The Georgia Museum of Art welcomed Athens-based artist and recent University of Georgia graduate Amy Scott to the staff as educational programs assistant last fall. The museum hosts a number of interactive programs, discussions and gallery tours for visitors of all ages which it relies on the education staff to coordinate.
Scott is a multimedia artist who studied journalism, studio art and design at UGA. She previously worked as a writer for the Red & Black, an intern with NPR and assistant for fellow artist Jamie Calkin(opens in new tab). Originally an Arabic major, she says that her path through college was never straightforward but credits her involvement with the Red & Black(opens in new tab) as an undergraduate for her interest in Athens and its people. Native to southern Atlanta, Scott “wanted to cover community issues to learn more about the town outside of UGA, because UGA can be such a bubble.” Her desire to get to know the city and its community, alongside her own artistic endeavors, led her to pursue a career working with the museum to “get people excited about art” and strengthen the relationship between the museum and visitors of all kinds.
When Scott isn’t at the museum, she serves as the page designer for the newly revamped Oglethorpe Echo(opens in new tab) newspaper and spends time working on her own art. She creates in a variety of mediums, including ceramics, photography and sound. Her favorite project so far is a series of clay urns containing audio clips of recorded interviews with subjects from her time as a journalist. What began as a project to help her process her emotions became an exploration of “our collective human experience.”
“As an undergraduate, I did studio art as a fun thing . . . . I didn’t ever anticipate trying to be an artist someday,” Scott said. The museum was a source of inspiration for her while in college, and after graduating, she became curious about what goes on “behind the scenes.” She jumped at the chance to use the skills she learned as a journalist in an art-centered environment.
Working as educational programs assistant has given Scott the opportunity to explore the museum from the perspective of a journalist. Her favorite parts of the job, aside from the close community involvement, are taking photos and spending time getting to know the artists that the museum hosts.
“It’s hard to cut out time in my life to sit down and really research artists. . . . I love doing that.”
Scott’s return to the museum, this time as a staff member, is just one of the many ways she seeks to bring art to the public. Whether she’s at her studio, working in a newsroom or helping the rest of the education team host its inspiring events, creativity is at the forefront of her life.
By Josie Lipton
