Culture at the Currier

This was the first Picasso I ever saw. It's in the collection at the The Currier Museum of Art.

That museum has been a huge influence in my life. For 10 years (through my childhood and teens), I took art classes at the Currier Art Center. At the end of each year, we would have an art show and display our best pieces. Every other year, the museum would let the children exhibit in one of their galleries. I remember dressing up to go to those shows with my parents. (Those years are probably the only time in my life I'll ever see my work hanging in a real museum!) In a room adjacent to Sargents and Picassos, my sister and I would proudly point out our little watercolors and crude ceramics to our parents. It was a big deal.
As a teen, I became interested in pursuing art as my career path. There is a landmark in the area - a home created by Frank Lloyd Wright. It's called the Zimmerman House and though formerly a real lived-in home, it now belongs to the museum. Even though everyone knows the Zimmerman house is here, it's tucked back on a residential street. It seems that the address isn't generally given out, so as to not bother the other homeowners on the street with the traffic of curious drive-bys. However, the Currier offers tours to the house. My friends and I happily spent a weekend afternoon walking around that house with our shoes off and protective booties on our feet, listening to a tour guide.
It was also the Currier that offered a day-trip to New York City to see the big museums. They even provided the busing. I begged my parents to let me go. They relented, and my friends and I were off on an adventure. We visited the Guggenheim and The Met. It was the first time I'd been in the city. I was so happy to be that overwhelmed with art. I'll never forget it.
The following year, I took a portfolio class with Elaine P. at the Currier Art Center. I had decided I wanted to go a fine arts college after I graduated from high school. Elaine helped me choose the pieces that would become the slides in my portfolio, she allowed me to work on the required drawings for one of my applications in her class, and then even wrote me a shining recommendation. I not only got into every school I applied to, but I got into my #1 top choice school...RISD. My high school art teachers had dismissed the thought of me even applying. (After all, if they couldn't get in, why would I?) Their tune changed after I got that fat envelope in the mail. RISD was one of the best experiences of my life. I will be forever grateful to the Currier (and to Elaine) for not only believing in me, but helping me get there. I owe them a lot.
Over the last few years, the museum has undergone several big changes. The first being the name. It's a small museum, and for the majority of my life, it's been "The Currier Art Gallery". They're now "The Currier Museum of Art". I can't remember the details of how when or why the name changed occurred, just that it was several years ago now. The most recent change the museum has undergone has been their big expansion project. The Currier has remained closed since the summer of 2006 as it underwent all the construction for their renovation. The grand re-opening is scheduled for this Sunday, March 30th. Even though it's been years since I've regularly attended the museum, I feel it's necessary I be there. I'll even get all dressed up. Only this time, instead of my own lopsided ceramic pinch-pot, I can proudly point to all the work our local art museum has accomplished.