Werking it

In February this year I managed to get a job and cement myself as a transatlantic museum professional. However, so far all I've managed to do is tell you in Facebook updates that I have gained a new job, but never showed you what. As I approach the week where I say farewell to one job and usher in a new, it felt like the perfect time to do some explaining, along with some adorable photos.

Museum of the Moving Image
This was the job that started it all and was comfortable especially because of its similarity to the BME. Where one was about the music industry, the other is about the movie industry, one has a workshop called Behind the Scenes the other an exhibition called Behind the Screens. It's a fantastic collection that looks at the history of the industry and explores the different jobs that make it up. Sessions and workshops include screenings of classics by the likes of Charlie Chaplin with discussions and movie making 101. It was a great place to get started although it is definitely time to move on. What I'll miss most is gossiping with colleagues in the morning.

Brooklyn Museum 
My next stop is the Brooklyn Museum where I will be the instructor for a program called Meet the Museum for children aged 2-4. This is quite a change for me as it includes art teaching which I've never really done before. I don't have an Art History background so this is a further challenge. However I must be doing something right as the lesson plan I presented at my interview is the first lesson I delivered this week! Below is my colleague Kristin teaching the morning session at the painting I selected by Alma W. Thomas titled Wind, Sunshine and Flowers. We explored colours with a matching game and I taught the children the 'I can sing a rainbow song' (definite learning curve as this song doesn't exist out here). Later we made prints using bubble wrap to mimic the style employed by Thomas. This is more or less the format of all the lessons which I'll have to design on a monthly basis.

New York Historical Society
This job I got back in June, here I run their Little New-Yorkers program for children aged 3-5. The aim is teaching little ones about New York through different themes. We read storybooks that have a link to NYC and then make a craft project based on the overall theme that the book falls into (i.e. Halloween, Spring) or that links in directly to the book. Check out my 3 favourite examples below. This job really keeps me on my toes as I have to create a program on a weekly basis. The best part about this is that there was wiggle room for improvement which will allow me to leave my mark. My plan is to move these sessions into the galleries and add in more art based activities that explore different art processes, all to the delight of my boss. First session will be in November where I'm taking on the meteoric task of explaining Cubism to toddlers...

Exploring Long Island

Last weekend we continued on our exploring and ventured into yet another borough of New York, our aim is to get all the five boroughs. So far we've done the obvious, Manhattan, Brooklyn and even Queens. At the weekend we ventured into Long Island (which technically Brooklyn and Queens are part of, and it's not a New York borough...). There's actually not much there, but Hipster Dufus was responding to the call of the MoMA outpost, PS1. As is the case with him he'd done his research on where to eat, what cafe's to stop at and which shops were worth popping into. We found that most of the shops were closed (or had closed down), but there were a few little cafe's to stop at. We were enticed by afternoon tea, Long Island style, it was lovely. After that we headed straight for the MoMA. 

This was definitely worth the visit, the art was all contemporary and I found two exhibitions that related to my field of study (I know, I know, I'm a geek). The building was an old school that had been converted which always makes for a great setting. Each classroom was yet another gallery space and even the cafe came complete with school desks as tables and blackboards with the menu on. We finished the day with a drink at the Dutch Kills bar, a saloon style bar with delicious cocktails. I won't be returning to Long Island in a hurry, but I would love to go back for the art and a drink. I already have plans for Staten Island and then all that's left is, gulp, The Bronx! 

A Deep Hole

Last weekend Hipster Dufus insisted on heading over to the 9/11 memorial. There's a museum there so I was in. It was a beautiful sunny day which of course meant that it was incredibly cold. I was not happy to be confronted with passport security. I mean all of it, plastic trays, x-ray scanners and taking off the shoes and coats etc. Not cool (I understand why, but not cool). However when we arrived inside we realized that the museum is not opened yet and there's really no sign as to when it will be open. With only the memorial to take in i thought i'd be disappointed but actually I really liked it. It's a really calming space, the running water/waterfall adding to the tranquility of the space. And I love that they didn't put anything on top of the original site. I think it's quite poignant that where the buildings stood now fall into an abyss (you can't see the bottom from any angle).

