"Mr. Scott Shields, Associate Director and Chief Curator of the Crocker Art Museum!" - Part 2

Welcome back to part two of this incredible miniseries, where we speak to Mr. Scott Shields, Associate Director and Chief Curator at Crocker Art Museum about what it means to be a museum curator. As an author who has written extensively about art, Mr. Shields builds on our conversation from last time by letting us in on the cost and effort of creating an exhibition catalog and sharing some of the books he has written. Tuning in today, you’ll learn more about the little title cards that go next to the artworks in a museum, how the meaning of art has evolved over time, and what makes it valuable in the first place. Mr. Shields also gives us a glimpse into the career path that led him to Crocker, from what he studied and where to how he gained experience in the art world through internships, plus so much more! As he says, there is no such thing as a “typical day” for a museum curator, but that’s part of what he loves about his job. To hear Mr. Shields’ advice for aspiring curators and find out if you have what it takes to become one, be sure to join us for this inspiring and informative conversation!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Mr. Shields’ career as a writer and the role that catalogs play in exhibitions.
• The amount of work that goes into creating a book about a particular show.
• Insight into museum title cards; which display information about each artwork.
• Some of the books that Mr. Shields has written on artists over the years.
• The story of his passion for Californian art and the career path that led him to Crocker.
• Mr. Shields’ time as a student and his interest in art growing up.
• How his creativity serves him in his day-to-day work as a curator.
• What he loves most about his job, from acquiring new artworks to installing exhibitions.
• Artists on Mr. Shields’ “wishlist” that he would love to add to the Crocker collection.
• Ways that the meaning of art evolves and changes over time.
• Unpacking what makes art valuable: rarity, quality, fame, and more!
• A look at Mr. Shields’ personal favorite period in art history.
• Why internships are key for anyone interested in becoming a museum curator.
• What a “typical day” looks like for Mr. Shields at the Crocker Museum.
• Current and upcoming exhibitions that you can visit at Crocker!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Scott Shields on LinkedIn

Crocker Art Museum

AI Am I?

A Marriage of Arts & Crafts: Evelyn and William De Morgan

Artists Rights Society

E. Charlton Fortune: The Colorful Spirit

Armin Hansen: The Artful Voyage

Richard Diebenkorn: Beginnings, 1942-1955

Wayne Thiebaud 100: Paintings, Prints, and Drawings

A Touch Of Blue: Landscapes by Gregory Kondos

Granville Redmond: The Eloquent Palette