Every other week we will be highlighting one of the amazing staff members here at the MOA, so you can get a look at the wonderful work that so many talented people do to make the MOA great! This week we chat with Anna Bates, a designer whose work visitors might remember as she designed exhibition space for
American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell.
Above: Anna visiting Frankfurt last summer.
MOA: What is your job title at the MOA and how long you've worked here?
Anna: I'm an Exhibition Designer, I have worked here for just over a year.
MOA: What is a typical day like for you here at the MOA? How did you prepare vocationally or educationally for your position?
Anna: I work on designing and populating the galleries for upcoming shows, and create the design needs within the exhibition. I also work on marketing materials for the MOA for any upcoming events, exhibition advertising, educational needs for public programming, and invitations and mailers that are sent out. I keep busy! I studied graphic design as an undergrad and have always loved art history, which made this job a perfect fit for me.
MOA: What is your favorite piece in the MOA's permanent collection?
Anna: It would probably be a Maynard Dixon, but it's hard to chose!
Image: Maynard Dixon (1875-1946),
Mesas in Shadow, 1926, oil on canvas, 30 1/4 x 40 in., Brigham Young University Museum of Art, gift of Herald R. Clark, 1937.
MOA: What makes your job great?
Anna: I LOVE design, and LOVE art history and when I found that there was a job for a graphic designer in a museum I was very excited. I love that there are many aspects of my job: graphic design, environmental design, spatial design, while taking into account how different pieces should be viewed conceptually and keeping in mind restrictions placed on paintings and art works because of delicacy and value. I love that every show is very different and I get to create brand identities for each and every exhibition. Designing a personality and look/feel of a gallery that subtly affects people makes me very motivated to do my work!
MOA: If you could have your portrait done by any artist, living or dead, who would you choose to do your portrait?
Anna: This is hard! There is a part of me that would love to be part of the Northern Renaissance period, done by Jan van Eyck maybe, in beautiful robes and a dark background, and also that would mean that I would be important enough to have my portrait done, which idea I really like. :) My second choice would be Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, and be a soft beautiful lady. Get some Rococo looks going.
MOA: What is your favorite flavor of Ritter Sport in the MOA Store?
Anna: COCONUT. Always and forever. Sometimes I mix it up though. Gotta keep the store employees on their toes. Thanks for all you do, Anna!