition through October 31, 2011

Farnsworth Museum in Rockland, ME
Louise Nevelson through December 31, 2011

To learn more about Kiki Smith, “Grandma” Anna Mary Robertson Moses,  Louise Nevelson, and Niki de Saint Phalle (whose playful sculptures are currently featured in NMWA’s New York Avenue Sculpture Project) visit the Clara Database.
Upcoming:

The Nasher Museum of Art in Durham, NC
The Deconstructive Impulse: Women Artists Reconfigure The Signs of Power, 1973-1990 opens September 15, 2011

Henry Art Gallery in Seattle, WA
Carolee Schneemann: Within and Beyond the Premises opens September 24, 2011

The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC
Breaking Down Barriers: 300 Years of Women in Art opens October 28, 2011

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, NM
Jaune Quick-To-See Smith: Landscapes Of An American Modernist opens January 27, 2012
 
To learn more about Carolee Schneemann and Jaune Quick-to-See Smith visit the Clara Database.
 
Don’t see your state listed?  Visit the North American Reciprocal Museums for a full list of participating museums!

Presentation of a current NMWA membership card validated with a North American Reciprocal Seal entitles you to admission to participating museums. Discounts are valid only for goods and tickets purchased on premise.  For more information please visit the North American Reciprocal Museums  site or contact NMWA Member Services by phone at 866-875-4627 or by email at member@nmwa.org.

Report from Member Services: A Successful and Fun Member Day for New Exhibitions!

Last Thursday at NMWA, we held Member Day for three just-opened exhibitions, Pressing Ideas: Fifty Years of Women’s Lithographs from Tamarind, The Guerrilla Girls Talk Back, and Susan Swartz: Seasons of the Soul.

Dorothy Dehner, Lunar Series #4, 1970; Lithograph, 19 1/2 x 24 in.; University of New Mexico Art Museum; Image Courtesy of the University of Iowa Museum of Art

As we do for every new exhibition, we invited our members (who may each bring a guest) to come enjoy the new shows and take advantage of special tours led by the staff. For this Member Day, we were very lucky in having a special guest, Marjorie Devon, the director of the Tamarind Institute, who came to speak about Tamarind, the art of lithography, and the works in the exhibition. Ms. Devon has worked at the Tamarind Institute, which is located inAlbuquerque, for almost 40 years, and she has been the institute’s director for 22. Her lecture focused on the interesting and time-intensive technique of lithography and the collaboration of artists with master printers. She told firsthand, often funny stories about the artists and their visits to Tamarind. (Devon has recorded some of these stories for NMWA’s guide-by-cell audio program. These audio files are accessible at the museum; a selection will also be posted here on the Broad Strokes blog throughout the exhibition. Please feel free to listen to Devon’s introduction and her thoughts on Polly Apfelbaum, accessible in previous blog posts.)  Describing the show and lecture, one member commented, “The opportunity to hear the description of the lithography process made the tour extra-special!” Another member raved that the Tamarind show was “Superb!”  

Jordana Pomeroy, NMWA's chief curator, leads a tour on Member Day

NMWA staff members also led tours of the Guerrilla Girls and Susan Swartz exhibitions. The Girls fascinated our members with their “up-in-your-face” approach to critiquing the contemporary art world. The Susan Swartz show focused on the artist’s connection with nature and her concerns about environmental issues, which are so significant today. Each show brought a different flavor to the day, and members enjoyed all three.

By the end of Member Day, which ran 10 a.m.–3 p.m., 107 visitors had joined us for coffee and refreshments in the museum’s Great Hall as well as the interesting and thought-provoking tours and exhibitions. Thank you to everyone who attended Member Day, and we hope to see you at the next one!

—Carolyn Higgins is the member services intern at the National Museum of Women in the Arts

Networking, Socializing, Mentoring: NMWA’s Young Professionals Forum Connects Women

NMWA’s Young Professionals Forum (YPF) was founded five years ago by a handful of prominent women professionals who hoped to bring together, mentor, and provide leadership for young female professionals from the DC metro area. Under the guidance of Co-chairs Meredith Harman and Jesse Sterchi, the YPF has flourished, creating exciting opportunities for networking, socializing, and cultural enrichment while supporting the museum’s mission of bringing attention to women in all areas of the arts.

Meredith Harman shares the group’s origins, “We started this group to foster a working relationship between the multiple generations of working women in D.C. NMWA was the perfect fit–bringing a group of young female professionals to a place where they could connect to and be inspired by the work of great women artists seemed natural.” Jessie Sterchi elaborates on the YPF’s goals: “The group brings together young female professionals looking to network and learn from mentors, regardless of their involvement in the arts. However, in doing so, it creates a forum for cultural enrichment though behind the scenes gallery tours, exclusive invitations to exhibition openings, and access to a number of female role models specific to the art world.”

