Looking for a good book? Each month Librarian Tatum Preston suggests an art-related title that connects readers to the Museum’s permanent collection or visiting exhibitions. Whether you read these books alone, or use them with your book club, each title is sure to stimulate your thoughts and conversations about art.

This year, the April through December selections will focus on civil rights and the BMA’s commemoration exhibition series Art Speaks: 50 Years Forward. June's selection is Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye.

"Pecola Breedlove, a young black girl, prays every day for beauty. Mocked by other children for the dark skin, curly hair, and brown eyes that set her apart, she yearns for normalcy, for the blond hair and blue eyes that she believes will allow her to finally fit in.Yet as her dream grows more fervent, her life slowly starts to disintegrate in the face of adversity and strife. A powerful examination of our obsession with beauty and conformity, Toni Morrison’s virtuosic first novel asks powerful questions about race, class, and gender with the subtlety and grace that have always characterized her writing."

-from Amazon.com

MUSICAL GUESTS 

St. Paul and the Broken Bones // 9PM / Upper Terrace /  Led by the impressive and exuberant vocals of Paul Janeway and rounded out by a full horn section, this Birmingham band will have you dancing in no time! 

 Dj COCO // All night / Oscar's Café / Dj COCO has kept dance floors full for over a decade! 

PERFORMANCES 

Red Mountain Theatre // 7:30PM and 8:30PM / 18th Century French Gallery / A pianist and soloist will perform music from Oh, Kay and 42nd Street, two of their upcoming musical productions!

DANCEe Performance // 7:30PM (Contemporary Gallery) and 9:30PM (Sculpture Pit) / DANCEe Company  will showcase two of their original dance pieces, extending the limits of performance, choreography and overall art production!

Yellowhammer Creative // All night / Sculpture Pit / Local designers and artists from Yellowhammer Creative will be creating screen-prints, available for sale, throughout the evening.

Opera Birmingham // 8PM and 9PM / Kress Gallery / Come listen as Birmingham Opera members perform famous Italian arias, including selections from their upcoming season featuring Puccini and Verdi. 

GALLERY TALK

"Tattoos as Art" // 8PM and 9:15PM / Contemporary Gallery / BMA's Hugh Kaul Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art Ron Platt and Development Manager for Grants & Proposals and Publications Editor Rebecca Dobrinski / Hear Curator Ron Platt talk about some of his favorite tattoo artists and their work, followed by Rebecca Dobrinski, who will discuss how tattoos are not only artistic but often carry meaning for the wearer.

ART ACTIVITIES 

Dream Work Live art presented by Harold & MOD // 7-9:30PM / Join Harold & MOD in a collaborative art piece inspired by a contemporary Alabama artist. 

Photography Guild presents Emulsion Transfer Art Demonstration // All night / Bar'ts Lair / View a demonstration by photographer Truman Grayson of popular photography emulsion techniques. Also see a display of the Museum's collection of vintage cameras.

Bromberg's Table // 8th Avenue Lobby / All night / When visiting the performances and activities throughout the Museum, fill out vouchers and be entered to win a beautiful piece of Bromberg's jewelry!

Buy your tickets now! Tickets are $10 for BMA members, $20 for non-members, and free if you join as a Junior Patron! 

12-WEEK ACADEMY

$325 Museum members

$360 non-members

Fall 2013

Tuesdays 3:45–5:45PM

September 10–December 3

No class November 26

Academy Apprentice: 6th–7th grades

Academy Assistant: 8th–9th grades

Academy Master: 10th–12th grades (coming fall 2014)

Click here to register online.

Reports to:     Deputy Director & Chief Curator

Status:             Full time

BACKGROUND

The Birmingham Museum of Art seeks a dynamic and experienced Curator of European Art. S/he will be a leader in the field, and will oversee an outstanding permanent collection of approximately 1400 works of art dating from the end of the thirteenth-century to ca. 1920. The curator is responsible for paintings, sculptures, and works on paper. The Italian Renaissance and Baroque periods are represented by one of the largest gifts from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, with important additions over the years. The Dutch and Flemish collection includes fine works by artists such as Balthasar van der Ast, Jacob van Ruidsael, Ferdinand Bol, Jan Mijtens, Jan Steen, Allaert van Everdingen, and François van Bossuit, Another area of strength is eighteenth- and nineteenth-century French art with works by artists such as Etienne-Maurice Falconet, Jean-Marc Nattier, Claude-Joseph Vernet, Louis Tocqué, Jean-Baptiste Pater, Nicolas Lancret, François Hubert Drouais, Jean-Baptiste Pillement, Jean-Honore Fragonard, Christophe Huet, Jean-Baptiste Oudry, Joseph Marie Vien, Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Narcisse Virgile Diaz del la Peña, Gustave Courbet, Camille Pissarro, William-Adolphe Bouguereau, and Max Klinger.

