#SergioVanni

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Reflective Practice

As an educationist, it is essential to be a reflective practitioner.

Reflective teaching is pondering over your teaching through both self-evaluation and evaluation by your colleagues. Reflective teaching doesn't mean condemning your own instructing. It likewise implies perceiving what is working out in a good way and thinking why it is working out in a good way.

 "Like other professionals, teachers cannot become effective by following scripts. Instead, they need to create knowledge in use as they practice ... knowledge does not exist apart from teacher and context." Thomas Sergiovanni, Moral Leadership

Dispositions of a Reflective Practitioner

·         Open-mindedness

·         Responsibility

·         Wholeheartedness

·         Mindful/Relationship-Based Practices

Characteristics of the Reflective Educator

• Active - looks for data to issues

• Persistent - thoroughly consider troublesome issues top to bottom and without tire

• Careful -communicates worry for self as well as other people - regard students as individuals - make a constructive, supporting classroom

• Sceptical • realizes there are few absolutes • keep up solid distrust about instructive hypothesis and practices

• Rational - request proof and applies criteria when making decisions

• Proactive - intelligent intuition converted into positive activity

The Benefits of Reflective Practice

Reflective the practice has gigantic advantages in expanding mindfulness, which is a key part of passionate insight, and in building up a superior comprehension of others. Reflective practice can likewise assist you with developing inventive reasoning aptitudes and supports dynamic commitment in work forms.

Reflective practice is one of the easiest things is probably the most straightforward thing to drop when the weight is on, yet it's something that you would least be able to stand to drop, particularly under those conditions. Time spent on reflective practice will guarantee that you are concentrating on the things that truly matter, both to you and to your manager or family.

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GALLERIA GRANELLI, CASTIGLIONCELLO (LI) ITALY - ARTEFIERA 2017, Bologna : PAD 25 STAND B 85 - 27 > 30 January, 2017 @artefiera @SilviaRicciArte

http://mpefm.com/mpefm/modern-contemporary-fair-art-press-release/italy-fair-art-press-release/artefiera-2017-bologna-fair-art-press-release/galleria-granelli-castiglioncello-li-italy-artefiera-2017-bologna-pad-25-stand-b-85

[nyfacurrent]

Business of Art | Five Ways to Stake Your Claim in the Arts Ecosystem

Takeaways from the inaugural Art World Conference that can help you focus your creative energies to develop a more purposeful practice.

Art World Conference is a new business and financial literacy conference that includes panel discussions, conversations, and in-depth workshops addressing many of the opportunities and challenges faced by artists and arts professionals. The inaugural conference was held on April 25-27 in Manhattan, and brought 300 people together in dialogue around such topics as storytelling, marketing, investing, and growing and sustaining community. Fiscally Sponsored by The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), the conference featured an esteemed line-up of speakers, moderators, and panelists including NYFA Board Member Tiana Webb Evans, Caroline Woolard (ABI ‘17), and Doctor’s Hours Consultants Larry Ossei-Mensah and Steven Sergiovanni. Here are five takeaways from the conference that you can apply to your practice today.

Tell Your Story

You know your work inside and out, and how you talk and write about it matters. Don’t rely on art world jargon to tell your story for you, it often distracts and can unintentionally distance people from your work. Says Writer and Critic Antwaun Sargent: “Sometimes language hides what you’re really after, and what you’re trying to say. Jargon can hinder the fullest expression of your work." He recommends that even artists who are uncomfortable writing write about their work. “It’s a good exercise, and it doesn’t need to be structured in a traditional way. Some of the best artists that I’ve come across have some sort of documentation of their work that is written [by them]. It allows for another expression” of their ideas. Curator Sara Raza frames it as a way of articulating the experience of the studio visit through writing: “Think about a set of words that aren’t overly theoretical but show key concerns of practice that articulate where you’re going and what you’re doing."

Learn by Failing

As an artist, you’re constantly experimenting and problem-solving to achieve new heights in your career. The same mindset can be applied to other critical components of your career. “Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results,” said Mark Rosen, Associate Director of Marketing, Artsy. “It may be a blow to the ego, but you need to recognize what you’re doing and let it evolve,” he added. Rosen spoke specifically to how artists can find success on Instagram, a question that is on the mind of many creatives. One way to determine whether your posts and stories are resonating? First, use a free app like Planoly to plan out your posts in advance. This is an especially great benefit to artists with limited resources, as they can dedicate a block of time each week to schedule content in bulk. Timing is one of several factors that can help make your posts more or less successful, so test out times in two week increments and see what works best for your feed.

