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Friday Photos: A Fond Farewell!

Published May 24, 2013 Friday Photos Closed
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Today we bid adieu to our wonderful 2012-2013 McDermott Interns. They have spent the last nine months with us at the DMA researching artworks, contributing to exhibitions, assisting with programs, and generally helping to make our Museum a dynamic and engaging place to experience art. We appreciate all the hard work they’ve done–we couldn’t do it without them!

Take a look at some of the adventures they had along the way and join us in wishing them well as they embark on new ones!

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Sarah Coffey
Assistant to the Chair of Learning Initiatives

Over and Out

Published May 23, 2013 Museum Insight , People 1 Comment
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Today is the last day at the Dallas Museum of Art for the 2012-2013 McDermott Interns. Pilar and I have had a great time working together for the Family, Access, and School Experiences team and writing for Canvas. We will miss the DMA and wanted to reflect on our time here.

Pilar celebrates her birthday at the DMA!

Pilar celebrates her birthday at the DMA!

3 things I learned at the DMA:

  1. I have learned that elementary school girls are obsessed with One Direction! In spending lots of time teaching our Go van Gogh outreach programs, I’ve gained quite an insight as to what’s cool these days (hint, it’s not me).
  2. While I am a McDermott education intern, there are also four McDermott curatorial interns with whom we share office space. I have learned so much about the curatorial side of the museum field through daily interactions with these awesome future curators!
  3. I have had the amazing opportunity to learn how to teach in a formal classroom setting through Go van Gogh. This experience has allowed me to understand the differences in practice between formal and informal instruction styles.

Favorite part of the internship:

I was able to develop a new Go van Gogh curriculum that is based on American History as told by DMA artworks. I not only learned a ton about the editing and review process that takes place at a large institution, but I also had a great refresher course on American history!

Post-internship plans:

I will be doing lots of travelling this summer: Colorado, New Mexico, Amsterdam, the south of France, and Spain! After which, I’ll end up in Vancouver where I will be starting in the Master of Museum Education program at the University of British Columbia.

Pilar Wong
McDermott Intern for Community Teaching

Alex bids farewell from Emery Reves' study

Alex bids farewell from Emery Reves’ study

3 things I learned at the DMA:

  1. I’ve really enjoyed working with our docent corps of about 100 volunteers. They are an enthusiastic, intelligent, generous bunch. I’ve learned a great deal from the DMA docents, and I will miss working with them.
  2. As the Gallery Teaching Intern, I toured mainly with elementary school students. That age group consistently offered refreshing interpretations of works of art, and their enthusiasm and frankness is something to which more adults, myself included, should aspire.
  3. I’ve definitely learned the importance of flexibility and openness. Some of the best experiences I’ve had have resulted from spontaneous changes – whether filling in last-minute for a docent or allowing visitors to choose what they want to see and discuss.

Favorite part of the internship:

I loved writing docent guides. These guides help introduce the docents to special exhibitions and the DMA’s permanent collection. They offer art historical and contextual information, as well as ways to interpret these shows for a variety of audiences. It combines my interest in research and art history with my passion for education.

Post-internship plans:

I’ll be sticking around Dallas for June and July. Then I will embark on my version of The Great American Roadtrip as I head back to the east coast. In the fall I will begin the Arts in Education master’s program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Alex Vargo
McDermott Intern for Gallery Teaching

Thank you to everyone who has helped make this experience so fulfilling. Have a great summer!

Sincerely,
2012-2013 McDermott Interns

An American Art Education

Published April 24, 2013 American Art , Behind-the-Scenes , Curatorial , Education 2 Comments
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Two of our talented McDermott Interns have been busy working on some new projects, both involving our collection of American art.

Alexandra Vargo: As the McDermott Education Intern for Gallery Teaching, I work with school tours, adult tours, teachers, and the volunteer docent corps. Currently, I’m working on a Docent Guide for the Museum’s collection of colonial to modern American art. The guide focuses on creating interactive and versatile experiences that can be presented with any number of objects and age groups. I have been testing these activities with school tours ranging from 3rd graders to high school art students throughout my internship.

