@ Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library, @ Black Mountain, Leicester, Weaverville Libraries, Governor Cooper Encourages Eligible North Carolinians to Claim Earned Income Tax Credit, North Carolina Newborns Now Screened for Two Additional Disorders to Help Provide Early Diagnosis and Treatment, Recovering North Carolinas Bill of Rights, North Carolina Department of Insurance Negotiates Settlement on Dwelling Rate Request, The NCDOR Opens 2023 Individual Income Tax Season, Employment Agencies, Consultants & Businesses. Apologies! Thats a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall. Heres a woman whos done a tremendous amount for the community, has actually put Asheville on the map.. In one email to Click, the chair of the human resources committee, and then board chair Butch Patrick, Weitzman wrote that fear of being fired has created a large morale deficit compounded by the inability to speak up., She asked for immediate action and wrote that there have been issues and concerns for a long period of time.. Weitzman and the group moved to the first floor, where Myers was standing with trustee Bob Benites. I showed her where Pam was, Weitzman said. Revelate builds upon Hills investigation of pre-contact cultures. The 68,000-square-foot museum features 20th and 21st century American art. The patron was in her face, not me., Were clear, Saenger replied. Asheville-born interdisciplinary artist Sherrill Rolands socially driven practice draws upon his experience with wrongful incarceration for a crime he did not commit and seeks to open conversations about how we care for our communities and one another with compassion and understanding. The Asheville Art Museum is a community-based nonprofit visual art organization in Western North Carolina (WNC) and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Your email address will not be published. Im hopeful you will stand up and see that while your efforts are to you for the good of the museum, they are proving counterproductive. They orchestrated it all., Weitzman had volunteered at the museum since 2016 and held a seat on the board as president of the Docents Association. The museum's permanent collection also explores regional contributions in three areas: Employee complaints have been a source of discord on the museum board. Written by Sally Kestin, Asheville Watchdog. Leave, I did. Ms. Hamill sounds elitist, uncaring and out of touch. She described the board as hand-picked and curated supporters of Myers, who has been director of the museum for 27 years. We have never censored or disciplined a trustee for expressing differing views or opinions. Your involvement is essential, now and in the future. The work environment is beyond toxic, Huff and Green wrote in a 2021 summary. Who would suggest changing her role to focus on what she appears to be good at, and not what she is evidently not good at? We invite you to join us! We hope youll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. I believe we are on a solid path forward, Click wrote. At the Asheville Art Museum, the gift shop and the Front Desk were one and the same, meaning that those employees were front-facing and interacted with guests and served as the first impression to the Museum. It was dealt with in a combative way, Shull said. Books, jewelry, plush, games, activity kits, apparel, minerals & specimens, AMOS logo gear and more; all available in our unique museum store! I liken this behavior to what the vandals are doing defacing the museum, Saenger said. On view through March 20! Is there not something to this? Huff said. The board has stood by Myers, 65, largely crediting her with raising $30 million in a capital campaign that spanned well over a decade. The Business Manager position is part time (non exempt) and is expected to be 24 hours per week. Saenger told Asheville Watchdog that as far as he knew, the museum, established in 1948, had never removed a trustee. After the meeting, she sent an email to the docents, writing that she had been removed as a result of standing up for museum staff for the last year, within the Board of Trustees and most recently on record with the AVLWatchdog.org article., Nancy Ferguson, a 30-year museum volunteer and former trustee, told Asheville Watchdog, I was appalled to learn of Ms. Weitzmans dismissal. He said Weitzman had disrupted board meetings and had inappropriate communications with staff. A total of at least 60 employees left during that time, said Candace Reilly, an ex-employee who organized the letter and gathered signatures. Emails provided by Weitzman show she raised employee concerns beginning in March 2022. Book effortlessly online with Tripadvisor! Years ago I wrote Pam Myers about an exhibit concept that would feature the design community of Asheville as a vibrant collection of talented professionals doing breakthrough work. I believe we are on a solid path forward, Click wrote. Never had any direct interaction with her but this article helps make more sense of why it seemed like such an unhappy place. North Carolina museum exhibiting 20th century American art, Come have a drink and experiment with art materials while connecting with your community! Facebook . Linda Kendall Fields (Chair) is a resident of Fletcher, North Carolina and has been on the Asheville Music School Board of Directors since it became a non-profit organization in 2012. Directions: 43 Patton Ave. Asheville, NC 28801. And the sycophants & lickspittles