With social media and other components of your practice, re-evaluate regularly, as what may have worked for you in the past is no longer working in the present. “Social is changing every 15 seconds, it will change now and it will change again,” advises Rosen. In another panel discussion, Deborah Obaili, President and Executive Director, Association of Independent Colleges of Art & Design, cited the words of a colleague who encouraged artists to recognize that “what you need from a personal/creative practice standpoint is very different from the kinds of needs you’ll have in 20, 30, 40 years from now. There’s a continual learning curve.”

Resources: Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds (AK Press, 2017) and Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones (Avery, 2018)

Embrace Community

Community matters and can often open the door to new opportunities. Take the example of Prerana Reddy, Director of Programs, A Blade of Grass. She and a group of her peers formed the South Asian Women’s Artist Collective in 1997 to create a space for support and community and means of facilitating and presenting work. One of the members joined the staff of Queens Museum, brought Reddy into the fold, and helped to usher in a new era at the museum where it was more inclusive of its diverse local community. “Being accountable to the local community is not often something that a contemporary art museum does, but over time it became something that the Queens Museum did” and does through today.

Community also extends far beyond the walls of your studio, home, or office. “You’re part of a much larger ecosystem. Part of being in a creative practice is that you have a solid foundation from which to leap from,” said Esther Robinson, Co Executive Director, ArtBuilt, while moderating a discussion on real estate for visual artists. The panel stressed the importance of artists getting involved in their communities and holding state and local government accountable in the fight for affordable live and work space. Said Robinson: Developers “want us to give up. Make sure you know what your own values are and how to move forward.”

Wherever you make connections and foster community, do so authentically. Online, “Genuinely engage with content to help develop relationships. The more love you show, the more love you’ll get,” says Mark Rosen.

Resources: NYC Loft Tenants; Spaceworks; ArtBuilt; Never Eat Alone, Expanded and Updated: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time (Penguin Random House, 2014)

Practice Self-Care

Those in the arts community have a lot to juggle, from keeping up with the day-to-day to the larger pressures of defining success in a challenging industry. Lisa Kim, Director, The Ford Foundation Gallery, got to the heart of it by asking the question, “How can you manage your time and emotional resources wisely?” Alex Paik, Artist and Director, Tiger Strikes Asteroid, takes a refreshing approach: “Once you give up the idea that you can balance everything—just do what you are doing as well as you can while you’re doing it...Being present in the tasks that you’re doing makes them feel a bit more manageable.” Another piece of advice that can be applied widely comes from Prerana Reddy: “Find your time to be alone and whatever it is that’s meditative. You need to be bored to be creative. You need to pass boredom to get to creativity. It’s harder to get there because we don’t give ourselves time to be alone. Find that thing that allows you to be bored enough to rest yourself.”

Protect Your Work

“There’s no art market without the artists,” said Artist Mickalene Thomas in an afternoon panel discussion on Protecting Artists’ Rights that reviewed topics including contracts, copyright, and Fair Use. As artists, you have the power to control your narrative and legacy and you don’t have to do it alone. Artists’ Rights Society (ARS) represents the intellectual property rights of more than 80,000 artists and estates worldwide, including Thomas; it’s free and any artist can join. Pro-tip from Thomas: “When you have one blanket contract, it becomes easier to negotiate the others. Just have a clear understanding of what you want from the project, and write those down. If you do have a lawyer, try to go through it yourself first. When it comes time for the lawyer, it’s more for approval.” Said Attorney Anibal A. Luque: “A template is a great way to start protecting and enforcing your rights. Docracy.com is a great resource for usually artist-friendly templates. Another resource is UpConsel. Most contracts are governed state by state, so if you are getting a template make sure it is state specific.”

Additional Resources: Copyright Alliance, copyright.gov, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, A Fair(y) Use Tale, Legal Guide for the Visual Artist (Allworth Press, 2010), and nyfa.org.

Telling your story, learning by failing, embracing community, practicing self-care, and protecting your work are just a few of the ways that you can take a more active role in your arts career to initiate positive change and momentum. “There is no prescribed path, and even if there was it wouldn’t hold everyone in this room” said Deana Haggag, President/CEO, United States Artists during her keynote address at the Art World Conference. “Learning together and showing up for one another as needed is the only way to empower our field,” she added.