The “Make Your Own Profile” exercise has been one of the most fun to create. It is based on Facebook and asks students to think creatively about a portrait of their choice within the American collection. Students use close looking and visual evidence to draw conclusions about the personality and backstory of the subject. Check out some of the examples below:

John Wesley Jarvis, Portrait of a Man, c. 1815-1820, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Mrs. Sheridan Thompson
Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Bather with Cigarette, 1924, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase Fund, Deaccession Funds/City of Dallas (by exchange) in honor of Dr. Steven A. Nash

Pilar Wong: As the McDermott Education Intern for Community Teaching, I work with Go van Gogh®, our art education outreach program. I am currently working on revamping our 5th and 6th grade program titled Picturing American History. The program focuses on artworks in the DMA’s collection that reflect important moments in American history.

Piero Fornasetti, Richard Ginori Porcelain, Le retour (The Return) plate from the "Man in Space" series, designed 1966, porcelain, transfer-printed, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Michael L. Rosenberg

The Return plate from the Man in Space series, Piero Fornasetti, designer, Richard Ginori Porcelain, manufacturer, designed 1966, porcelain, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Michael L. Rosenberg

After discussing the five artworks, students make commemorative plates that capture a modern-day current event or social issue. This activity is based on The Return, a plate from the Man in Space series that commemorates the Space Race between the United States and the former USSR. Check out some of the kids’ responses below:

Projects like these provide valuable contributions to our ongoing educational work at the Museum and remain in use long after our McDermott Interns have left the DMA.

Alexandra Vargo is the McDermott Education Intern for Gallery Teaching and Pilar Wong is the McDermott Education Intern for Community Teaching at the DMA.

Fresh New Faces

Published September 13, 2012 People Closed
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Our Museum offices are abuzz with a group of new McDermott Interns, who began working with our Curatorial and Education Divisions last week. Two new faces who will be blogging with us over the next nine months are Alex Vargo, McDermott Education Intern for Gallery Teaching, and Pilar Wong, McDermott Education Intern for Community Teaching. In addition to the blog, they will also contribute their talent to our docent and tour programs, teacher programs, and Go van Go outreach.

Welcome to the DMA ladies! Why don’t you share with us a bit of your background.

Alex exploring Big Bend National Park

Pilar on the Mediterranean coast in Split, Croatia

Alex: I graduated in 2011 from Oberlin College in Ohio, where I studied Art History. I’m originally from a suburb of Philadelphia, where, in high school, I rowed out of boathouse row by the art museum and, yes, ran the famous Rocky steps. After college, I returned to Philly, where I worked in the Family Programs Departments of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Barnes Foundation. Before this internship, I had never been to Dallas, but I’m not totally new to Texas. I had been living in Marfa since February working at the Chinati Foundation. This is my first time living in a Texas city and I’m excited to explore more of the state!

Pilar: I was raised throughout the beautiful southwest in New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado—Texas is the farthest east I’ve ever lived! I received my BA from Stanford University in Comparative Studies of Race and Ethnicity with a minor in Education. During my time at Stanford, I worked at the Cantor Arts Center which hosts the 2nd largest collection of Rodin sculptures in the world! After moving to Dallas, I volunteered at the Dallas Holocaust Museum and worked at the Dallas Heritage Village.

Now that you’ve been introduced to our collection, which artwork would be your BFF and why?

Alex: Donald Judd’s Untitled (1988). Coming from Marfa, where Judd lived and worked when he wasn’t in New York, I feel like we are old friends.

Pilar: I absolutely love Maurice de Vlaminck’s Bougival.  The vivid colors make me smile every time I see it, but the depth of the painting ensures that I would never get tired of seeing it day after day and imagining myself in the landscape.

If you could spend the night in one of our galleries, which one would you choose?

Alex: If I could spend the night in a gallery and I could touch the works of art, I would love to be on level 4 in the Form/Unformed: Design from 1960 to the Present show. The Fernando and Humberto Campana Banquete Chair with Pandas calls to me!

