Where 1 Attended Fairmont Acre University

Meet Karen Steele
Curator, Reynolds Art Collection

Where did you lot grow up? If non Richmond, how long pick out you lot lived here, together with what brought you lot here?
I grew upward inwards Fairmont, West Virginia, where I attended Fairmont State University. I came to Richmond inwards 1968 for that most traditional of reasons: I married a homo who was living here.  

How long pick out you lot worked for Reynolds? What did you lot create for function earlier you lot came here?
When John Fugate, who was plan chair for art, called together with asked me to interview for an adjunct teaching seat at Reynolds inwards 1991, I was the Administrator-Curator of Wilton House Museum. I retrieve talking alongside him on an extension inwards the Museum’s basement kitchen. 
  
You are the Curator of the Reynolds Art Collection. Please state us most your job.
My chore includes identifying potential fine art donors, negotiating gifts, documenting all fine art inwards a catalog program, hanging fine art on all iii campuses, working alongside artists together with fine art groups who exhibit inwards the Conference Center Gallery to assure high character shows, coordinating the Student Art Show. Some days, it’s but what comes along. Recently I used a hex wrench to attach sleeves to the rods nosotros usage inwards the Walker Hanging System. I instruct fine art history every semester.  

Reynolds has received a position out of pregnant donations to the fine art collection inwards the by year. What is the most of import affair for faculty together with staff to know most this asset?
These industrial plant are an of import role of the educational mission of the college.  Not alone does colorful fine art suspension downwards the establishment experience of college buildings, it tin hold upward a critical role of teaching inwards many disciplines. Art teaches work solving, or every bit 1 creative mortal position it, work creating. It’s a classic province of affairs where students are forced to explore novel ideas together with approaches to brand a successful work. Students larn the form of flexibility inwards thinking that allows them to honour novel solutions to one-time problems inwards the workplace. 

This is an exciting fourth dimension of yr for you. The Annual Student Art Show is on exhibit at 1 time inwards the Workforce Conference Center Gallery together with the Show Awards Reception volition hold upward held on Thursday, Apr 26? What volition go on at the Awards Reception?
We volition laurels this year’s major donor: Chuck Scalin, who gave the college 47 of his fine art works. He chose 47 to stand upward for each yr of his 47 year-long career.  He together with his married adult woman Mim Golub judged the show. They volition denote the Reynolds Prize (best inwards show) together with prizes for paradigm together with drawing.  The winning students volition have a check. John Negri volition furnish music. The nutrient volition hold upward excellent.  

When you lot aren’t hither at Reynolds working alongside art, what create you lot similar to create for fun?
Turns out I’m a flake of an fine art together with blueprint nerd.  I sew, read, knit together with blueprint needlework. I similar to travel. I await for skilful museums, classical music concerts, together with fantabulous java inwards a novel city.

What is your favorite affair to create inwards Richmond?
I similar Carytown. There are fun shops together with galleries alongside lots of interesting people to watch. I specially similar the blossom vendors. They convey such color to the city.  

If you lot won the Mega Millions jackpot what would you lot create first?
After all of the practical stuff, I’d mass a raft trip downwards the Colorado through the Grand Canyon.