- Amy Aronoff, Senior Communications Officer

You can find more articles on arts career topics by visiting the Business of Art section of NYFA’s website. Sign up for NYFA News and receive artist resources and upcoming events straight to your inbox.

Have an arts career question? You can contact NYFA staff directly via the NYFA Source Hotline at (800) 232-2789, from Monday - Friday, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM EST or email source@nyfa.org.

Are you an artist or a new organization interested in expanding your fundraising capacity through NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship? We accept out-of-cycle reviews year-round. No-fee applications are accepted on a quarterly basis, and our next deadline is June 30. Click here to learn more about the program and to apply.

Images: Antwaun Sargent, JiaJia Fei, Sara Raza, and Tiana Webb Evans during the “Defining Your Business: Storytelling” panel discussion and Prerana Reddy, Paddy Johnson, Caroline Woolard, and Alex Paik during the “You As Gatekeeper: Defining Goals and Initiating Opportunities” panel discussion, both at Art World Conference, Image Credit: Art World Conference and Alexa Hoyer.

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INTRODUCING:  THE REMIX PODCAST

The first batch of a new, 15-episode podcast series hosted by The Remix co-founders Heather Bhandari, Courtney Colman, and Steven Sergiovanni explores the challenges of creating and sustaining a business and career in the visual arts. The Remix is seeking answers to questions that are often asked in private. Topics include struggling galleries, rising rents, a lack of patrons, a lack of diversity, and how we're all surviving and redefining our definitions of success while still remaining passionate about art.

[tigerstrikesasteroidnetwork]

Testimonials

Here are some testimonials from artists and curators we’ve had the pleasure of working with over the years:

Asuka Goto

“I’m so grateful for the many ways in which TSA has supported me and my work over the years. It’s a really special organization, powered by a group of artists who are devoted to showcasing and celebrating a diverse range of work. I’ve been especially impressed with TSA’s commitment to serving the community throughout this pandemic - through initiatives like TSA PDF (the first edition of which I was lucky enough to be included in). I hope you’ll consider helping support this incredible organization this holiday season, if you’re able.”

Alberto Lule

“Thank you TSA, the residency program you provided really helped me in these times when art spaces are so limited! You provided an opportunity that helped me get that studio experience in a vibrant downtown fashion district as well as professional exposure to a very strong Los Angeles art scene! As a recently graduated UCLA student, I wish there was other galleries that provided this opportunity for undergrad students in the area, it is a very smart and exciting way to not only give space to students who have no space during these times, but also a way for TSA to become known to the awesome art programs existing in the LA area.”

Steven Sergiovanni

“As a former gallery director and current art advisor and professor, TSA has been an important resource for me since its inception and I’m extremely grateful.  TSA’s alternative model as an artist-run space has been inspiring to my students (Professional Practices & Artist as Curator) and they have always been generous with their time in speaking with my classes in a transparent and community driven way.  I hope I can encourage others to join me in supporting such an incredible organization during this challenging time.“

Judith Brotman

“Tiger Strikes Asteroid is a jewel within the Chicago arts community!  I say this both from the standpoint of someone who has been inspired by numerous TSA shows and from the perspective of an artist who has had the pleasure of exhibiting there.  In 2019, my work was shown both in Orbits, a members-curated show and in A Creep That Snakes, a two-person show with Dutes Miller, curated by Scott Hunter.  Both shows were incredible experiences and the support I (and we) received ---from planning stages through de-installation and all steps in-between—was extraordinary.  Working with the TSA members was a pleasure each and every step of the way.  Of greatest importance to me was knowing --from day one ---that I could use the opportunity of showing at TSA as a way to explore my work more fully.   There is an openness and generosity in the TSA community that encourages and supports the pushing of boundaries within one’s art practice.  I remain so very grateful for the experience of exhibiting at TSA and of working with their amazing members.  It’s truly a gift for an exhibition opportunity to so fully support an artist’s work and the evolution of it.   I encourage those who can to contribute to TSA’s end of the year fundraiser!”

Jungmin Lee

“I felt so thankful to be an Artist-in-Residence at the TSA Philly in October during this difficult time. Since I lost my chance to have a MFA thesis show in March due to pandemic, the space provided by TSA was so incredible and helpful. I was so glad that I could finally exhibit my pieces I have worked hard at the beginning of this year. The scale of this gallery space was perfect for my series of prints and also good enough to experiment with projecting my new moving image work on the white wall. Most importantly, TSA helped me document my work with a professional photographer so that I can use this for my future career as an artist. I believe that an organization like TSA is really supportive to many local artists and plays a critical role in connecting artists and curators with the community. Thank you so much again Tiger Strikes Asteroid!”