Pilar: I would definitely want to spend the night on level 4 with American Decorative Arts so I could test out the fantastic four-poster bed from the 1840’s!

What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten?

Alex: Tripe. I love pho!

Pilar: I attended the State Fair of Texas last year and tried several deep fried treats including bubblegum, lemonade, beer, cheese curds, and pickles. I’m looking forward to this year’s offerings!

You might see these lovely ladies around the next time you visit the Museum or one of our programs, so be sure to give them a warm Texas welcome!

Artworks shown:

  • Donald Judd, Untitled, 1988, Dallas Museum of Art, Museum League Purchase Fund, General Acquisitions Fund, H. Harold Wineburgh Fund and gift of an anonymous donor
  • Maurice de Vlaminck, Bougival, c. 1905, Dallas Museum of Art, The Wendy and Emery Reves Collection
  • Fernando Campana and Humberto Campana, Banquete chair with pandas, designed 2006, Dallas Museum of Art, DMA/amfAR Benefit
  • Crawford Riddell, Bed, c. 1844, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of three anonymous donors, Friends of the Decorative Arts Fund, General Acquisitions Fund, Discretionary Decorative Arts Fund, and the Boshell Family Foundation

Sarah Coffey
Assistant to the Chair of Learning Initiatives

Intern Project: Introduction to Me & My World

Published January 11, 2012 Art & Teaching 4 Comments
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Me & My World is an hour-long education program for first graders. We offer it as a docent-guided tour as well as a Go van Gogh classroom experience. Both programs introduce students to artwork in our collection with:

Both programs give the first-graders an opportunity to create artwork to take home with them at the end of the museum visit or school day. The overall goal is to assist the students in looking carefully at various works of art and making personal connections to them.  Because the settings are different (Museum galleries vs. school classroom) the experiences with works of art vary. Here is an example for Mary Cassatt’s Sleepy Baby from Go van Gogh:

Sleepy Baby, Mary Cassatt c. 1910, pastel on paper, Dallas Museum of Art, Munger Fund

Clues: a piece of a pink blanket, a pacifier, and the arm gesture of rocking a baby

After a conversation about the mother and baby (“Have you ever held a baby? Do you have a baby brother or sister at home? Have you ever sat on someone’s lap? How did it feel?”) a brief poem is read aloud to the class:

Human Pillow
By Sondra Falck

A sleepy head lay yawning,
Quietly on my chest,
His little legs were tired,
Needing a bit of rest.

Little boy, face filled with dreams,
Of all he planned to do,
Games to play and trees to climb,
Before this day was through.

 Busy dreamer, sound asleep,
Had to find the softest lap,
To be his human pillow,
So he could take a nap.

As a class, we discuss connections between the poem and the work of art. Then, we create a poem of our own, by asking the students to finish the sentence “Babies are ___”. When completed, it will look something like this: 

Babies are _soft_.
Babies are ­­­_sweet_.
Babies are _loud_.
Babies are _smelly_.
Babies are _squishy_.
Babies are _sleepy_.

Here is an example of Romare Beardon’s Soul Three from the Docent Tour:

Soul Three, Romare Bearden, 1968, paper and fabric collage on board, Dallas Museum of Art, General Acquisitions Fund and Roberta Coke Camp Fund

Soul Three, Romare Bearden, 1968, paper and fabric collage on board, Dallas Museum of Art, General Acquisitions Fund and Roberta Coke Camp Fund

 

Clues: Detail of cloth from the collage, a foot tapping, and a tambourine

There are two themes that can be brought up during this conversation: one highlights what the students see in the painting (patterns, shapes, colors, figures) and the other explores the relationship of the people and the activity that they are participating in.

After this conversation, the students are encouraged to create a story about these three friends by considering the following prompts:

  • Give each of the gentlemen and the lady a name.
  • How did they meet each other?
  • What kind of music do they like to play?
  • Where are they playing their music?
  • Who is listening to them play? Are there other people around?
  • What happens when they stop playing their music?