fawning over her psyche & clamoring on how theyve been emotionally upset by this icky reality thing. You may get billed for that. The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Through his work, Roland engages visitors in dialogues around community, social contract, identity, biases, and other deeply human experiences. After the meeting, Weitzman told Asheville Watchdog she believed her removal was retribution for challenging the museums leadership. Leave, I did. Its our responsibility to promote the health of the museum and its mission. Some Asheville artists have complained that the museum is inaccessible and unsupportive of local work. Weitzman said a museum patron, Monica Krider, had wanted to share her thoughts with Pam about the Watchdog story. She and other current board members, as well as past board chairs, would only answer questions submitted in writing. Troy, New York nysmuseums.org. Asheville may be best known for its traditional acoustic music, but Moog showed that the swirling, space-age sounds of his synthesizer could fit quite naturally against the mysterious backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. She urged her fellow trustees to ask for Myerss resignation and to find a new executive director. As of 7 a.m. Wednesday, the petition had 227 signatures. Join Us This Sunday for a Traditional Game Day. // Photo credit: Lindsey Grossman. Comprised of artwork created from 2016 to the present, Sherrill Roland: Sugar, Water, Lemon Squeeze reflects on making something from nothing, lemonade from lemons, the best of a situation. Even though the server responded OK, it is possible the submission was not processed. The Adult Studio program was popular as all of my classes were filled to overflowing. Theyre so thin-skinned.. The word used by three former staff is traumatic. , Kevin Click, the board vice-chair and a former human resources executive, said in a written response to questions from Asheville Watchdog that Myers has been very positive about the coaching and feedback she is receiving.. Was an intern at the museum a few years back, the toxic work culture permeates all the way down. Ive kind of found myself in a situation of traveling and taking my work outside of the city to be able to make a living with it, and that is with the privilege of a university degree and a local culture that already privileges white artists., Maurer, 23, said UNCA trains students for a museum-centered career, but the museum caters to artists that are not based in Asheville and then takes that work and redirects it towards tourists., The museum was founded in 1948 by local artists. Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. If so, I havent seen it. Culture of Fear and Toxic Leadership Cited, Myers has been the focus of employee complaints. Weitzman said she wanted to make clear that she was not the one confronting Myers at the party. After the vote to remove Weitzman, Saenger said, I would just underscore that its just not appropriate to take things into your own hands. Too Much Is Just Right: The Legacy of Pattern and Decoration features over 70 artworks in an array of media from both the original time frame of the Pattern and Decoration movement, as well as contemporary artworks created between 1985 and the present. Please note that items in the second level of these menus can open a page and also expand submenus. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. What are the next steps, people? Contact her at skestin@avlwatchdog.org. However, I have not taught a workshop nor class there in over a year. executive director of the museum since 1995. Every request was honored, Krider said. Weitzman responded that she attempted a group effort and failed. Three of the board members who resigned in May, including Huff and Green, told The Watchdog the treatment of employees and the boards response was a factor in their decision to leave. Youre no longer a volunteer.. Im sorry that having a frank conversation that you didnt want to have seemed like an attack. A renovated and expanded museum opened in 2019 in a glass building that is now a landmark downtown, and the museum has an endowment of more than $6 million. To be balanced, the reporter quoted two museum donors, one who defended the museum and gave her reasons, and one who stopped supporting the museum and gave his reasons. Leadership Advisory Committee. Last week, the letters in the museums sign were altered from Asheville Art Museum to A He ll Art Museum. Asheville Police spokesperson Samantha Booth said Wednesday she could not locate a police report on the vandalism. The Theater is just one of the many examples of community relationships that are strained. Today, more than 500 members serve on the Smithsonian's Advisory Boards. Mar 1, 2023 - Looking to get inspired on your trip to Asheville? In 1994 the Board appointed Richard West, scholar and former director of Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Maine; the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento; the Newport Art Museum, Rhode Island; and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. I worked at the museum under Pam Myers. For what it is worth, my observation is that departmental staff come and go frequently. