What draws you to museum work? What’s exciting about it? What's fulfilling?
Every day at the museum is a day of learning. Just this week, for example, I had the privilege of touring our Congresswoman Susan Bonamici and her team through the museum. In addition to speaking with her about critical issues facing our country and discussing our museum’s history and vision, I was able to spend time with two of our esteemed curators who provided new insights into the art. It was like being back in college!
My colleagues who work in the museum field are extremely knowledgeable as well as passionate about art. Working beside them, as well as artists and objects from throughout time and place, is one of the most fulfilling professions one could ever have imagined. Ultimately, I have come to believe that art museums are absolutely essential to our communities, and being part of an institution that is so consequential is tremendously rewarding.
How did your career unfold?
I always loved artmaking, having taken art classes my whole life—from elementary school to college with Mark Wethli at º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ to working with master painter Frank Mason at the Art Students League in New York after college. Additionally, my interest in numbers and systems led me to becoming an economics major at º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ.
What triggered my interest in museum work was reading MOMA’s Chief Curator Kirk Varnedoe's A Fine Disregard (1990), where he wrote about art and rugby. Having had the fortunate opportunity to meet Kirk, who was also a rugby player, in person, and since I was a º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ rugby player—a sport I continued to play in Portland, Maine, and the New York City metropolitan area for a number of years after college—I was hooked and inspired.
Furthering my resolve was my first museum position at the Newark Museum of Art, where I was the assistant to the director, Mary Sue Sweeney Price. She is a remarkable person, whom I admire greatly. I wanted to have a life like hers, doing something of significance for the city and community. After Newark, I held positions at the University of Chicago’s Smart Museum of Art, the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma, before I accepted this position in 2006.
What made you shift from studying economics at º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ to the world of art? Do you use your training as an economist in your work in any way today?
Economics helped me make sense of complex systems and behaviors. It appealed to my sense of order. º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ expanded my vision and world by encouraging me to not only pursue economics, but also to further my interests in the arts. My economics professor Myrick Freeman also provided insight into how economics could be an invaluable and versatile resource and applied to a number of societal questions and issues, including the environment as well as the arts. Today, my job weds art and economics daily in a myriad of ways—from opportunity cost analysis, where I am continually evaluating the use of finite resources of time and money, to defining and measuring institutional metrics.
What brought you to º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ? What was your experience at the College like?
I first visited the campus as a high school senior in early January. It was frigid, snowy, and desolate. The campus had a beauty and peacefulness to it that was unlike any other place I had visited. Meeting the people gave it warmth. I was fortunate that day to spend time with lacrosse coach Mort LaPointe, Mike Makin ’87, and Phil Soule, who gave me a ride to the Portland airport after I realized I could not just hail a cab to get there from Brunswick.
Upon my return to New Jersey, I knew immediately this is where I wanted to be. The natural beauty combined with the academic rigor and the people made it feel like I was destined to be in Brunswick.
My experience at the College was beyond my expectations. My classmates and professors were deeply committed to the College’s guiding principle of the “common good,” and it enveloped me—from academic studies to athletics to socializing. The common good eventually led me to my chosen career path.
What inspires you?
Artists and original works of art inspire me. Spending time with them expands my thinking, vision, and world, allowing me to see new perspectives and meanings. I am also inspired by the interconnectedness of the arts and the natural world, which is grounding.
Is there something about the work you do that others would find surprising?
This year, our museum, in partnership with SITE Santa Fe, was selected by the State Department to represent the United States at the 60th Venice Biennale, which is often considered the “Olympics of the art world.” It is a tremendous honor, especially since we are presenting the work of Jeffrey Gibson, one of the foremost contemporary interdisciplinary artists working today. Gibson, a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and of Cherokee descent, will create a dynamic visual language that reflects the inherent diversity and hybridity of American culture. Our museum's selection to exhibit Gibson to represent the United States marks the first solo presentation of an Indigenous artist for the US Pavilion and is an extension of our museum's vision to actively present contemporary Native American and Indigenous art, sharing its creativity, vitality, and excitement.
Is there something about YOU that others might find surprising?
I am a medievalist, having done my graduate work in art history on Byzantine and Italian art.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Spending time with my wife and two daughters, riding my mountain bike to experience the natural beauty of Oregon, watching rugby and lacrosse games, and seeing my º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ classmates when I am able.
Favorite º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ memory? Or the best thing you learned at º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ?
My favorite memories were the varying experiences that I could experience in one day—from taking art classes, followed by lacrosse or rugby practice or a game, followed by having lobster along the coast with my friends! The best thing I learned at º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ was to be curious and inclusive.
This story first appeared in the Summer 2024 issue of º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ Magazine. Manage your subscription and see other stories from the magazine on the º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ Magazine website.