The activity encourages the students to pose like one of the figures in the work of art and then choose one part of their body to move when the docent claps out a rhythm. Since we love working with children of all ages, we have decided to revise both of the Me &  My World programs as our McDermott Intern Project. We are still in the brainstorming stage, and we would love your help!

What are some of your favorite works of art from the DMA collection to use with young visitors? Has our collection inspired any fun activites that you use with your students? Tell us in the comments!

Jessica Kennedy & Hannah Burney
McDermott Interns for Teaching Programs and Partnerships

Friday Photos: Jumping in Fort Worth Museums

Published December 16, 2011 Friday Photos 4 Comments
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Last Friday, our McDermott Interns took their annual trip to Fort Worth to get acquainted with our neighboring art institutions and explore all the wonderful exhibitions they currently have on view. We enjoyed John Marin at the Carter, Caravaggio at the Kimbell, and said hello to the DMA’s own Diebenkorn at The Modern. It was an exhausting artful day!

Inspired by our previous post and Jumping in Art Museums, we decided to do a little jumping of our own in Fort Worth. Enjoy!

In front of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art

In front of the Kimbell Art Museum

In front of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Sarah Coffey
Assistant to the Chair of Learning Initiatives

The New Kids on the Block

Published September 15, 2011 Museum Insight , People 15 Comments
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No, not the eighties boy band…last week, a group of fresh faces joined DMA staff – the new class of McDermott Interns. I am delighted to introduce you to Hannah Burney, McDermott Intern for Community Teaching, and Jessica Kennedy, McDermott Intern for Gallery Teaching. Hannah received her B.A. in the History of Art and Visual Culture from the University of California in Santa Cruz and completed a year-long internship in the education department at the de Young Museum in San Francisco before coming to the DMA. Jessica holds both an M.A. in History with a concentration in Museum Studies and a B.A. in Art History from the University of Missouri in St. Louis. She also served as Interpretive Assistant in the Educational Media Department at the St. Louis Art Museum.

Hannah Burney, McDermott Intern for Community Teaching

Jessica Kennedy, McDermott Intern for Gallery Teaching

Hannah will work primarily with Go van Gogh and community programs, and Jessica will focus on docent and gallery teaching programs. Both interns will also participate in other areas of our department, such as Programs for Teachers, as well as contribute to DMA Educator Blog. We are so excited to have them with us for the next nine months, and hope that you will have the opportunity to meet and work with them during their time here as well.

Neither of you are Dallas natives. What do you most look forward to about living in Texas?

Hannah: Being a huge fan of food, I am very excited about the famous Texas BBQ, steak, and Tex-Mex. I also look forward to all the cultural experiences Texas has to offer that can’t be found on the West Coast, including the State Fair, a fried foods institution (where, I am told, the “corny dog” was first introduced), and hoedowns, where I hope to partake in two-stepping, line dancing, Texas swing, and the like. But, what I most enjoy about Texas is all the warm and welcoming southern hospitality.

Jessica: The thing that I most look forward to when visiting any new city is discovering local restaurants and cuisine. I love trying food that is unfamiliar to me as well as finding new versions of old favorites. I am especially eager to explore the various types of BBQ and Tex-Mex offerings specific to the DFW area.

How do you spend your free time?

Hannah: I consider myself a bit of a foodie, and love trying new foods or enjoying old favorites. Apart from dining, I love being outdoors: going for a walk, a swim, a hike, kayak trip or adventure of any kind. So, once the weather starts to cooperate, I am looking forward to exploring the Katy Trail. In the meantime, I’ve been very much taking advantage of my new pool, something I never had in San Francisco! If I have a bit of extended free time, traveling is what I most love to do.

Hannah hangs from a zip line in Mexico

Jessica: I enjoy reading, trying new recipes, taking photos (although not as often as I would like), and hanging out with friends and family. Also, I have spent a bit of time traveling around the country to accompany my husband with his lifelong goal of seeing a baseball game played in every major league stadium in America. We have eight down and twenty-three to go!

