Almost a third of that whopping number were here Saturday for our 5th annual Play Ball! All-American Festival, which celebrates baseball. It was my first major event at the museum, and also one of their biggest programs all year. This means that it was trial by fire for me but I also learned so much in a very short period of time--from how to greet speakers and visiting artists to where we keep the extra extension cords.
One of my responsibilities here at the Museum is taking care of the Creativity Center, a place for Museum visitors to do hands-on art during their visit. This weekend it underwent a major makeover, temporarily becoming a high-end art gallery displaying the work of Graig Kreindler and Charles Fazzino (who both use baseball as a subject in their artwork). We took down all the kids' drawings that usually decorate the walls and put up glass display cases to show off Fazzino's incredible 3D painted baseballs and helmets and easels for Kreindler's impressive oil paintings. Museum geek that I am, I really enjoyed this "behind the scenes" look at hanging a show, especially because I got to meet both artists and talk about how they wanted their works displayed. We went in search of the extension cords for lights that Charles Fazzino brings whenever he displays his work, which is done in three dimensions--shine the lamp a certain way and the printed cutouts and inlaid Swarovski crystals in his pieces really pop.
Museum visitors enjoy Charles Fazzino's 3D artworkWe were also fortunate on Saturday to have Linda Ruth Tosetti, Babe Ruth's granddaughter, speak. She tours the country sharing stories about Babe from a personal, family-oriented point of view and trying to get his uniform number (it's #3) retired from all of major league baseball. What an amazing woman--she was at the Museum all day, offering in an aside to me that she's just not the kind of girl who would leave a party early! Makes sense to me.
Linda Tosetti signing autographsSo as I said, trial by fire--but it was all worth it to see the looks on the faces of all the baseball fans (all thousand of them!) who came through our doors on Saturday.
Hey Angela,
ReplyDeleteJust discovered your blog. Such an interesting read, thank you so much for it. My Grandfather also had a book of Normans work which captivated me from an early age. I have never visited The Norman Rockwell Museum, unfortunately, as I'm from Ireland, so am quite a distance away from you, but I will be visiting as soon as I can.
Anyway just wanted to thank you for your blog and hope you enjoy your internship. :)
kindest regards,
D