Volunteer Buzz posts are from the desk of Norah O’Donnell, Volunteer Coordinator and Gallery Shop Operations Manager
Visiting a new gallery is an exciting experience! This past weekend I had the opportunity to visit the AGH in Hamilton ON and The Albright Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY. The goal of the trip was to learn more about their gift shops, so I planned to meet with staff to talk about best selling products, display ideas, custom products, point of sale systems and more. After planning the route, arranging meetings and packing snacks for the car trip I headed on the road with my coworker Jacquie Severs, Manager of Communications and Social Media.
Working at the RMG has enhanced the way I visit galleries and museums. I no longer just look at artwork and artifacts. Now I am curious about displays, wall labels, and my experience as a visitor. I am always taking mental notes and sharing what I have seen with my coworkers. I’ll save the nitty-gritty details of ordering product and sourcing goods, and show you pictures that I took on my journey, and a little bit about what is showing at these fantastic galleries. Consider visiting them over the summer on your road trips!
First Stop: The AGH
The art we saw:
Nature and Sprit: Emily Carr’s Costal Landscapes. Traces Emily Carr’s evolution as an artist and includes many of the painter’s recognized masterpieces.
By Popular Demand presents works from the AGH collections, which are well-known and recognizable.
The Shop:
We have Hilborne Pottery too! And it is very popular in Hamilton as well.
On to The Albright Knox Art Gallery
The art we saw:
The AK has a stunning collection of post-war American and European art. Exceptional works by Brancusi, Warhol, Judd, Pollock and more!
Wish You Were Here: The Buffalo Avant-garde in the 1970s explored the creative community of Buffalo in the 1970s. Interesting work by Cindy Sherman!
And us, reflected in a sculpture by Brancusi!