To ge these photos I used the trusty Hipstamatic App. Everyone should have this trusty little app, which operates to some degree like a real camera. You can select different films or lenses and you're more or less guaranteed a fantastic shot. I used this app to take all my honeymoon photos because I didn't want to worry about bad, uninteresting pictures. It's amazing what you can do with it too if you know how to use the lense/film. Just take a look at their new magazine Snap. All the photos in this free e-zine are taken using the app. Get creating guys.

Bye!

Friday was my last day working at the wonderful British Music Experience. I spent most of the day photographing work mates and getting on their nerves! I managed to get Nat-Nat eating chicken and looking very 'yard' as he put it. Ro-Ro managed to not run from the camera when I came near her. And some of you were working so hard I had to get pictures of you just doing that! (Ahem, Becca and Paul). It has been an amazing three years guys, I will miss you all dearly. Please, please, please keep in touch and continue to work hard to make our little museum successful x

Heaven

It has been a very busy weekend, with lot's to talk about. I'll start with yet another gushing review of the British Music Experience. On Friday they yet again showcased their amazing public programme hosting a masterclass with Emeli Sandé. The event consisted of the usual desirable attributes delivered so often by the museum. An intimate venue with a capacity of only ninety.  An interview with the artist including a Q&A section at the end for the public. Most importantly some live music. 

Hearing an artist in such a small venue can really showcase their talent. In this case she proved to be very talented indeed, with a pitch perfect voice and highly skilled on the piano. She was such a lovely person too, well spoken, with lot's to say. Well done BME.

The Progress of Civilisation

As a museum professional/geek I obviously have my favourites in London. And while most of the time I can name those really obscure and wonderful collections that no-one has heard of and everyone is interested in, without fail my heart always comes back to the British Museum. This is a wonderful museum, just the architecture itself is interesting enough let alone the treasures that it holds inside. The best thing about this museum is that no matter how many times you've been and how many things you've seen, there's always more yet to discover. Kind of like London really.

For me this happens often as I find myself back in the Parthenon galleries every visit. These beautiful marble pieces are exquisite. I love looking at them and we're so lucky to have them here. Note that I haven't called them the Elgin Marbles. Their residence here in the UK is much contested with even the Greek's building the Acropolis Museum equipped with their own Parthenon Gallery (complete with digital versions of the pieces here) to counteract the age-old argument that they were unable to care for the pieces.

Now I'm not completely sure that they got here in the most legitimate way possible (sorry BM...) however I also don't believe that they should go back to Greece (sorry Acropolis...). But let's face it, if they went back it would be the start of a worldwide scramble to gain back pieces in foreign collections. All countries have worldwide collections, the British Museum just happens to have one of the best, hence it garners so much attention. But rather than get embroiled in the politics of right and wrong one should remember the main point which is this: the collection is one of the best in the world, and it's here on our doorstep. If you haven't yet, go and have a look, it's truly amazing.

Kiss me Kate

OK, so I'm going to lay it down straight from the beginning, I absolutely love museums. Actually I adore them, I think they're amazing and I regularly refer to myself as a museum super geek.

I have my favourites, they have educational programmes that can not be matched by any other institution. One particular favourite is the British Music Experience. This little museum of popular music has a connection with the industry and see themselves as the meeting point between the public and the industry. They regularly hold masterclasses with industry veterans and can even convert themselves into a live music venue having already staged concerts with the likes of Jamie Cullum and Bon Jovi. 

One of its mission is to enhance the understanding of the industry among young people, and they did just that this week when Kate Nash came in to talk to young girls about women in the industry. Kate was great and opinionated (all of which I agreed with). She has a no nonsense approach to the industry and her short time in it has obviously taught her a lot. Best of all she did just what the museum wanted, she inspired these young girls.