erika.katayama
07-05-2017, 04:16 PM
The Olana Partnership is looking for an experienced Collections Manager for Frederic Church’s Olana. The Collections Manager is entrusted to care for the collections, provide access to the collections for research, publications and exhibitions, and oversee seasonal changes in the historic house.
The Olana Partnership
The Olana Partnership (TOP) supports the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (NYSOPRHP) in preserving and interpreting Olana State Historic Site (Olana). TOP is both a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and an education corporation chartered by the Board of Regents of the State of New York. Through four decades, TOP has harnessed the passion and philanthropic support of thousands of supporters to restore Olana’s treasures of art, architecture, decorative arts and landscape. TOP’s mission extends to the stewardship of Olana’s nationally-significant viewshed and to developing Olana as a vital educational resource for visitors from across the world and the communities of the region. TOP’s vision is of a fully-restored Olana, vibrant with the activity of artists, scholars, students, and visitors, that will be the most widely-recognized artist’s home and studio in the world.
Olana State Historic Site
A National Historic Landmark, Olana is the greatest masterpiece of Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900). He achieved international fame with paintings such as Niagara (1857) and The Heart of the Andes (1859). Church designed every aspect of Olana: the eclectic fantasy of the main house, the bucolic assemblage of the farm complex, and the 250-acre landscape that provides a romantic, picturesque setting for the whole and engages sweeping 360-degree views. Olana’s collections of art, decorative arts, artifacts, and archives total over 80,000 items. The Church-designed landscape includes parkland, farmland, an orchard, and five miles of scenic carriage roads. Architectural collections include the Persian-inspired main house, Cosy Cottage, barns and outbuildings. Collections in the main house include 16th- through 18th-century decorative arts, paintings, pre-Columbian artifacts, Mexican folk art, historic costumes, photography, and a 2,000-volume library. In 2015 there were approximately 170,000 visitors to the landscape and 30,000 visitors to the main house.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Performs collections management and registrar duties in partnership with Olana State Historic Site and New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) staff.
Oversees collection conservation needs and works with the Director of Collections and Exhibitions, the Olana State site manager, and OPRHP staff to set priorities.
Maintains the historic rooms and oversees all seasonal changes.
Performs regular inventories of the collections and communicates with OPRHP about the location of accessioned objects.
Works with shop manager to select Olana objects to reproduce for sale in shop, and works with OPRHP to get final approval before the production of any product developed from Olana collections.
Assists in the development of new Olana projects by sharing knowledge and insights about Olana (and Church) with curatorial and education staff.
Works on changing exhibitions by providing support to in-house and guest curators, manages in-coming loans, works with OPRHP and others to assess conservation needs and ensure the safe display of objects, and assists with exhibition research, writing and installation as requested.
Helps with PR as needed by providing information, photography, credit lines, press/media tours and other curatorial support as needed.
Works with the Director of Collections and Exhibitions and the Olana Parks site manager to review and then recommend collection loan requests to OPRHP’s Collections’ Committee.
Assists on-site researchers and answers research inquires
Answers in-house staff research requests
Assists with photo requests
Works with Education to provide information and access to collections for programs.
Occasionally participates in VIP tours of the house and educational programs
Recruits and supervises interns for curatorial projects.
Assists with development events as needed
Contributes curatorial content for website, blog and social media
Attends Board Curatorial and Advisory Committees that relate to projects and areas of responsibility.
Assists on other curatorial projects as requested by supervisor.
Supervisory Responsibilities: Supervises Curatorial Interns and volunteers
RequirementsRequired Experience, Skills and Abilities:
MA in art history, history, material culture, or MLS, or a BA with at least 8 years of appropriate experience.
Experience working with decorative arts
Minimum of 3 years’ experience working with collections at a museum or historic site
Good computer skills
Good organizational and communication skills and a passion for assisting others with research
Ability and willingness to work evenings and weekends when needed
Ability to lift and carry 40 pounds
The Olana Partnership
The Olana Partnership (TOP) supports the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (NYSOPRHP) in preserving and interpreting Olana State Historic Site (Olana). TOP is both a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and an education corporation chartered by the Board of Regents of the State of New York. Through four decades, TOP has harnessed the passion and philanthropic support of thousands of supporters to restore Olana’s treasures of art, architecture, decorative arts and landscape. TOP’s mission extends to the stewardship of Olana’s nationally-significant viewshed and to developing Olana as a vital educational resource for visitors from across the world and the communities of the region. TOP’s vision is of a fully-restored Olana, vibrant with the activity of artists, scholars, students, and visitors, that will be the most widely-recognized artist’s home and studio in the world.
Olana State Historic Site
A National Historic Landmark, Olana is the greatest masterpiece of Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900). He achieved international fame with paintings such as Niagara (1857) and The Heart of the Andes (1859). Church designed every aspect of Olana: the eclectic fantasy of the main house, the bucolic assemblage of the farm complex, and the 250-acre landscape that provides a romantic, picturesque setting for the whole and engages sweeping 360-degree views. Olana’s collections of art, decorative arts, artifacts, and archives total over 80,000 items. The Church-designed landscape includes parkland, farmland, an orchard, and five miles of scenic carriage roads. Architectural collections include the Persian-inspired main house, Cosy Cottage, barns and outbuildings. Collections in the main house include 16th- through 18th-century decorative arts, paintings, pre-Columbian artifacts, Mexican folk art, historic costumes, photography, and a 2,000-volume library. In 2015 there were approximately 170,000 visitors to the landscape and 30,000 visitors to the main house.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Performs collections management and registrar duties in partnership with Olana State Historic Site and New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) staff.
Oversees collection conservation needs and works with the Director of Collections and Exhibitions, the Olana State site manager, and OPRHP staff to set priorities.
Maintains the historic rooms and oversees all seasonal changes.
Performs regular inventories of the collections and communicates with OPRHP about the location of accessioned objects.
Works with shop manager to select Olana objects to reproduce for sale in shop, and works with OPRHP to get final approval before the production of any product developed from Olana collections.
Assists in the development of new Olana projects by sharing knowledge and insights about Olana (and Church) with curatorial and education staff.
Works on changing exhibitions by providing support to in-house and guest curators, manages in-coming loans, works with OPRHP and others to assess conservation needs and ensure the safe display of objects, and assists with exhibition research, writing and installation as requested.
Helps with PR as needed by providing information, photography, credit lines, press/media tours and other curatorial support as needed.
Works with the Director of Collections and Exhibitions and the Olana Parks site manager to review and then recommend collection loan requests to OPRHP’s Collections’ Committee.
Assists on-site researchers and answers research inquires
Answers in-house staff research requests
Assists with photo requests
Works with Education to provide information and access to collections for programs.
Occasionally participates in VIP tours of the house and educational programs
Recruits and supervises interns for curatorial projects.
Assists with development events as needed
Contributes curatorial content for website, blog and social media
Attends Board Curatorial and Advisory Committees that relate to projects and areas of responsibility.
Assists on other curatorial projects as requested by supervisor.
Supervisory Responsibilities: Supervises Curatorial Interns and volunteers
RequirementsRequired Experience, Skills and Abilities:
MA in art history, history, material culture, or MLS, or a BA with at least 8 years of appropriate experience.
Experience working with decorative arts
Minimum of 3 years’ experience working with collections at a museum or historic site
Good computer skills
Good organizational and communication skills and a passion for assisting others with research
Ability and willingness to work evenings and weekends when needed
Ability to lift and carry 40 pounds