Naomi Momoh

“Often times being in an artist’s studio is a crowded experience with pieces stacked against each other.  Space allows you to see relationships in your studio practice, that without it, go unnoticed. TSA opened up their space for my larger works to exist in conversation with each other. A piece I had worked on for 2 years, finally got to feel some fresh air!

Being able to step back is a form of meditation. TSA’s AIR gave me the space and time for that kind of meditation. This connection between space, meditation and art practices, creates a simple formulae. Supporting Art spaces supports Artists.”

Heather Bhandari

"Words can't do justice to what I feel for TSA. This is an artist-run, artist-centered space that shows us what equitable, forward-thinking work can be done by and for artists. It gives me hope for the future of cooperative support and achievement. The shows are exceptional, the organizers kind, the work innovative. And I've got to say TSA PDF has been a highlight of the pandemic. Without blinking an eye, TSA brought exhibitions into my printer and onto my walls. Being a Patreon supporter is the least I can do to give back to the community and support their extreme generosity of time and spirit."

Naomi Nakazato

“I’m grateful to say that in the past few years I’ve been involved with Tiger Strikes Asteroid’s programs, I have been embraced by an incredible community of artists and curators. It really is lucky to be supported by a network that remains committed to diversity, critical inquiry, and connection. TSA’s solid foundation of care and initiative has been particularly exemplified in their response to the pandemic by providing their artists time, space, and opportunities. During my Short Term Artist Residency, I was able to feel connected and zero in on new work that I hadn’t been able to approach outside of this strange time. In supporting TSA and giving back financially this season, you’re offering artists an innovative platform of growth and exchange.”

Didier William

“The community you build is invaluable to the life you get to have as a working artist. All the accolades and credentials in the world can’t make up for that. Artists need community. TSA is an ecosystem of makers, thinkers, builders, supporters and friends who hold at their core a simple premise-artists supporting artists. I’m grateful for my collaborations and connections with TSA over the years. I’m thankful for TSA because as a teacher, it helps me underscore for our students that there is in fact a path that can be forged by them and made explicitly for them. The organization reminds me that nothing happens without a rigorous and thoughtful community of artists to challenge and engage with your work on your terms. TSA has showed up for my work and for my life in this way and I hope others are able enjoy the same gift that I have benefited so greatly from.”

Caroline Kent

“At the onset of the pandemic I was set to do a show at TSA Chicago. I had doubts about doing the show during a time that was so unknown and scary. I also had doubts about who would see it. After thinking about it, I knew that it was an opportunity to really do anything I wanted and most importantly to experiment. An idea for a show had been percolating for a few years and I felt it was a moment to seize. I installed my show safely and alone in the space while TSA members helped me and supported me with all the choices. I felt incredibly supported and found TSA largely responsible for a smooth and safe run of the exhibition. I am grateful for the opportunity to create something special at a time when everything felt uncertain and unpredictable. When I look back, the show marks time through a platform for creative imagining and that is something every artist needs.“

Ana Mosquera

“I am so thankful to TSA for granting me the opportunity to work and show in their space during the air residency in Philadelphia. As the pandemic hit  it was hard to get access to space and equipment as well as stay motivated to keep making work. The residency gave me a push to make new work, display it and get professional photographs taken of the pieces. By helping TSA you are helping support an amazing community of artists, as well as promoting a solid platform for research and exchange. Thank you TSA team!“

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Culture is the most powerful source of leverage for bringing about change in a school – or any organization, for that matter Thomas J. Sergiovanni

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by Thought Leadership Zen

The top three variables for employers: dollars, job security, and promotions are consistent with the perspectives of some of today’s leaders in relation to their employees.

It is worth comparing these with the top three variables chosen by employees namely, appreciation, a feeling of belonging, and sympathy for personal problems.

Employee Motivations: Appreciation

When I was a superintendent of schools, many principals shared their feelings with me from time to time on how much they valued being told that their work was appreciated and that a supervisor valued qualities such as their commitment to students and work ethic.

