Art students discover local treasures, from the mentorship of local treasures
Western Professor of Art Garth Amundson says "Field trips are at the core of my teaching" and he means it. With the start of Fall Quarter, he brought two classes to visit the Whatcom Museum for hands-on studies with professionals in the field they are studying: Professional Practices for Studio Artists (Art 495), and Black & White Photography (Art 370). "Students were rightfully impressed with everything the museum has to offer", he said. "As per usual, both Amy and Jeff provided an incredible overview of their areas and delivered such valuable information. Both experts, they never disappoint!". As it happens, both Amy and Jeff are alumni of Western Washington University and long time treasures of the city of Bellingham.
Amy Chaloupka, Chief Curator
Amy Chaloupka (WWU Art BFA graduate, 2002) came to the Whatcom Museum in 2019 as Chief Curator, and already a familiar name around town. Chaloupka has been curating and exhibiting art for over 15 years, including permanent installations in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Chicago, Illinois, and Madison, Wisconsin. She has worked with the Western Gallery, taught in Western's Department of Art & Art History, and served on the Arts Commission for the City of Bellingham.
I always enjoy having art students visit the museum and to tour them through the current exhibitions, tailoring this tour to the syllabus or course topic they are working from, whether studio, art history, or professional practice courses. Beyond sharing information about what is on view I like to touch on my personal path of having been a Western BFA student (class of 02) and how it led me to curation as a career, and how my experiences as a maker and practice in the studio inform the way I work with artists to conceive exhibitions.
Amy Chaloupka
Professional Practices for Studio Artists
Students studying Professional Practices for Studio Artists (Art 495) got to meet with Amy at the Lightcatcher Museum for a personal tour of the current exhibitions. The Art 495 class is designed to facilitate entry into the world of professional artists, galleries, critics, and curators, with an emphasis on survival skills for the emerging artist. This includes current trends, professional issues and practices, and the preparation of a complete portfolio. Amy's professional experience combined with the exhibition tour provided a hugely enriching experience for these students.
Students always have excellent questions about what they’re seeing in the gallery, or about museum processes and protocols, or what might be potential professions that they could see themselves exploring some day in museum fields so I spend a lot of time in conversation with them rather than using a presentation approach. When I was an art student, I always appreciated visiting speakers or artists who kept things relaxed and unintimidating. It made me feel like I could picture myself in their shoes one day, and I try to keep this kind of accessible approach in mind when I give tours.
Amy Chaloupka
Jeff Jewell, Archivist/Historian
Jeff Jewell (WWU Anthropology graduate, 1984) is the long time overseer of photo archives at the Whatcom Museum. For anyone interested in local history, Jeff presents not only treasures from the archives, but a treasure trove of personal knowledge as well. He is known as a gifted storyteller, and for making Whatcom's history fun. The museum's photo archives currently hold about 200,000 images rich in local history.
Black & White Photography
Students studying Black & White Photography (Art 370) took a tour of the Museum's photo archives with Jeff in the Syre Educational Center. In Art 370, students learn beyond the fundamentals of developing, enlarging and print finishing. They work in a traditional photography lab, learn digital applications, and equally focus on theory, techniques, and history of photography in a contemporary context. For these students, a tour with Jeff can only deepen an interest in photography, while learning more about local history through fun stories.
Over the years, we have visited the Whatcom Museum & Photo Archive, UBC Graduate Studies Program, Belkin Gallery, Vancouver Art Gallery, Seattle Art Museum, Museum of Northwest Art, dozens of artist studios, and of course, the tulip fields. From professional practice to hands-on field studies, these out-of-class excursions have proven to be a valuable component of my teaching.
Garth Amundson
We are also proud to brag about our alumni, and excited for their mentorship of our current students. You can visit the same exhibitions now, and maybe sign up for a docent tour for a similar learning experience. The Whatcom Museum's Photo Archives are also available to the public. Though mostly used by researchers (ranging from family history to compiling material for books or films to a host of academic pursuits), you can visit the archives (and maybe Jeff) during public hours.
Art classes at Western often exhibit their work on campus at the end of the quarter, so keep an eye out for these students' work going on display! We will publish such events at cfpa.wwu.edu/exhibitions.
