.floatimg-left-hort { float:left; } .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 12px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;}
What will be the tough areas of your job to deal with?

From the fund-raising perspective, really focusing on re-evaluating and looking at our membership program and refocusing that and also our individual giving program. Those are two areas that I see improving here at the museum. And from a community standpoint, from a PR perspective and marketing perspective, (we want to show) that we are a free institution that is here for the benefit of Des Moines and its residents.

What was your sell on why you would be a good fit for this job?

It really was, I think, that I could bring an outsider’s perspective to the museum. What a lot of Des Moines is starting to realize with the advent of the sculpture garden is that the museum’s collection is world class. I don’t think that the general public thinks of the Des Moines Art Center as a place to sort of just pop in, let alone do they know that it is a free institution. I would love to sort of get that message across. And from a fund-raising perspective I think that because I come from the second-largest museum in the country, the Art Institute of Chicago, I brought with me a sort of broad depth from several different types of art organizations.

What is it like going from the second-largest art museum to Des Moines?

It is a much different setting. But I think museums are unique no matter what size they are. It’s really just about scaling programming and budgets down. They each have very different focuses and their collections are very different as well. Part of that scaling is because of the population as well, with 6 million people in Chicago, versus a quarter of a million here.

What can you bring from your experience in Chicago?

I think it goes back to the outsider’s perspective. An outsider not only meaning outside of this institution, but outside of the city as well. I think I bring a fresh perspective on things and a different way of looking at things and asking questions that hadn’t been asked.

What are your perceptions of the impact of the sculpture garden?

I think the sculpture garden certainly has raised this institution’s profile, more so probably locally than nationally, because I think nationally it has always had a stellar reputation of having some great pieces in its collection and I think that is just accented with the installation of the sculpture garden.

How are you are going to try to get the word out about Des Moines?

I think my No. 1 goal is to kind of communicate that we are a free institution and that it is an easy institution to manage where even on the lunch hour people can just pop in and see their favorite painting or walk through a gallery. We are partnering with the city on Movies in the Park. So the first Thursday in June, July and August, we will actually be doing movies outdoors in front of the building. So it is those types of activities of reaching out to other community partners and engaging them in what we do.

What drove you toward art?

Childhood. My mother was an interior designer by trade and was actually my first formal art teacher. She taught me to draw and paint and it is kind of ingrained in my brain.

So do you practice art as well?

A little here and there, but not a lot.

What kind of art do you do?

Draw and paint.

Are we a little secretive about this or what?

Ha-ha. Actually it has just been a while since I actually picked up a brush. Although I am starting a ceramics class in two weeks here, which is a medium I’ve never tried to take on.