The European collection lends itself to the continuation of innovative acquisitions, exhibitions, and publications. Further research on the collections of Dutch, French, and British art provide particular opportunities for new discoveries.

The Birmingham Museum of Art has a collection of more than 25,000 objects within six collecting areas: European Art, Asian art, American art, Africa and the Americas, European Decorative arts, and Modern and Contemporary Art. Our Hanson Library holds more than 35,000 titles and is among the most comprehensive art research libraries in the Southeastern United States. The BMA provides inspirational cultural and educational art experiences to diverse communities while constantly evolving and enhancing our visitors’ interactions with our Museum and interests in the visual arts.

SPECIFIC DUTIES INCLUDE

• Researching works in the European painting, sculpture, and works on paper collections and disseminating findings through publications, lectures, gallery talks, labels, web-based media, and other forms of communication.
• Working in partnership with other departments, conceives and implements the installation and interpretation of the European art permanent collection.
• Developing and implementing ambitious and intellectually rigorous in-house and traveling exhibitions from the permanent collection; and bringing in significant exhibitions of European art from elsewhere. Works with the Development department to secure funding; with the Design department to determine gallery configuration and installation; and with the Education department to craft public programs and interpretive materials.
• Developing and implementing long-term goals and objectives for the European Art collection through acquisitions that include gifts, bequests, and purchases; also works to refine the collection through strategic de-accessioning.
• Working with fellow staff to ensure the highest quality of care and maintenance of the permanent collection.
• The incumbent actively participates in the intellectual life of the Museum by engaging in collection- and exhibition-related programming for public audiences, carrying out original research and publishing on the collection; expanding physical and electronic access to collection; supporting all fundraising activities to build the collection and develop the exhibition program; supporting all public relations efforts; working with partner organizations, and the community in furtherance of the BMA’s strategic goals.
• Working closely with collectors and prospective donors.
• The Curator of European Art is responsible for cultivating and providing direction to the European Art Society, a collection support group with 70+ members. The group is devoted to the continued growth and development of the Museum’s collection, and to educating its members about European art in general, and the Museum’s collection specifically.
• Participating in professional organizations and other opportunities that arise for professional development and to raise the profile of the Birmingham Museum of Art.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Ph.D. in art history (Dutch, French, or British specialty preferred).
• Proficiency in at least one European language.
• Minimum of five years' experience as a museum curator, and extensive knowledge of museum practices required.
• Strong record of research, scholarship, and public speaking, with proven experience organizing loan exhibitions and producing publications of high quality.
• Demonstrated skill at strategically building a collection through gifts and purchases.
• Must be a creative team player with strong collaborative, communication, and organizational skills.
• Effective leadership and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to build positive and effective relationships with Museum trustees, members, donors, and the broader community.
• Must be articulate, with excellent presentation and writing skills, effective communication and managerial skills, and organizational and time management skills. Must be resourceful, with creative problem solving skills and proven leadership skills; an objective decision maker; and have the ability to work under pressure and operate efficiently.

COMPENSATION

• Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience and includes an excellent benefits package.

TO APPLY

Candidates should submit via email a letter of interest; curriculum vitae; names, addresses, and phone numbers of three references; and a writing sample to:

Jeannine O’Grody, Ph.D., Deputy Director & Chief Curator

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Review of applications will be ongoing until the position is filled.

The Birmingham Museum of Art is an equal opportunity employer.

Education: Advanced undergraduate (junior/senior), graduate student, or recent graduate

Area of Study:  Art, art history, or education

Purpose: To assist the Associate Curator of Education for Teacher & School Services and in the preparation of teacher resource materials and to assist the Artist In Residence in the preparation, administration and facilitation of community outreach programs. This position may require some classroom and/or community teaching.