Co-chairs Meredith Harman and Jessie Sterchi with YPF members and friends at the Eye Wonder exhibition reception in February.

Throughout the year, the Forum hosts a number of social and educational events for its members. Our first YPF event of 2011 was the opening reception of NMWA’s current exhibition, Eye Wonder: Photography from the Bank of America Collection. YPF members and friends were invited to preview Bank of America’s renowned collection of international art featuring historical and contemporary women photographers.

Tara Luizzi--styling D.C. one closet at a time

The most unique aspect of the YPF is the mentor series, which connects successful businesswomen with young professionals in all stages of their careers hoping to gain valuable advice or learn more about an area in which they are passionate. Harman explains, “Our Mentor Series have been pivotal in connecting younger professional women in D.C. with more experienced professional women, so that we might learn from their career paths and get advice from them as we continue on our own path.”

On Tuesday, March 23, Tara Luizzi, owner of the Personal Wardrobe Consulting and Styling Service tara styles dc , will host our first Mentor Series event of the year at J.Crew in the Georgetown neighborhood of DC (3222 M Street, NW). Tara will not only share how she created her company tara styles dc, but also provide her fashion expertise on how to wear the current trends for spring. Tara has more than fifteen years of experience in the fashion industry working for top boutiques, including Bergdorf Goodman, Louis Boston, and Relish in New York, Boston, and Washington, D.C.

If you live in the DC metro area, and would like more information about YPF membership or events, please email ypf@nmwa.org.

Art, Food, and More Art: Director’s Circle Visits NYC

NMWA’s Director’s Circle membership level offers the opportunity to travel with the museum’s director, Susan Sterling, on unique trips that highlight the work of women artists. Past destinations include Napa Valley, Spain, and Miami. The Director’s Circle just returned from a three-day trip to New York City (March 2-4) that focused on contemporary art, and it was my pleasure to travel with them.

from http://www.thearmoryshow.com

Our group spent two afternoons at the renowned Armory Show staged on New York’s Piers 92 & 94. An annual international art fair, the Armory Show highlights important art from the early twentieth century to today. This year’s fair featured nearly 300 booths presented by galleries from Berlin to Zurich. We loved seeing works by artists whose careers we have been following—such as Julie Blackmon, Berlinde de Bruyckere, E.V. Day, Susan Hiller, Lori Nix, and Yayoi Kusama—as well as artists who were new to us, especially painter Kyung Jeon and Isabelle Fein, whose mesmerizing drawings filled the entire booth presented by Frankfurt’s Galerie Parisa Kind.     

We spent a morning popping into galleries in the Chelsea district and were knocked out by exhibitions showcasing art by Tara Donovan and Hope Gangloff. At Cheim & Read, where we saw breathtaking large-scale paintings by Pat Steir (whose work is in NMWA’s collection), we were granted access to a private area of the gallery that featured remarkable pieces by Louise Bourgeois and Joan Mitchell.      

Ursula von Rydingsvard: Sculpture 1991-2009 is on view at the Sculpture Center through March 28

During an “away day” in Queens and Brooklyn, we attended a private breakfast reception at the Sculpture Center, where we viewed a retrospective of sculptures by Ursula von Rydingsvard (also part of NMWA’s collection). Our tour of this exhibition was led by Rydingsvard herself, and afterwards she chatted with the NMWA group and signed everyone’s exhibition catalogues. Yes, we felt like groupies—it’s always exciting and enlightening to meet artists in person.  

Also in Queens, we were delighted to have MoMA PS1 Curator Christopher Lew lead us on a tour of films and photographs by emerging artist Laurel Nakadate. At the Brooklyn Museum, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art Curator Catherine Morris shared with us an exquisite exhibition of photographs and a video by Lorna Simpson.   

Lorna Simpson, 1957–2009 Interiors (detail), 2009, on view at the Brooklyn Museum through August 21

In addition to focusing on visual art, Director’s Circle trips delve into the culinary arts. We enjoyed dinner in the Four Seasons Restaurant’s Pool Room (site of the recent wedding of reality TV star Bethenny Frankel and Jason Hoppy—although I seemed to be the only one in the group who knew about this).

