Because it's just Tuesday

Couples call it "Valentines Day" but for us single people, today is just Tuesday and I spent it like this:

I went to a training session on a teaching method called VTS (Visual Training Strategies), which they are teaching the docents to use during their tours. It focuses on asking the viewers questions in order to lead them to their own conclusions about the artwork and keeps the docents from lecturing about the work. I love it. Anyway today was just an opportunity for the docents to practice and ask Jane a bunch of questions. It was fascinating-the docents had a really interesting discussion about the whole method and things that go well when they use and don't go well.

Then I went to the curation budget meeting, which was also really interesting. The amount of things that need to come together harmoniously in order for a museum exhibition to be successful is staggering. There was a 20 minute discussion about lightbulbs because they just spent $2,000 but they don't have any low-watt bulbs for the upcoming print show. It was intense.

Through all of this I took 3 pages of notes and proceeded to spend the last hour of my day peppering Jane with questions and we had an awesome discussion about everything. I am learning so much here it is mind boggling.

(This post is a bit wimpy-my apologies, it was a long day and I am feeling excessively distracted so I think I'm leaving out pretty much all details and am going to watch a movie now)

Getting out of Manchvegas

This past weekend I went to visit the brother and his girlfriend in Quincy (40 min south of Boston). To get there I drove 20 minutes to a bus station in North Londonderry and took the Boston Express bus to South Station in Boston, then I took the T (subway) to Quincy. This whole process only takes 2 hours and looks more arduous written out than it really is in practice. The drive is easy (a rarity out here) and the bus is fun because I like to make friends (aka chat up strangers) and this time was no exception.

I was sitting at the station reading and waiting for the bus when a guy asked me if the bus had come yet. When I told him it hadn't and that I too was waiting for it (a lot of busses leave from and come from that station) he told me he had never been to New Hampshire and was just up for an interview. This then aloud me to exercise my small amount of knowledge about this fine state and the Boston Express. When we got on the bus we sat across the aisle from each other and pulled out our books to read quietly. This plan was thwarted by a group of 4 girls (or women I suppose is the better description as one of them was 50 "I'm half a century so I know a thing or two") cackling and gabbing about babies/raising kids/things I don't want to listen to. Although to be fair there is no subject I would have liked to listen to them chatter about. I wanted to read dammit. I did attempt it for about 20 minutes, but gave up in a huff (passive-aggressive to a fault). At that point I turned my head to send them a scathing look (I'm telling you-passive aggressive) the guy was looking at me and we shared a look of annoyance/I can't believe these rude-ass people talking on a bus in which every one has turned off their light to be quiet. Anyway the hour passed and I got the hell off that bus and trekked to the T successfully.

I got into Eric's around 9pm and we hung out a bit then went to bed. Laura had to work until 2am so she slept in late the next morning and Eric slept till 8am, but I am a morning person so I got up at 6.30am. You know I usually say at this point that I can't help waking up so early, but it's more that when I wake up and know it is after 6am I can't stand laying in bed anymore. I feel unproductive and bored so I just get up. Anyway it was lovely. I took my blankets out into the living room and wrote the last post on this blog and caught up on emails and read my book.

After Eric and Laura were up we watched some HGTV, drank coffee and then went to a sports bar close by so they could watch the Marquette basketball game. Getting the waitress to find the right station on the tv was a whole kind of fiasco and when she finally got it, the screen was all pixelated and unwatchable. It took another 20 min to get her back to change the station to non-HD. It was ridiculous. After that we hopped on T into Boston to get dinner in a part of Cambridge called Davis Square. Unfortunately the 3 restaurants we tried each had a wait of over an hour, which would be fine if the bars were full because we just could have gotten a drink to wait. We ended up staying at the last place since you could eat at the bar so we staked out seats. It was an awesome restaurant. Actually it's a restaurant/bowling alley. But New England bowling is this bizarre game where the pins are a lot lighter and are kind of like blunt cylinders. The ball is weird too, it's small and heavy, like a bochi-ball. Anyway it was a pizza place that would fit perfectly in Madison - they use only locally grown ingredients and serve only locally brewed beers. I had a really good beer and the pizza was amazing! So fun.

Then we went back, watched a movie and went to bed. The next day we just bummed around until I let at 2pm. A nice relaxing weekend.

The Week of Meetings

The reason I have not written at all this week until now is simple, I was given a link to watch the newest season of Sherlock and I started catching up on Dexter. Essentially I allowed both shows consume all of my free waking hours and didn't have any time to blog/do anything productive. It was worth it.