Direct, specific, meaningful, and genuine feedback motivated them to do even more and to be better at what they did. Their comments included popular sayings such as “You can catch bees with honey, not vinegar!” These were confident, successful adults! One could be so easily tempted to think that they did not need to be affirmed and validated. But another lesson that we can all learn is that even the most confident and successful employees thrive on being validated by their supervisors. There is almost a human need for reaffirmation especially from those who have the responsibility to evaluate performance or to determine one’s promotion.

Employee Motivations: Feeling of Belonging

The second on this list a feeling of belonging should not be underestimated, either. A workplace that has this ethos is also one that has lower turnover rates. People want to be there. There is a sense of collegiality a notion that goes beyond congeniality. Sergiovanni (1990) used these terms and made distinctions between them years ago. More recently, others, such as Jasper (2014), have made similar observations. Where true collegiality exists, people are highly motivated to work toward common goals and outcomes.

More recent work on professional learning communities (PLCs) has highlighted the difference between congeniality and collegiality. My own observation is that the change in behaviors of those engaged in PLCs over the years has been phenomenal. In the early years, when there wasn’t a deep understanding of how PLCs operate at their best, there were superficial notions of what successful PLCs looked like.

People falsely equated “noise” with a real desire to solve problems related to the school. Consequently, they did not ensure that improvement was the primary reason for these gatherings. There has, however, been a discernible difference in how PLCs are functioning today. Educators have expanded their ideas about PLCs with the research that has been available in recent years. As noted above, PLCs can have a real impact when collegiality is at its best.

Employee Motivations: Sympathy for Personal Problems

The third variable ranked by employees is “sympathy for personal problems.” Employees do not leave their problems at home or at the front gate of the school. The issues that they are facing at home or in the community are always with them. Only a few individuals can simply shake off problems, do their jobs, and pick up later from where they left off the previous day. Their concerns on and off the job can affect their interactions with their colleagues and students.

I remember working with a principal who suggested to staff that they should leave their problems behind and not take them into his school. His unwillingness to see staff members in their multiple roles as coaches, parents, religious leaders or community members reflected his lack of a strong people orientation in the workplace. Not surprisingly, he was neither liked nor respected. People would not go to him if they had personal problems.

Being attuned to the personal problems of staff can help aspiring and seasoned leaders alike see people in the totality of their human character, qualities, values, aspirations, and worldviews. It also helps them suspend judgment when problems or conflicts arise. Asking the custodian about her sick child, taking the first-period class for a teacher who had a dental appointment, or covering for the school secretary who is going through a divorce can make a difference in the culture of the school and the relationships that are forged.

It is in small ways that we demonstrate our humanity, caring, and concern for others in the workplace. And instead of using the term “sympathy” for personal problems, I would make a slight change to take this idea to a new level by describing this variable as “empathy for personal problems.”

Empathy: A Quintessential Leadership Competence

The ability to be empathetic has profound implications for the way we engage one another at an interpersonal level. It is the quintessential human characteristic one that demonstrates genuineness and loyalty and engenders a strong sense of connection with people. Empathy describes the feeling or reaction that most people welcome, especially when they are having problems.

Six basic steps and a few strategies for developing empathy, as we teach this skill to our students in the same way we approach teaching other skills. These steps include the following:

Listening

Understanding

Internalizing

Projecting

Planning

Intervening

As an educator, I cannot emphasize enough how careful one must be in selecting books for use in schools. It is not about censorship, as some will say. It is about ensuring that the same students do not have to spend their entire careers feeling that they, and the groups to which they belong, are never presented in a positive light.

As a superintendent of schools, I have been called by students who are crying and asking if they have to remain in classes in which they are presented in a negative light. What is unfortunate is that these groups never have the opportunity to see themselves or their groups presented positively.

Teachers and principals are encouraged to make sure that students and their backgrounds are presented positively and that students have avenues to share their thoughts and feelings about the content of the curriculum and its impact on them. It is important to acknowledge that there is a serious problem when students and their backgrounds are consistently portrayed negatively in the books to which they are exposed in the classroom.

If students and their cultures are never portrayed positively, there is a great imbalance in what they will take away. So many students from diverse backgrounds have complained over the years about the negative impact of how they are portrayed. It is important for teachers and school leaders to see this as an unfairness for students in general, and for students from minority backgrounds in particular. So often, when I expressed the complaints of many students and parents, the response was, “These are the classics!” My response was, “The classics for whom?”

I was very impressed with education in New Zealand when I served as an adviser to the minister of education. One of the tenets of the curriculum at the time should serve as a lesson to all of us: “The curriculum should not alienate the students.”