We also were privileged to dine in the home of Patty Findlay and her husband, art dealer Peter Findlay. Mr. Findlay’s family has been in the art business for nearly 150 years, and he offered fascinating insight into the behind-the-scenes workings of the art world. The Findlays arranged to have chef Elise Kanda prepare a delicious three-course meal for our group. We also savored cheeses made by women cheesemakers that had been selected by Rebecca Hoffman. (Hoffman works with Mr. Findlay and has a great blog all about cheese: fromagical.blogspot.com.)

Director's Circle members with Curator Kathryn Wat and Director Susan Fisher Sterling

Aside from the important business of learning more about women artists, Director’s Circle trips are about having fun. In addition to great food, we also shared many laughs. On our first day at the Armory Show, we discovered that a tiny 6 x 6-inch painting by a mid-century American master had a price tag deep into the six figures. Most of us were dumbstruck by this news, but one member of the group declared, “That’s absurd!” and got all of us giggling.  

Kathryn A. Wat is curator of modern and contemporary art at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

To learn more about the Director’s Circle, contact the Development Office at 202-266-2805.

Hot Off the Press: Fall Issue of Women in the Arts Magazine

One of the many benefits of membership to NMWA is a subscription to Women in the Arts magazine. Last week, NMWA members received the fall issue, featuring articles about the fall exhibitions and the latest news about what is happening at NMWA and in the art world:

*The Mask as Muse: The Influence of African Art on the Life and Career of Loïs Mailou Jones, by Cheryl Finely: Loïs Mailou Jones observed, experienced, and contributed to the changing eras in the history of art of the twentieth century. The exhibition Loïs Mailou Jones: A Life in Vibrant Color is the first major retrospective of the artist, designer, and educator. Also features an article by Museum of Arts and Design curator Lowery Stokes Sims about Jones’s design career and aesthetic, and an interview with art historian David Driskell, a former student of Jones, about Jones’s teaching methods.

*History Meets Art at the DAR Museum, by Rebecca Park: The Daughters of the American Revolution Museum elects a new President General and celebrates women’s craft.

*Books Without Words: The Visual Poetry of Elisabetta Gut, by Krystyna Wasserman: Elisabetta Gut crafts artists’ books, collage-poems, object-poems, and book-objects from her dreams, memories, and love for music and poetry.

*Dearest Frieducha: The Letters of Guillermo Kahlo to His Daughter Frida, by Annette B. Ramírez de Arellano and Servando Ortoll: Guillermo’s letters reveal a relationship based on affection, respect, and a father’s desire to protect his daughter from the personality flaws they shared. Annette B. Ramírez de Arellano and Servando Ortoll look into the Nelleke Nix and Marianne Huber Collection: The Frida Kahlo Papers, donated to NMWA in 2007.

*Helping Teachers Help Students, by Deborah Gaston: The inaugural weeklong Teachers Connect Summer Institute for Washington-area teachers helps arts learning methods find their way into classrooms.

*A Series of Fortunate Decisions: Adélaide Labille-Guiard, Portrait of an Unknown Sitter, by Jordana Pomeroy: From its inscrutable hiding place in a British chimney to a comfortable home in a knife drawer to NMWA’s galleries, Adélaide Labille-Guiard’s little painting owes its existence to the guardianship of a couple for whom the smiling sitter was long at first sight.

*Lynn Hershman Leeson Documents a Revolution: Artist and Filmmaker Lynn Hershman Leeson gives us an insider’s look into the feminist art movement in her film !Women Art Revolution! A (Formerly) Secret History.

Memberships start at $40, and members receive a subscription to Women in the Arts, free museum admission, special invitations to member previews and other events, and discounts in the shop and cafe. Call toll free 866-875-4627 or email member@nmwa.org for more information!

Galleries Full of Vibrant Color

Dr. Tritobia Hayes-Benjamin discusses the life and art of Lois Mailou Jones

On October 13, NMWA members and friends enjoyed a special day of gallery talks about Lois Mailou Jones: A Life in Vibrant Color and a lecture by Dr. Tritobia Hayes-Benjamin, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Howard University and Director of the Howard University Gallery of Art. Dr. Benjamin talked about how Jones was a “tour de force of creative experimentation” who was “undaunted by the pervading attitudes of racism and sexism.” Jones continually strove for excellence throughout her life–from her beginnings as a student in Boston and teacher in North Carolina and at Howard, to her travels throughout Haiti and Africa–and was always expanding her techniques and interests. She was a major figure in the African American community and an inspiration to generations of artists.

Melanie Spears, a graduate of Howard University who worked at the campus archives that holds Jones’s papers, was among the Howard students and NMWA staff that gave tours of the the beautiful exhibition.

Members also received tours of Books Without Words: The Visual Poetry of Elisabetta Gut and double discounts in the shop and cafe. For information about becoming a member, call toll free 866-875-4627 or email member@nmwa.org.