Jessica and her husband made sure to check Rangers Ballpark off of the list!

Describe your first week at the DMA.

Hannah: The incredibly friendly, patient and endlessly knowledgeable staff have really eased me into my first week. From learning security policies to activity prep procedures, I have had not just  one, but many helpful hands leading the way. Besides getting to know the wonderful staff and learning the nitty-gritties of the position, I have most enjoyed spending time in the galleries exploring the vast comprehensive collection here.

Jessica: Amazing! Everyone on staff has been so welcoming and encouraging. Our schedule was packed full of introductions and training sessions, which seemed daunting at first, but it really showed me just how much the DMA values its employees. Despite the fact that it is very easy for me to get lost in the halls and galleries (my directional skills aren’t that great), in a few short days, I felt completely at home within this Museum!

What aspect(s) of your internship are you most excited to begin?

Hannah: The other interns and I discussed why some of us chose to pursue a path towards education versus curatorial work in the Museum. And we light-heartedly agreed that it was dependent upon whether you are primarily a people person or a book person. As a people person, I am most excited to begin working with the many diverse groups of people both inside and outside of the Museum. I feel very lucky to have the unique opportunity to work with docents, volunteers, students, and teachers throughout the next year.

Jessica: One of the things that I am most excited about is really learning and exploring the DMA’s collection with student groups that come to visit. I love the enthusiasm and imagination that they bring when viewing works of art. I am also looking forward to working with and learning from the wonderful education staff!

Melissa Nelson
Manager of Teaching in the Community

A Foot in the Door

Published October 16, 2010 Curatorial , Education 1 Comment
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2009 - 2010 McDermott Intern Stacie Jackson leads a tour of "The Lens of Impressionism"

 

What do Madeleine Albright, Frank Lloyd Wright, Sylvia Plath, and Conan O’Brien have in common? They all started on their career paths as interns, just as many museum curators and educators do. Internships offer invaluable opportunities to try a potential profession on for size; for those who wish to explore a career in museum work, internships provide a great way to gain firsthand experience and insights.

 

Leticia Salinas, 2009 - 2010 McDermott Intern for Family Experiences, leads a family workshop in the galleries.

 

Over one hundred people have participated in the Dallas Museum of Art’s McDermott Internship program since its inception, including many current DMA staff members as well as colleagues working at other institutions in Dallas, throughout Texas, and across the country. Each year, eight interns work closely with the Museum’s curators and educators on a variety of projects, including doing research for upcoming installations or exhibitions; writing labels, catalogue entries, and other materials; and developing and facilitating programs for Museum visitors of all ages.

The program was founded in honor of Eugene McDermott, who had a passion for learning and the arts, and the interns have the remarkable opportunity to visit with Margaret McDermott to inaugurate their internship year. Our current interns recently had lunch with Mrs. McDermott, and she encouraged them to “work hard, learn a lot, and have fun” during their nine months at the DMA and in Dallas.

Shannon Karol worked with Dr. Roslyn A. Walker, Senior Curator of the Arts of Africa, the Americas, and the Pacific and The Margaret McDermott Curator of African Art, as a McDermott Curatorial Intern in 2005–2006, and she returned to the DMA as Coordinator of Museum Visits in 2007. I asked Shannon about her experience as a McDermott Intern, and she said:

The best part of being a McDermott Intern is that you are truly a member of the DMA staff.  Even though I was a Curatorial Intern, I was able to collaborate with staff members in the Collections and Education departments on projects and installations. I also love the sense of camaraderie that you feel as a McDermott Intern. My fellow interns from that year are still some of my closest friends!

 

Shannon leads a tour of "All the World's a Stage"

 

Logan Acton worked with the Teaching Programs staff last year as a McDermott Education Intern, and he accepted a permanent position as Assistant to the Director of Education this summer. Logan said, “As an intern, I was able to explore the Museum’s collections and share my growing knowledge of them, and particularly my passion for contemporary art, with students and other visitors.” You can read more from Shannon and Logan on the DMA Educator Blog.