I hasten to admit that in recent years I have met many teachers and principals who are attuned to these issues and are making every effort to ensure that their schools are implementing equitable and inclusive education practices. In fact, in Ontario, for example, we have developed many documents to address this and other equity issues.

This award-winning document, which is being implemented in Ontario schools, was designed to make concrete suggestions and provide opportunities for all students to reach their fullest potential. The document acknowledges that publicly funded education is the cornerstone of democracy, preparing students for their role in society as engaged, productive, and responsible citizens. It recognizes that some groups of students, including recent immigrants, children from low-income families, aboriginal students, boys, and students with special education needs, among others, may be at risk of lower achievement if concerted efforts are not taken to address these issues.

The document lays out a clear vision for equity and asserts that excellence and equity must go hand in hand. They are, by no means, diametrically opposed. Instead, they are two sides of the same coin at least, and often on the same continuum, at best. The document emphasizes the fact that an equitable and inclusive education system is fundamental in realizing high levels of student achievement and is central in creating a cohesive society and a strong economy to secure Ontario’s future prosperity.

Framed within the context of the province’s Human Rights Code, this strategy envisions an education system in which:

All students, parents, and other members of the school community are welcomed and respected.

Every student is supported and inspired to succeed in a culture of high expectations for learning.

Early in my leadership career, I developed and taught a course for leaders. It was called “Human Relations in Education.” I was motivated by the fact that the leaders whom I considered to be effective all possessed a constellation of skills that are now being described in business and other fields as “people skills” or interpersonal competencies. What was interesting at the time was that there was so much focus on principal training programs on emphasizing operational skills budgets, timetabling, staffing, and plant operations, among others.

Admittedly, every aspiring leader should have at least a baseline knowledge of operational functions. My contention is that these tasks were being emphasized at the exclusion of the skills that I felt, from experience, were required to be effective leaders of people and to transform organizations, among other important goals.

It was not surprising that some of the individuals who failed miserably as principals or superintendents or in business could perform operational duties very well. But their Achilles’ heel was their inability to lead and work effectively with people.

My experience in education tells me that both skill sets are needed if organizations are to function effectively. The issue is that we should not hide behind the operational duties because these are not the ones that take organizations to new levels of attainment. It is through people and capacity building that we are able to move organizations to the apex or pinnacle of performance and greater levels of achievement.

Teaching human relations and interpersonal competencies must become an essential component of leadership development programs.

Go to our website:   www.ncmalliance.com

  What motivates employees the most? by Thought Leadership Zen The top three variables for employers: dollars, job security, and promotions are consistent with the perspectives of some of today’s leaders in relation to their employees.

[careerstopone-blog]

The Principalship

Note: This is the bound book only and does not include access to the Enhanced Pearson eText. To order the Enhanced Pearson eText packaged with a bound book, use ISBN 0133833631. The new Seventh Edition of the widely popular text from Sergiovanni and Green, The Principalship, gives readers an authoritative look at where and how principals spend their time, standards that inform their behavior, and…

[nyfacurrent]

Event | Doctor’s Hours for Visual, Multidisciplinary, and New Media Artists

Monday, September 9 Doctor’s Hours event will offer one-on-one consultations with industry professionals.

Are you a visual or multidisciplinary artist in need of some career advice? New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is pleased to announce an upcoming session of Doctor’s Hours for Visual, Multidisciplinary, and New Media Artists, a program designed to provide artists with practical and professional advice from arts consultants. Artists who work in Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Video, Film, Photography, New Media, Multidisciplinary, Performance Art, Socially-Engaged Practices, Folk, and Traditional Art are encouraged to participate in this Monday, September 9 event.

Starting Monday, August 12 at 11:00 AM, you can register for 20-minute, one-on-one appointments with up to three arts professionals to ask questions and receive actionable tips for advancing your arts career.

Title: Doctor’s Hours for Visual, Multidisciplinary, and New Media Artists Program Date and Time: Monday, September 9, 2019, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Location: New York Foundation for the Arts, 20 Jay Street, Suite 740, Brooklyn NY, 11201 Cost: $38 per 20-minute appointment; three appointment limit per artist Register: Click here to register.

To make the most of your “Doctor’s Hours” appointment, read our Tips & FAQs. For questions, email learning@nyfa.org.

Can’t join us on September 9? You can book a one-on-one remote consultation session with Michelle Levy, Interdisciplinary Artist, Writer, and Cultural Organizer, via Doctor’s Hours On Call. Appointments are available on Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM, from September 4 to October 30, 2019.