Celebrating First Lady Ellen Axson Wilson

On September 4 and 5, the Woodrow Wilson House generously extended free admission to NMWA members and their guests for the opening weekend of The Art of First Lady Ellen Axson Wilson: American Impressionist. Twenty-two NMWA members took advantage of the opportunity to visit the site and learn more about the First Lady’s life and art.

Ellen Axson Wilson (1860-1914) was not only a First Lady, mother, and humanitarian, she was also an artist. Her career spanned from 1875 when she first began studying art at the Female College in Rome, Georgia, to her death in 1914 of Bright’s disease, a chronic ailment of the kidneys. She also attended the Art Students League in New York where she studied under leading American artists of the day, including George de Forest Brush, Thomas W. Dewing, Frederick Warren Freer, and Julian Alden Weir.

The exhibit celebrates the 150th anniversary of the First Lady’s birth and features a selection of eighteen impressionist landscapes painted by the first Mrs. Wilson, including five works which have not been on public display since the artist’s lifetime, four works recently acquired by Woodrow Wilson House, and five recently restored works. The exhibit will be on view through April 10, 2011.

The Woodrow Wilson House is located at 2340 S Street, N.W., Washington, DC.  For more information about this exhibit contact the Woodrow Wilson House at 202-387-4062 or visit woodrowwilsonhouse.org.

Ellen Axson Wilson, Landscape with Stumps and Pond, c. 1911-12

Members Share Their Memories

We are always looking for ways to celebrate members, such a vital part of NMWA!We have been collecting memories of NMWA from members (the “Members’ Memories Project”) and have already shared many wonderful stories in the NMWA magazine. Here is another delightful selection from the hundreds of responses we have received. Inspired? Share your memories via email to member@nmwa.org.

“Sometime in, I think, late ’84, I received a letter asking for help in starting a Women’s Art Museum. At that time, I was a College Instructor (not yet any kind of Professor) so needless to say, money was tight. It took me a couple of months to scrounge up $50 which I sent in January of 1985. Some months later I received another letter about having found a site, a former gentleman’s club. Again help was needed. Again I managed another donation. (would that I were rich–but alas–.) Anyway, that’s how I became a member. In the late ’80′s I was in Washington for an abortion rally/march, and visited the museum. I was stunned by the beauty of the building and all that pink marble! Wow!”

“Mrs. Holladay came to the art center in Iowa for which I was the Director (the Octagon Center for the Arts) in 1984 as a speaker for the national symposium “Women in Clay.” She shared her dreams and plans for a Women’s Museum. She and I prepared and shared a spaghetti dinner in my home for the featured artists: Lucy Lewis, Santana Martinez, Beatrice Wood, Ruth Duchworth, Vivica Huno and Laura Anderson. Many of us in Iowa became charter members of the Women’s Museum and it has been an educational inspiration for me ever since!”

“I became a charter NMWA member when the AAUW launched a campaign to support establishment of a National Museum of Women in the Arts. Frankly, due to my location in Kansas farm and ranch land, I doubted I would ever have opportunity to view the museum honoring and showcasing women’s contributions to art, but my spirit was bouyed just knowing America had such an entity, as I renewed my membership year after year. Amazingly, quite some time later, I was appointed to a national committee which met in Washington, D.C. My first excursion after checking into my hotel room was, with maps in hand, to locate the elegant NMWA building and to tour its wonderful exhibits. Since that first visit, I have been privileged to travel to our nation’s capitol several times (partly due to having a daughter who became a Foreign Service Officer for the U.S. State Dept., and whom I have had the delight of treating to lunch at NMWA). On each occasion, leading my list of places to visit is NMWA. ‘Thank you’ to all who had the vision and dedication to establish such a wonderful institution in such an historic venue. I wish every woman in the U.S. who loves art could visit it.”

“Anytime I go to Washington, D.C. I always go to the Museum–my friends and relatives know that it will be on my list! When I heard that the Museum of Women in the Arts was going to become a reality, I joined as a charter member and gave my mother a membership also. My mother became an art teacher in high school and built a program from one class to 7 classes per day. She also started an art association in her home town. Before she died I had the thrill of going to the Museum with her and having our photo taken looking at a book which included our names as charter member contributors. I enjoy introducing family and friends to the museum and its programs and exhibits.”

“When the idea of a women’s museum was announced, I was a working artist in the Washington, D.C. area (the Arlington Arts Center, studio). Lots of us were afraid we women artists would be further marginalized–but we have been thrilled over the years with the wonderful space and exhibitions! Hurray for N.M.W.A.”