Hours: Flexible for 10-20 hours per week

Responsibilities:

• Assist in creating teacher resources such as culture cases, lesson plans and videos
• Research objects from the collection and use to enhance lesson plans, culture cases and other teacher resources
• Write lesson plans and other teacher resources
• Public speaking
• Organizing supplies for teacher and school programs
• Place supply orders
• Make phone calls related to teacher and school programs
• Update files and create excel documents for programs
• Frame student exhibitions
• Assist with the preparation of materials for community outreach programs
• Organize supplies for community outreach and school programs, including ordering supplies
• Make phone calls and inquiries related to outreach and school programs
• Assist with the facilitation of programs in the community
• Update files, create Excel documents, and enter data to maintain accurate records for participation statistics and contact information
• Assist in creating community outreach lesson plans and videos related to the Museum’s collection

Special Skills:

• Strong communication skills
• Highly organized with the ability to handle multiple tasks at once
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Outlook and PowerPoint
• Skills with filming and video-making, preferred
• Must be able to lift 25lbs
• Valid driver’s license and transportation to offsite events

Other Information:

The Education Department of the Birmingham Museum of Art provides opportunities for active audience engagement that relate directly to the Museum’s collection and special exhibitions in order to help the Museum fulfill its mission of providing an unparalleled cultural and educational experience to a diverse public.

In May, the Birmingham Museum of Art presented A Portrait of Our City, the 2013 Museum Ball.

Museum Ball Chairs, Mr. and Mrs. John O. Hudson III, and Men’s Committee Co-Chairs, Mr. Edgar B. Marx, Jr. and Mr. Charles Simpson, welcomed the guests as they arrived. Tables were set throughout the Museum and all who attended dined among the Museum’s extensive collection. The atmosphere was filled with a contemporary elegance designed by Jill Garmon of A.G. Lighting. Guests enjoyed the culinary creations of Gianni Respinto of Gianmarco’s in Homewood and were expertly served by the staff of A Social Affair. Afterwards, everyone danced to the sounds of Big Swing & the Ballroom Blasters. Since 1956, the annual Museum Ball fundraiser benefits the Museum’s extensive educational and outreach opportunities offered to schools throughout the region.

Museum Ball Chairs and Committee Members:
Mr. and Mrs. John O. Hudson III, Chairs; Mr. Edgar B. Marx, Jr., Men’s Committee Co-Chair; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Simpson, Men’s Committee Co-Chair; Mr. and Mrs. Frederick W. Bromberg; Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Broughton III; Mr. and Mrs. Mark L. Drew; Mr. Bing Edwards and Ms. Myla C. Choy; Ms. Vanessa Falls and Mr. Walter Body; Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Florie; Mr. David B. Hezlep; Mr. and Mrs. Elias Hendricks, Jr.; Mr. and Mrs. Bill Horton; Mr. Walter Howlett, Jr. and Ms. Barbara Edwards; Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan L. Kimerling; Ms. Bobbie Knight and Mr. Gary Burley; Mr. Guin Robinson; Mr. and Mrs. J. Andrew Robison; Mr. and Mrs. Mark J. Rosse; Mr. and Mrs. Nick Sellers; Mr. and Mrs. Daxton R. Swatek; Mr. and Mrs. Carl Thigpen; Mr. and Mrs. James O. Walker, Jr.; Mr. and Mrs. Donald V. Watkins, Jr.; Mr. Jon W. Whetsell

An Interview with Don James

Vulcan Materials Company is a sponsor for Art Speaks: 50 Years Forward, the BMA’s civil rights commemoration exhibition series. Vulcan has been a strong supporter of the BMA for over 25 years. Don James, Chairman and CEO of Vulcan Materials Company, recently took the time to chat with My Museum, the BMA Members Magazine, about why Vulcan chooses to support the museum.

My Museum Magazine: What do you enjoy about your partnership with the Museum?

Don James: The Museum is a longtime and vital part of the culture of excellence that the best organizations in Birmingham, be they business, civic, religious, or cultural, have long exhibited. In more simple terms, it’s a fun and very beautiful place to visit! It also has programs for kids that help introduce children and families to the Museum and to art.

MMM: If a colleague asked you why their company should join the Corporate Partners program, what would you tell them?

DJ: Join! Our employees, many times over, have been beneficiaries of the numerous programs and activities the Museum has offered over the years. We first became a Corporate Partner in 1987, and it’s been a great experience for us. The Partners program also puts the Museum well in reach of the general public, since it allows for free admission, which opens the doors of the Museum to many who otherwise wouldn’t be able to go.

The Museum is currently accepting applications for Teen BMA, our program for students who will be entering or attending high school in the 2013-14 school year. Teen BMA members meet twice a month after school and volunteer for special projects on the weekends. Applications can be found on our website and will be accepted through June 30, 2013. Applicants will be interviewed during the month of July and, if accepted, will attend a mandatory orientation session in August. Please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.

Teen BMA members worked with yarn “bomber” artist Donna Okoro to develop an installation for Bart’s ArtVenture. The students chose to continue the celebration of Chinese New Year with an installation that will feature all the signs of the Chinese Zodiac and will also include Bart the Art Bat . Each year, Teen BMA is tasked with creating a collaborative art project. The installation will be on display through late April 2013.