Consultants

Shira Backer, Assistant Curator, The Jewish Museum Backer is Leon Levy Assistant Curator at the Jewish Museum, where she has worked on exhibitions including Martha Rosler: Irrespective; Masterpieces and Curiosities: Elaine Lustig Cohen; and The Arcades: Contemporary Art and Walter Benjamin. She was formerly Assistant Curator at the American Federation of Arts. She holds a MA degree in art history from Bryn Mawr and a BA degree in philosophy from Barnard College.

Nova Benway, Executive Director, Triangle Arts Association As Executive Director of Triangle Arts Association, Benway oversees artist studios hosting local and international artists, as well as a public program series of talks, screenings, performances, and other events. Triangle is part of the Triangle Network, a global network of artists and visual arts organizations that support professional development and cultural exchange amongst artists, curators, and other arts professionals throughout the world. Benway is also Visiting Faculty at the Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College.

Lindsey Berfond, Assistant Curator for Public Programs, Queens Museum At Queens Museum, Berfond has collaborated closely on exhibitions; community engagement; and programming with artists, thinkers, cultural producers, and communities. She earned her BA degree in Art History from New York University and her MA degree from the Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College. She has contributed to exhibitions and other programming at institutions such as Art in General, Queens Museum, NURTUREart, and SculptureCenter. Berfond co-curated the Queens International 2016, the Queens Museum’s biennial exhibition of artists living and/or working in the borough. 

Jennifer Gerow, Curator of Contemporary Art, BRIC BRIC is a not-for-profit cross-disciplinary organization based in Downtown Brooklyn that presents and incubates work by New York based artists. At BRIC, Gerow has curated the group exhibitions Public Access/Open Networks and Reenactment and the solo exhibition Mary Mattingly: What Happens After. She has also co-curated three iterations of the BRIC Biennial. She also leads BRIC’s contemporary art fellowships, residencies, and open call opportunities. Gerow graduated with a MA degree in Art History from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a BA degree in Literature from the University of Virginia. She has previously held positions at the International Center of Photography and the Detroit Institute of Arts. She has presented talks and collaborated with numerous New York institutions including Residency Unlimited, A Blade of Grass, Electronic Arts Intermix, Wassaic Project, Green-Wood Cemetery, Trestle Gallery, and the New York Public Library.

Gabriel de Guzman, Curator & Director of Exhibitions, Smack Mellon Gallery As Curator & Director of Exhibitions at Smack Mellon, de Guzman organizes group and solo exhibitions that feature emerging and under-recognized mid-career artists whose work often explores critical, socially relevant issues. His recent exhibition, EMPATHY (Fall 2018), addressed the divisive political climate and featured artists who revealed a capacity for empathy by creating work that reflected on other’s experiences and values across social, political, and cultural divides. Before joining Smack Mellon’s staff in 2017, de Guzman was the Curator of Visual Arts at Wave Hill, organizing the Sunroom Project Space series for emerging artists as well as thematic group exhibitions in Wave Hill’s Glyndor Gallery.

As a guest curator, he has presented shows at BronxArtSpace, Dorsky Gallery Curatorial Programs, Rush Arts Gallery, En Foco at Andrew Freedman Home, Carriage Barn Arts Center, the Affordable Art Fair New York, Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance (NoMAA), and the Bronx Museum’s 2013 AIM Biennial. Prior to Wave Hill, he was a curatorial assistant at The Jewish Museum, where he coordinated exhibitions on Louise Nevelson, Harry Houdini, Joan Snyder, and Andy Warhol, as well as Schoenberg, Kandinsky, and the Blue Rider. His writings have been published in catalogues for Wave Hill, the Bronx Museum, Dorsky Gallery, BronxArtSpace, the Arsenal Gallery at Central Park, The Jewish Museum, Rush Arts Gallery, NoMAA, Kenise Barnes Fine Art, and Nueva Luz: Photographic Journal. He earned a M.A. degree in art history from Hunter College and a B.A. degree in art history from the University of Virginia.

Michelle Levy, Interdisciplinary Artist, Writer, and Cultural Organizer From 2008 to 2018, Levy was Founding Director of EFA Project Space, an interdisciplinary, socially-engaged exhibition program of The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts in New York City, where she also founded the SHIFT Residency (2010), a program that fosters the creative practices of artists who work for arts organizations. Through her role at EFA, she has supported the work of over 500 artists and independent curators, fostering dialogue around ethics, visibility, identity, and care. From 2000-2008, Levy was Program Manager of International Print Center New York. She is currently working as an independent consultant for artists.