 

Logan discusses contemporary art at a Teacher Workshop.

 

Eight new McDermott Interns began their nine-month tenure at the DMA in September, and they will all contribute to Uncrated in the months to come. We look forward to sharing their experiences and insights about life and work at the DMA. You can join the interns, along with other members of the DMA staff, to explore the Museum’s collections and exhibitions during weekly gallery talks on Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m.

 

Welcome to the 2010 - 2011 McDermott Interns!

 

Lisa Kays is the Manager of Adult Programming at the Dallas Museum of Art

Authors

Published August 18, 2010 16 Comments


carolyn_poleroidCarolyn Bess –
Director of Arts & Letters Live

Me and my job in 50 words or less . . .
I oversee Arts & Letters Live, the DMA’s literary and performing arts series, which brings some of the greatest names in contemporary literature and the performing arts to the Museum. We invite our talent to respond to the DMA’s collections and exhibitions in creative ways, by writing new poems or choreographing new dances inspired by art.

Three things about me, but not about my work . . .
I love traveling, reading, quilting, antiquing, and enjoying all the Arts District has to offer.
One of my favorite exhibitions at the DMA was China and Glass in America: From Tabletop to TV Tray because I have a slight obsession with china (my cabinets are full).
My experience at the International Spy Museum in DC indicated that I could have been a spy if I’d chosen a different career path.

Favorite three works in the DMA . . .
It was painful to edit this list, because I have too many favorites to count.
Gerald Murphy, Watch, 1925
Gothic Revival Bedstead
Constantin Brancusi, The Beginning of the World, c. 1920


hillary_poleroidHillary Bober –
Digital Archivist

Me and my job in 50 words or less . . .
I am the museum’s go to girl for all things historical, from 1903 to last year. I know, or can figure out, what was done when, by who, and why. I also work to make the museum’s history publicly accessible online.

Three things about me, but not about my work . . .
I’ve been in Texas now for 6 ½ years.
I have a BA in Anthropology/Archaeology and excavated slag and what may have been a stone floor for 7 weeks on my field school in northwest England.
I make a really good coffee cake.

Favorite three works in the DMA . . .
Morris Louis, Delta Kappa, 1960
Gustave Caillebotte, Yellow Roses in a Vase (Roses jaunes dans un vase), 1882
Robert King (Designer) and Albert C. Roy (Maker), Celestial Centerpiece for the 1964 New York World’s Fair, 1964


sarah_poleroidSarah Coffey –
Education Coordinator for Internships

Me and my job in 50 words or less . . .
I coordinate the Museum’s McDermott Internship Program and help facilitate other internships, ensuring that our interns’ time with us is rewarding and engaging. I also keep stats for our education programming and pitch in on other projects as needed.

Three things about me, but not about my work . . .
I got engaged on the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
I love mid-century modern, abstract expressionism, and Mad Men.
I find print mixing easy, but can never decide which top to wear with black pants.

Favorite three works in the DMA . . .
Eiffel Tower by Robert Delaunay, 1924
Untitled (3/00), III by Charline Von Heyl, 2000
Ocean Park No. 29, Richard Diebenkorn, 1970

Katie Cooke –
Manager of Adult Programs

Me and my job in 50 words or less . . .
My job is to make sure adult audiences are having an engaging and fun experience at the museum during Second Thursdays with a Twist, Adult Workshops and Partner Programs. My days consist of booking performers, researching for tours, brainstorming activities, working with local artists and much more.

Three things about me, but not about my work . . .
I am obsessed with corgis, but I don’t have one…yet. I have a running list of about 25 podcasts I listen to regularly, the addiction does not seem to be slowing down. A dream of mine is to visit every National Park in the United States

Favorite three works in the DMA . . .
College of Animals by Cornelis Saftleven
Balinese Head by Miguel Covarrubias
Panel with Feline Figures from Wari (Huari) provincial

 

Jessie Frazier –
Manager of Adult Programs
Jessieu

Me and my job in 50 words or less . . .
I manage talks, tours, and film programs for adult visitors. I get to connect with scholars, artists, writers, podcasters, and other wonderful people who visit to speak about DMA collections and special exhibitions. It’s the dream job for a lifelong learner like me.

