The Asheville Art Museum is currently searching for a Development Officer/Grantwriter. Please click here for more information.

The Asheville Art Museum is currently accepting applications for Summer 2010 Internships. Please click here for more information (and scroll down).

Joyce Cole is January's Museum Shop Artist of the Month

Cole says:

"Being born in New York City allowed me to be part of the 1960's art world. I was known for my paintings of large scale geometric shapes and grids. Over these forms, I employed a spray technique which created soft impressionistic overlays. At that time there were no other artists using my spray method with hard edge geometric grid forms. My paintings are shown in various galleries and Museums.

Presently I am continuing to use hard edge geometric shapes which are influenced by the Bauhaus and the Suprematists. In particular of interest to me are the artists Kandinsky and El Lissitsky.

To quote the art critic Peter Frank:

"Joyce Cole has always been, first and foremost, a Colorist. Irrespective of her mode of choice at any moment, no matter how severely abstract, gaily figurative or intricately between. Cole still employs a palette which glows like a pre-storm sunset - warm and iridescent - or like a blue streetlight at night - deep and tenebrous. Joyce Cole must have taste buds and hair follicles receptive to color to paint like this."

The Asheville Art Museum is proud to spotlight the Docents at the Museum! Docents volunteer their time to create inspiring and creative experiences for groups of all ages who come through the Museum. They give tours that help visitors learn about art, collecting, and the Asheville Art Museum. The Docents are continually learning more about art through trips to artist studios, art landmarks, and other artistic outings.

The Asheville Art Museum docents are one of the essential faces and voices of the Musuem in the community and the Museum thanks each of them for their inspiring energy, their strong dedication, and their rigourous passion for art, the Museum and Asheville.

To learn more about becoming a Docent, click here!

Image credit: Asheville Art Museum Docents 2009

Exploring the Permanent Collection with a Work of the Week

THIS WEEK: March 8 - 14, 2010

William Wegman, Red Detachment,

2006, Polaroid photograph, 24.25 x 20.75 inches. 2007 Collectors' Circle Purchase. Asheville Art Museum Collection. 2007.33.02.96

William Wegman is best known as an art photographer noted for compositions of his Weimaraner dogs in various costumes, poses and scenarios. Wegman received international attention for his images of his first Weimaraner dog, Man Ray. Man Ray became so popular that the Village Voice named the dog "Man of the Year" in 1982.

This work is currently in the Museum's newest exhibition Limners to Facebook: Portraiture from the 19th to the 21st Century , which includes formal portraits, self-portraits, portraits of animals and portraits of friends, models and celebrities. In this case, Wegman's photo captures both a portrait of an animal and a celebrity.

The Museum is dedicated to collecting contemporary photography, and in this work, Wegman uses a specific way of photographing his subject. In 1978, Wegman was invited to use the newly developed Polaroid 20 x 24 inch camera. This camera produces large format "contact" prints renowned for their color and detail, but only produces one unique print at a time. Red Detachment is an example of his continued work with the Polaroid 20 x 24 camera.

For more information on this work and artist, visit our Permanent Collection online!

Celebrate 60! Raffle Winners

Congratulations to the following winners of the Celebrate 60! Raffle! We thank everyone who participated for their support of the Asheville Art Museum and for helping us to celebrate 60 and strong!

Hot Glass: Sherwin Meeker

Pampered Luxury: Delphia Lamberson

NYC Art Seen: Ladene and Russell Newton

Feast for the Senses: Terry Finder

Caribbean Escape: Eric Cox

Mexican Idyll: Marianne Elrick Manley

Art Exploration: Robert Sauer

"While growing up one of three daughters to an accidental German emigre' and a gregarious Queens engineer, I was encouraged to absorb the culture, art and human expression of wherever we lived: various parts of America and Puerto Rico, and during our regular visits across the pond. Shortly after receiving a BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design, I ran off to the mountains of Western North Carolina to seek my adventure and find a place to hang my hat. I have found it here in Madison County where I work and live with my partner and a menagerie of dogs, cats and wildlife." 

-Leslie Goodrich

 Come by the shop to check out Leslie's whimsical and inspiring artwork!

Position Available~Development Officer/Grantwriter
Asheville Art Museum
2 S. Pack Square
Asheville, NC 28801
www.ashevilleart.org

Title:  Development Officer/Grantwriter
Available:  March 1, 2010
Position Reports To:  Executive Director
Position is: Full Time

Position Description: 
The Development Officer/Grantwriter is responsible for the corporate, foundation and government fundraising efforts to maximize contributed income to support the Museum’s operations, exhibitions, educational programs and special events. The Development Officer/Grantwriter works closely with all staff and volunteers.