So now to catch up on my happenings this week. I went to a whole bunch of meetings and am beginning to get a sense of how the different departments co-mingle. More specifically I have observed the general disconnect between the curatorial staff and everyone else. This is most pronounced between curation and public programming - and I'm working with both. Makes for some awkward times. The problem as I see it with my limited 2 week experience is this: curators are thinking primarily (only) about building a highly focused collection of art full of perfect examples of historic periods by relevant artists and public programs wants a collection of artworks that lend themselves to interpretation and greater audience appreciation. Of course they want famous artists and works represented, but it is because it's easier to hook young audiences/non-art people with big names/items they recognize. The problem lies in the fact that the curators don't ever take into account the value a visitor will get from the art, whether it is in regards to a piece they want to buy, an exhibit they install or visiting artist installation. In the 3 meetings that lasted 2+ hours each that I attended this week, the curators put together beautiful (I mean immaculate, gorgeously worded) presentations. Everyone is nodding along and appreciating the work they do and then a question is asked about visitors experiencing the art and they are brought up short. They have no prepared responses, they stumble, mumble and pull themselves together enough to pull out a poised/intellegent answer that has nothing to do with the question and the meeting continues. It's like they never even considered how the public would react/understand/interact with the art.

When I observed this to the public programs department at lunch (seriously these women are the most wonderful 4 people I have met here), they affirmed that this is the key problem that they deal with every day. I quite honestly am in shock and feel very disappointed. How could you have the power of the curator to build a collection of art and never take into serious account what it will communicate to people???? That is the whole POINT for goodness sake! Why else do we put art in museums if not to learn and enrich our lives and show people that you don't need to know a thing to interact with/appreciate/talk about art??? That art can change the way you see the world and yourself if only you would take a moment to really LOOK at it and get over this concept of "not understanding art". You have eyes - look at it, think about it, make observations and can come to understand it in your own way.

Sidenote: all of that being said, I do sympathize with the curators for one reason. Although I have loved looking at art all my life, it was art history classes that brought that appreciation to a level of bliss at going to art museums. So I get it when they are after this idea that only the educated masses will enjoy the art and they don't need to provide those people with anything to help them interpret the art, making public programs irrelevant. But really I think they should look at it like they have these educated people already in the bag as an audience (I hardly need any encouragement to go to a museum), so they should be trying to get MORE people to come in that wouldn't necessarily think they like art.

This difference in outlooks between departments is also visible in my encounters with my supervisors from each department. When I ask Jane (public programs) questions, whether it is about the work I'm doing or about art history or the museum, she anticipates where I'm going or what I'm really trying to ask and we have hour long discussions about fascinating things. She is wicked smart. But when I ask Nina (curation) questions about the work I'm doing or her job I get really short answers and I feel confused when I leave. Therefore I'm not enjoying the work I'm doing for her as much because I don't really know if I have it right and she is so particular about wording that I am terrified to get back the piece I just wrote for her. It's almost like the curators are too far removed from the everyday experience of non-art historians in museums and they don't take the time to relate/observe them, leaving them not taking into account this point of view at all. I know that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but I'm working it out still.

Anyway, onto other things as I didn't just sit in meetings all week. I've been researching my brains out and it has been wonderful. I finally finished reading everything the museum has on a contemporary piece by Marisol called "The Family" and wrote up a brief explanation of it/her life to go online for visitors. This is what I turned into Nina to review. I also got to show off my wicked awesome photocopy skills when a different curator gave me this ridiculous project.

Ok so he tells me wants me to find all the articles/essays listed in this artist's bibliography (Eric Aho - look him up he does gorgeous landscapes http://ericaho.com/). We are talking 30+ things here and I already have 7 projects I'm working on. But he tells me I don't need all of them exactly just the good ones. Right because I'm supposed to what, skim read all of these (assuming I can even find them online) and find the good ones?? And what makes a good one? I am sure our definitions of that are different. He then gives me a foot high stack of haphazardly stacked exhibition catalogues/papers/folders saying it is what the artist sent him so maybe a bunch of it is in there. (Sidenote: this is EXACTLY what I am talking about - curators don't know how to communicate). So I go back to my desk and loving a good challenge/chance to prove I am an organization master, dig into the mess before me. Within 2 hours I have a finished/given up on finding anything more. About 11 articles/essays were in the mess and nothing I found online was accessible for free. So I categorize the ones I have, binder clip them with a list of what is included, restack all the stuff neatly and give it back to the curator. Fun project.

Also this week I met the docent staff and am very thankful for my time at Ten Chimneys working with those docents. It has prepared me for these docents, who are equally particular and fussy about details and I kind of love it. It's a constant challenge to work with all of the unique personalities and address their needs (when reasonable). You are never bored when you manage a volunteer docent staff.

There you are, all caught up on my week. See I needed to veg out to Dexter/Sherlock when I got home because those meetings were tense and I had curators needing things done. I will not get so severely behind again, although it has been nice to sit here in Eric's apartment (visiting the brother this weekend) watching the snow fall on Quincy, curled up in a blanket and writing this blog :)

First Weekend

This was my first official weekend here alone in Manchester and this is what I did.

