This past week Sarah started her job in the education department at Albany Institute of History & Art (AIHA)—we are thrilled, since it brings her back to her original course of study. A talented artist, she is also great with kids—so hopefully this is the beginning of a positive experience for her.
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| Erastus Dow Palmer sculpture exhibition at Albany Institute of History & Art. Photo by Jeremy Clowe. |
Founded in 1791, AIHA is one of the oldest museums in the nation. Its holdings are said to form the best collection in the United States documenting the life and culture of the Upper Hudson Valley region from the late seventeenth century to the present day. It's a beautiful building and intriguing collection—my favorite are the works by Nineteenth-Century American sculptor, Erastus Dow Palmer (1817-1904); a grand, cascading stairwell in the museum frames an elegant grouping figures created by the artist, who lived for many years in the Albany area. In addition, there are a considerable number of works by contemporary artists. Last week we attended an evening lecture, where many of the exhibited artists spoke about their work—it was an interesting talk, which struck me as slightly different in tone from those offered at my museum, which focuses on art of a more narrative nature.
Things have been busy at Norman Rockwell Museum as well. We recently announced a major gift from the Famous Artists School, one of the largest art correspondence courses of the twentieth century. Norman Rockwell was one of the featured instructors for the program, which was in business from the late 1940s through my childhood (I remember their "We're Looking For People Who Like To Draw" ads on the back of my comic books). The donation nearly doubles our collection, with more than 5,000 un-catalogued artworks, including several original works created by Rockwell, plus an archive of hundreds of thousands of items. This past week I coordinated a visit for a major press contact, which hopefully will result in great exposure for the Museum and our mission.
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| From The Dean & DeLuca Sketchbook, Lynn Pauley, 2001. All rights reserved. |
Actually, the day after my pilgrimage to B&H Photo in New York City (where I picked up our new items), I was already putting the video equipment to good use. I set up and captured an interview with Lynn Pauley, an illustrator known particularly for her reportage-style work. The camera picture looked wonderful, and Pauley proved to be a interesting subject—I enjoyed her sense of humor and learning more about her work, which held an constant, energetic line quality.
Some promising new opportunities ahead for me and Sarah. I'm looking forward to taking it to the next level.
Related Links:
"Famous Artists School archives donated to museum," Westport News, March 2, 2014
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