A Day in the Life of an Assistant Curator - Stay at Home Edition

The rush of seeing new art being carried into the gallery, ripe and ready to be hung. The smell of fresh paint as the walls take on a new hue, taking the space and changing it into foreign and exciting. The sound of hammers, drills, music, and laughter as the curator, gallery assistant, and the artists work hand in hand to bring their vision to life. And finally, the atmosphere of community and awareness as those we live around come to view the works of local artists. There is nothing better than the feeling of strangers coming together under a shared interest to simply view and consider. These simple, everyday tasks are the best parts of my job as an assistant curator and the act of being able to sit within a gallery everyday has opened my eyes to the wonderful oddities that make up my daily task list. So then what happens when the galleries shutdown? What happens when you take the assistant curator out of the space that she thrives in? What in the world does she do all day when there aren't paintings to be hung or gallery tours to be given? I am about to answer all of your burning questions about the life of an assistant curator working from home.

The day begins with caffeine of course and then a deep dive into social media as the bulk of my job is to shout our messages and meaning to the world, via Instagram for the most part. I make sure I am up to date on what is going on in the city around me and how it impacts the lives of artists and creators. I like to wake up and see that people are still creating and sharing their work even if no one can see it yet. After I get lost in the scrolling for a bit, you know how it is, I re-center my intentions and create the daily post of the new series "Daily Featured Artist" by looking through the exhibitions on our website and trying to find works that represent a theme- nature art in example- that will hopefully brighten up people's feeds.

Alright, now it's time to take a break from social media and hop onto the computer. Interestingly enough, most of my work is on the computer, even when the gallery was open! Most of the social media content that we release comes from my imagination, with help and ideas from the head curator of course, into design programs to create fun content that will benefit those who read it. I work on the monthly magazines, the blog, and online exhibitions and this is where the true fun starts. Coming up with ideas and getting inspired is what my job is all about and having an outlet to share these art-related topics has been so fulfilling. After working away and usually publishing something, I take a screen break and do some reading, normally something about the ancient world, and this too helps my brain come up with different ideas and approaches for new content. Brainstorming is a huge part of my day and normally I take a walk and use the endorphins that your body makes when you move to fuel my ideas and then rush back home to plot out a new spread or post. My day always includes tea, probably way too much, and the obligatory rabbit playtime breaks which help chop up my day and re-fuel me for when I start to feel fried. When my task list for the day is complete, I know that it's time for a longer break so that I don't burn out. And then I wake up, and start all over again, creating and thinking and just trying to make something that brings me joy so that the days are happy and bright and full of wonder. Also caffeine. Lots of it.

I hope that you are all able to find some joy right now and know that it's okay if not every day is as productive as you want. Sometimes just cuddling up with a rabbit and drinking tea with a good book, maybe about ancient Egyptians, is healing for your mind, meaning that tomorrow you can work even harder. Although I am looking forward to being back in my little office, able to see the gallery by just glancing up, I am choosing to be happy today with what I am able to do. Surround yourself with beauty and art and I promise that things will look a little brighter. Also, maybe throw in a rabbit or two. I have it on good authority that they brighten up even the darkest days.