Saturday: I woke up early and went grocery shopping hoping to avoid any and all superbowl craziness. Although I beat the rush - everyone I did see at the store was wearing Patriots gear. That is one committed fan base. Then I stopped back at home, showered and went to find a post office and wander around Manchester. Finding the post office was a 20 minute affair (who puts a post office on the ground floor of a sky scraper office building with only one side outside that says "Post Office Entrance to the left" and there are 10 doors to the left. Jesus). Then I walked the length of the main street and all there is to see are a bunch of restaurants, Dunkin' Donuts (3 within a 2 mile block), cafes and that's it. Not a store in site. It's kind of like Water St in Milwaukee. Very industrial. Anyway I then went to brunch at a cute little cafe near the museum. It was delightful; I sat at the counter in the window and pretended to read, but actually listened in to everyone's conversations because I love the accent here. Then I went to the museum as an actual visitor since I haven't been able to even see the art yet. After a few hours of wandering and sketching and journaling I sat in the cafe and read Game of Thrones while sipping a latte. Now just to prove that NH is basically WI, as I was reading I was interrupted by a married couple in order to compare Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings. So fun. Then I came home and had a Dexter watching marathon.

Sunday: my supervisor Jane (seriously want to be her) invited me to Portsmouth (about an hour west of Manchester right on the coast) for brunch. We went to this delightfully hipster place. Seriously all the waiters were hipster guys in cardigans, page boy hats and mustaches - honestly. But the food was AMAZING. Then she showed me around Portsmouth. It was beautiful; it's all brick buildings, cobblestones, boutiques, good food. Think Madison but really clean and not over run with students. Very nice. Then I came home and have been catching up on stuff.

Twas a fine weekend indeed. I do wish my wonderful friends could be here to part-take in my adventures, but alas they have real lives and jobs and school and husbands. One day I will come back here with all of you and you will love it because New England is just about the cutest area of the country.

My Roommate

To begin, my roommate aka the woman (in her late 30's I'd say) who's house I am living in, is wonderful. She is really nice and super accommodating and on I could go on, but I won't. But she is only human so she has some weird/awkward tendencies, which I will share now in a bulleted list:

-If I don't make it downstairs before she leaves she dumps out the coffee and asks me why I didn't want coffee when she sees me at night. Um I did but you jumped the gun lady! Let that thing just sit on the warmer - I don't waste coffee, trust me.

-She made dinner for her boyfriend the other night and while she was making it she invited me to watch a movie with them if I wanted. Yeah I passed on that.

-She has a whole room decorated in clown paraphernalia. It is friggin weird. I will upload pictures soon.

That's actually all I can think of - see she is pretty awesome.

Manchvegas

Today I found out that natives call Manchester, a variety of names including Manch-cha-cha, Manch, and Manchvegas. The last one apparently originates from the fact the bars here used to have video slot machines at each bar seat. Also there is apparently a bar nearby the museum that has a Manchvegas mural in the bathroom. I'm so happy that I live here :)

I learn fun things like this over lunch, which I have with most of the museum staff. I tell them stuff about Wisconsin, they look surprised. Then they tell me awesome things about Manchester/New England in their lovely accents. It is just one part of my day that I love. The rest of it I literally spend researching art history. Right now I'm simultaneously working on three projects:

1. Researching everything about a new painting on loan (I have a book on my desk called "Copper as Canvas: two centuries of masterpieces painted on copper"), create a handout for the docents and teach the docents how to present it to the public.

2. Research 12 paintings the museum wants to deaccession (i.e. get rid of) - I need to find out their value, who would want them, if we are legally allowed to get ride of them.

3. Research 4 contemporary art pieces in the museum and then right a 300 word bit on each one to go online. So if you go to the website and look up the work BAM there is my explanation of it!

So I'm plenty busy and spend hours in the registrar's office reading all documentation on artworks. It is fascinating and I can't believe it is my actual life.

Introductions

This is what happens when I am introduced to someone (about 10+ a day):

1. My supervisor, Jane, says, "This is my intern Aimie. She is from Wisconsin!"

2. Response of random person we will refer to as Pam, "Oh my gawd! Where in Wisconsin are you from?" (eyes have bugged out a little at this point).

3. At this point I use my hand as the map of Wisconsin and point out where Waukesha is, talk about Milwaukee and try to make sense of the fact that although UWSP is called University of Wisconsin, it isn't just a satellite campus of Madison. What I neglect to do is tell people that Wisconsin is shapped like a hand, which I don't think is common knowledge. I gather this from the look of confusion as to why I was pointing at my hand today. Oops.

4. Pam, "Wow, and where are living?"

5. Me, "Across the river in a house with this woman I found on Craigslist"

6. Pam, "HA! What?! Really?" (at this point I can practically hear the whir of their brains as they collect this information later to relay in a story to someone else)

7. Me, "Yeah it's actually totally fine, she is really nice"

It is hilarious and goes the same way every time. I can tell I am this strange anomaly running around their museum. This is due largely to the fact that Manchester is NOT a happening place that would ordinarily draw a Wisconsin bumpkin across the country in a Buick. Instead it's more like the east coast's version of Wisconsin, ironically enough. I love it just the same. My need for adventure and itch to explore new places is being satiated in a way it hasn't for the past 3 years (since London).