Three things about me, but not about my work . . .
I’m a huge foodie. I love to cook, I used to bake professionally, and I am fascinated by food history. One day I hope to do a little food writing.
I have a basset hound named Jenny (after Forrest Gump)
My favorite books are Orson Scott Card’s Ender series. I’ve read them several times.

Favorite three works in the DMA . . .
Mask with seal or sea otter spirit, late 19th century
Yellow Roses in a Vase by Gustave Caillebotte, 1882
All of the utensils in the American silver collection

 

Leah Hansonleah_poleroid –
Director of Family, Youth, and School Programs

Me and my job in 50 words or less . . .
Most days, you are likely to find me sitting on the floor in the museum galleries surrounded by babies, toddlers and preschoolers. I play many games of “I Spy” with works of art, read pictures books, and encourage mini dance parties, all to help young children have fun exploring art.

Three things about me, but not about my work . . .
I’ve hiked the Inca trail to Manchu Picchu.
I play the piano and the viola and pretend to play the guitar.
Organizing things makes me happy (and ridiculously nerdy, I suppose).

Favorite three works in the DMA . . .
Ivy in Flower, Henri Matisse
The outside of inside, Olafur Eliasson
Window with Starfish (“Spring”) and Window with Sea Anemone (“Summer”), Louis Comfort Tiffany


harden_poleroidJessica Harden –
Director of Design and Content Strategy

Me and my job in 50 words or less . . .
Let’s see . . . Exhibition design is a little hard to explain. I don’t just design spaces, although this is a huge part of what I do; I design experiences. It’s part architecture, part interior design, part furniture designer, part creative development, part project management, part research, part interpretation, part imagineer.

Three things about me, but not about my work . . .
I’m a Texan, born and bred. My family has lived here since it was the Republic of Texas. I’ve lived in a lot of different places, but Texas will always be my home.
I am a yogini. Most of my time outside of work is spent practicing, studying, and loving yoga. I’ve been practicing on and off for almost 12 years now. I am even planning on getting certified to teach in the very near future.
I refuse to be put into a box, and I am chock full of contradictions. I’m a country girl that loves living in the city. I’m a hometown pageant queen that loves getting her hands dirty. I’m 5’10 and drive a smartcar.

Favorite three works in the DMA . . .
Traction Splint by Charles and Ray Eames
To think that the ubiquitous forms of bent plywood modern furniture started with the resolve and determination to figure out how to fabricate a lightweight and durable splint for the US Navy . . .
Ocean Park No.29 by Richard Diebenkorn
Maybe it is the ordered geometric divisions that create its composition, maybe it is the painterly quality of the artist’s hand, perhaps it is the potency of its fields of color, or the subtleness of the hues within them, whatever it is, it takes my breath away every time.
Un Ballo in Maschera by Yinka Shonibare
There are so many components and complexities to this work of art that you start to wonder what is so special about a painting.

 

stacey_poleroidStacey Lizotte –
DMA League Director of Adult Programs

Me and my job in 50 words or less . . .
I oversee and help create the adult programming at the Museum including Late Nights, Thursday Night Live, lectures, gallery programs, concerts, and programs offered in partnership with other community organizations. I also work with our Multimedia staff to make sure any programs requiring technical support go off without a hitch.

Three things about me, but not about my work . . .
I’m short.
My favorite band is The Cure.
My favorite book is Pride & Prejudice.

Favorite three works in the DMA . . .
Untitled (Perfect Lovers) by Félix González-Torres
The Singer by Thomas Wilmer Dewing
Bacchic Concert by Pietro Paolini


martha_poleroidMartha MacLeod –
Senior Curatorial Administrator for the Curatorial Department and Curatorial Assistant European and American Art Department

Me and my job in 50 words or less . . .
My job has two hats.  When I wear the Curatorial Assistant one, I support the European and American Art Curators with exhibitions, acquisitions and research.  When I put on my Senior Curatorial Administrator hat, I coordinate all aspects of collaboration between the Curatorial department and the other museum departments as well as with the trustees and colleagues at other museums.