Primary Responsibilities / Essential Functions:
The primary responsibilities and essential functions of the job include:

• Write and direct all grant proposals and maintain relationships with government, corporate and foundation funding sources.
• Obtain and manage government grants including federal, state and local sources.
• Assist with development of annual fund appeals and acknowledgment.  
• Identify and acquire sponsorships from individuals and businesses for exhibitions and educational programs.
• Understand and communicate regarding the operating budget.
• Research and identify prospects for institutional support. 
• Gather broad anecdotal and statistical data and report qualitative and quantitative results. Work with staff to build and monitor budgets, and report on grant expenditures.
• Acquire sponsorship and participate in planning and implementation of special events including the Asheville Wine Auction & Gala Dinner, A Taste of Art & Wine, loft tours, etc.
• Assist the Executive Director with Board and Committees as required.
• Collaborate with Development staff to keep accurate donor records including profiles, gift records, acknowledgments and correspondence.
• Collaborate with Development staff to structure specific membership programs including corporate members, etc.
• Maintain a budget and records for the Development department. 
  
•  Interact with the arts community and civic bodies and donors as an advocate for the arts and the Museum.
• Travel to other locations by foot and/or by car is sometimes required. 
  
  
  Education and Experience and Skills: 
  Minimum of three to five years fundraising experience, significant success in grant writing and ability to work in fast paced environment. Minimum of an undergraduate degree is required. Knowledge and excellent ability to work with all typical computer programs is essential. The Development Officer/Grantwriter should possess excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to work collegially with donors, volunteers and staff. 
  
  Organization:
  The Asheville Art Museum is an active, inspiring organization located in the center of a vibrant city of approximately 70,000 in the beautiful Western North Carolina Mountains.  The Museum collects American Art beginning in the 20^th century, with a focus on art of significance to the Southeast.  The Museum’s facility will soon be doubling in size with a newly renovated and expanded contemporary building located in the center of Asheville. This growing organization, incorporated in 1948 by area artists, serves the Asheville urban area and is the only art museum serving the 23 counties that make up Western North Carolina (with a total population exceeding one million). Accredited by the AAM, the Museum has a full-time staff of 13 and a number of part-time and contract positions. The Museum is an equal opportunity employer. This is a full- time position with benefits. 
  
  Please send resumé, cover letter, references, salary history and several writing samples demonstrating successful grant writing to: Development Officer/Grantwriter Search, PO Box 1717, Asheville, NC 28802 or 2 South Pack Square, Asheville, NC 28801 or e-mail to Development Officer/Grantwriter Search at rlynchmaass@ashevilleart.org. Equal opportunity employer.

Please do not call before you have sent your application. Application deadline is April 19, 2010.

Summer 2010 internships:

Communications & Public Relations

The Communication & Public Relations department expands public awareness of the Museum and aims to increases attendance and revenue. The Department produces the Museum’s media releases; circulates images for reproduction, places advertisements, produces newsletters and other promotional materials, organizes the annual gala/art auction, exhibition openings. Interns will assist in producing media and in coordinating special events.

Curatorial

The Curatorial Department researches and organizes upcoming exhibitions, including the development of timelines, checklists, and signage; produces exhibition catalogues; corresponds with artists, curators, galleries and museums. Interns will be introduced to issues relating to art history and will obtain administrative and curatorial skills in organizing art exhibitions.

Development

The Development department is responsible for all grants from government, foundation, and corporate sources; the membership program; contributions to the Museum; and the capital campaign for building and endowment needs. Interns will assist in researching prospective donors, program planning, membership events and grants writing.

Education

Education internships offer college art and art education students the opportunity to experience and develop skills in all aspects of arts education in a contemporary arts organization.

The Museum’s education staff will work closely with interns, mentoring such skills as interacting with groups of varying ages, assisting with exhibition/curriculum based art projects for various age groups, collaborating with our summer arts program teachers in the studio and more.

Requirements: Interns will be assisted by Education Department with administrative tasks and are expected to be involved with the stimulating and creative activities of our program. We are looking for congenial, energetic, highly motivated and creative individuals. Applicants should be familiar with a variety of art materials. Most importantly, you must have a positive enthusiastic attitude towards interacting with young people.

Museum Store & Visitor Services

The Museum Store complements the Museum's exhibition schedule by providing a stunning assortment of art related titles and objects for sale. Interns will gain experience in the day-to-day operations of a retail space, budgeting, visual merchandising, marketing, visitor services and special events.