Levy’s art practice uses research and storytelling to investigate the mediated spaces where identity is constructed. Her current project, “Paulina,” enlists archives, travelogues, and cross-cultural collaboration with Polish artist Patrycja Dołowy to draw out a story based on one woman’s found-testimony from 1945. For 2018/19, she was an artist fellow at POLIN Museum for the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw, and received grants from the US Embassy in Warsaw and Asylum Arts along with project support from the Jewish Historical Institute, Warsaw and FestivALT, Kraków. Levy holds a MFA degree in Digital and Interdisciplinary Art Practice from The City College of New York, and a BA degree in Studio Art from Wesleyan University.

Ysabel Pinyol, Curatorial Director, Mana Contemporary Pinyol studied architecture in Barcelona and Chicago before opening a gallery in Barcelona and relocating to New York, where she now lives and works. She joined Mana Contemporary as a Chief Curator in 2010. In 2014, she co-founded Mana Residencies in Jersey City and Chicago, a yearly residency program for mid-career artists. She is currently developing a cultural exchange program in Miami, featuring a residency program for Latin American artists. She continues to create new exhibitions and special projects for Mana Contemporary.

Steven Sergiovanni, Art Advisor & Curator Sergiovanni’s experience as director, gallerist, and dealer hinges on a continued methodology of transparency. With over 20 years experience in the gallery world, Sergiovanni was the former Director of Mixed Greens, a gallery established in the late 1990s to support emerging artists so they could gain a wider audience. Mixed Greens had a reputation as an approachable and inventive gallery where artists were given their first New York solo exhibitions. It was also a gallery that pioneered promoting artists online and in experimental spaces. Prior to Mixed Greens, Sergiovanni worked for several galleries including Jack Shainman, Charles Cowles, Holly Solomon, and Andrea Rosen.

Sergiovanni is a member of the New Art Dealer’s Alliance (NADA) and was the former Vice President of the Board of Directors for Visual AIDS, a contemporary arts organization committed to HIV prevention and AIDS awareness. He is the co-founder of The Remix, a project-based curatorial team established to exhibit the work of underrepresented artists. The Remix’ first podcast was released in Summer 2018. He regularly speaks at institutions such as FIT, NYU, and New York Academy of Art. He is currently a visiting professor at Pratt Institute, teaching the courses “Professional Practices” and “Artist as Curator.” Sergiovanni holds a BA degree in Art History from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX and a MA degree in Arts Administration from New York University.

Anne Wheeler, Director of Programs, One Million Years Foundation Wheeler is a New York-based curator, writer, and historian in Modern and Contemporary Art. In 2019, Wheeler joined the One Million Years Foundation, established by the artist On Kawara in 2001, as its inaugural Director of Programs. From 2018–19, Wheeler worked as a curatorial associate at the Whitney Museum of American Art, guiding the acquisition of a major gift from the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation. Wheeler curated the apexart Franchise Program exhibition Un-Working the Icon: Kurdish ‘Warrior-Divas’ in Berlin, Germany (2017). Wheeler joined the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in 2010 at the founding of its Panza Collection Initiative research project and served as assistant curator for the major international loan exhibitions On Kawara – Silence (2015) and Peter Fischli David Weiss: How to Work Better (2016). She received her BA degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in English and the Practice of Art, and is now an ABD doctoral candidate in Art History at The Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. Her in-progress doctoral dissertation is titled “Language as Material: Rereading Robert Smithson.”

Adeze Wilford, Curatorial Assistant, The Shed Prior to her work at The Shed, Wilford was an inaugural joint curatorial fellow at The Studio Museum in Harlem and the Museum of Modern Art. She organized Vernacular Interior at Hales Gallery (2019); Excerpt (2017) at the Studio Museum; and Black Intimacy (2017), a film series at MoMA. Other curatorial projects include Harlem Postcards (2016/2017) and Color in Shadows, the 2016 “Expanding The Walls” exhibition at Studio Museum. Prior to this, Wilford was the Public Programs and Community Engagement assistant at the Studio Museum. She graduated from Northwestern University with a BA degree in Art History and African-American Studies.

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Image: Doctor’s Hours, June 2019, Photo Credit: NYFA Learning