Three things about me, but not about my work . . .
I am a terrible cook, in fact I can only make five things, two of which are coffee and scrambled eggs.
The first car I bought had a manual transmission, the salesman had to teach me how to drive it before I could take it home.
I am distantly related to Angus “Giant” MacAskill, who is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as one of the tallest men known to live.

Favorite three works in the DMA . . .
Silence by Antoine-Augustin Préault
Self-Portrait of the Artist and his Family in his Studio by Paul Claude-Michel Carpentier
Study for “The Spanish Dancer” by John Singer Sargent

skye_poleroidSkye Olson –
Exhibition Designer

Me and my job in 50 words or less . . .
I work collaboratively to realize a vision from an abstract concept to a physically compelling experience. On any given day, you might find me building 3D models my hand, designing casework on 3D software, or happily immersed in paint swatches and fabric samples.

Three things about me, but not about my work . . .
I love to listen to design podcasts, practice yoga, and my favorite film is Paris, Texas

Favorite three works in the DMA . . .
Anne Truitt, Come Unto These Yellow Sands II
Robert Irwin, Untitled
And I am in love with all of the African textiles in our collection. The Egungun on display in particular because it has a life of its own, it becomes animated with dance and is meant to be experienced in motion.

From Student to Staff

Published March 16, 2010 Art & Teaching , Community Connection , Museum Insight , People Closed
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I began my relationship with the Dallas Museum of Art when I was an AP art student at Frisco High School and visited the Museum with my class.  Although I spent at least three hours a day in art classes during my senior year, the Museum felt like it was a world apart from my own, much further than the half hour drive from my school. After graduating from Frisco High, I earned a scholarship to the University of Texas at Dallas where I was accepted into Collegium V, the honors program there. In addition to the courses available on campus, each spring UT Dallas and the Dallas Museum of Art collaborate to offer an innovative honors seminar that takes place at the Museum.

Me in 1717 during the honors seminar exploring the senses

I signed up for the partnership class in the spring of my freshman year,  a course devoted to the Maya, and I fell in love with the Museum. I took the class again the following year, studying modernism, then once more the next spring, studying the process of creativity. Although I had graduated with my Bachelor´s degree in Art & Performance by the time my fourth year arrived, I was able to participate as a graduate student auditing the course, this time about the senses in art and literature. As my scholarship program drew to a close, I learned that the Museum offers eight McDermott internships: four in the Curatorial Department and four in Education. I knew I loved art, I knew I loved sharing the things I was passionate about with others, so I applied to work at the Museum doing just that. Not long after, I found myself walking through the Museum’s doors as the McDermott Teaching Programs Intern.

Me leading discussion during a teacher workshop about contemporary art

Not only have I been afforded the great opportunity to participate in teacher workshops and docent training as well as leading tour groups of all ages, but I have found myself on the other side of the table in the spring honors seminar. My experiences as a high school, undergraduate, and graduate student have shaped the way I see the Museum and the educational opportunities it provides, especially the way we interact with visitors. As someone who has witnessed it firsthand, I know that transformative experiences with art in the Museum are possible. My goal as a museum educator is not to impart a specific set of facts to a group of students, but rather to spark each student’s sense of wonder and provide them a starting point for whatever journey their imagination takes.

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O'Keeffe may be her name, but this artist's work has been long eclipsed by that of her famous sister. Now #IdaOKeeffe's distinct creative identity is getting the spotlight it deserves in "Ida O'Keeffe: Escaping Georgia's Shadow". Opening TODAY, discover uA remarkable performance by @dallasblackdance in our American Art Gallery with choreography inspired by artist Dorothy Austin’s “Slow Shuffle”. See more #DMANights highlights in our story! . . #MyDMA #DallasMuseumofArt #AmericanArt #Dance #DancePerformanc
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