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. do koalas have poisonous claws. Right, not only does Ms. Meyers need to be replaced immediately her unquestioningly compliant board of trustees does as well. President and Eloise W. Martin Director. Sections will explore the history of pattern and decorations use in American art during and after the now formally recognized movement was established. Open Thursdays 11am9pm | Reserve tickets now. Lewis said Benites intervened, defending Myers. Myers, the museum's executive director for 27 years, declined to be interviewed by Asheville Watchdog. and so it will be with Ms. Myers and her now rapidly unraveling tenure of abuse there at the Asheville Art Museum. 4. Too Much Is Just Right: The Legacy of Pattern and Decoration features more than 70 artworks in an array of media from both the original time frame of the Pattern and Decoration movement, as well as contemporary artworks created between 1985 and the present. This is no way to run any organization, let alone a supposedly not for profit arts organization. All voted in favor of removing Weitzman. What happened to free First Wednesday admission to Asheville Art Museum? Clearly there has been a consistent and ongoing pattern of abuse of volunteers and employees by Ms. Myers, which quite frankly reads like nothing short of a reign of terror .very very bad public relations no matter how magnificent your prized glass edifice there in Pack Square is. Shull and his wife, Hedy Fischer, who own Pink Dog Creative in the River Arts District, have donated art that is part of the museums permanent collection. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. Pictured: The Missoula Art Museum, whose Museum as Megaphone distance learning platform has provided access to arts education to rural and Tribal communities across Montana throughout the pandemic. Please check your inbox for an authentication link. She said that former employees had told her, unsolicited, that they were still experiencing nightmares, PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] and continual therapy from their experience working at the museum. Please show Pam Myers and a few of her board minions to the door. You said to me you will not stand down on this. But behind the facade, it gets ugly, an Asheville Watchdog investigation found. Zahler mentioned an issue, an apparent reference to employee complaints about Myerss management dating to at least 2015. No one on that board even bothered to come to Michelles defense and say, Well, wait a minute. so we have no idea how or whom to speak to when we dont want to speak to Pam; were talking about no on-boarding so if we do get it wrong and get berated, we had no way of preparing; were talking about a complete lack of trust and order from the top down (can you imagine if you start your job with your boss immediately mistrusting you and treating you like garbage? Myers, the museum's executive director for 27 years, declined to be interviewed by Asheville Watchdog. Leading ambassador and advocate for museums and cultural institutions in New York State . But behind. Something needs to be done now. Artists for Asheville started this petition Two recent articles in the Asheville Watchdog have exposed how Pam Myers, Executive Director of the Asheville Art Museum, has routinely mistreated Museum staff during her tenure, creating a culture of fear, retaliation, and high attrition that has twice been brought to the Museum's Board of Trustees. Board of Trustees. MICHELLE CROUCH, North Carolina Health News, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Job Description. The museum, Hamill pointed out, is a nonprofit institution accountable to the Board of Trustees. There are laws and responsibilities that any board has, especially a board of a not-for-profit entity. Asheville Watchdog spoke separately with Weitzman, Lewis, and Krider the day after the event. The board has stood by Myers, 65, largely crediting her with raising $30 million in a capital campaign that spanned well over a decade. Youre no longer a volunteer.. This is a story with more questions to explore and report on. This is not harsh and demanding. The high attrition rate is simply bad business.. I wrote recommendations, and I was dismissed, so I went through proper channels before putting my name and my reputation in the public view, Weitzman said. Please, check your inbox! An enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Luzene Hill advocates for Indigenous sovereigntylinguistically, culturally, and individually. Grace is a 2021 participant in the McKinsey Black Leadership Academy Management Accelerator and a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory. Museum Members receive 12 months of free general admission. [1] This has led Hill to incorporate the idea of Olinthe Nahuatl word for the natural rhythms of the universein Aztec cosmology in her work. Asheville, NC 28801. She never responded. Tickets are non-refundable. On this page, you will find ways to experience art and performance, learn more about Black Mountain College and its artists, and even participate in virtual events. sorry, that should have read: [this] reminds me of another highly manipulative/ vindictive psychopath Anyway, really, the powers to be in the City of Asheville/ Buncombe County now is the time for some serious damage control because I highly doubt this is going away anytime soon. . Is this board more or less bought and paid for by the successful fundraising, and how much is personal vanity playing a part in being a board member? While I am sure the attorneys may approve of such an approach, it leaves a great deal open to conjecture. Pamela L. Myers, Executive Director Executive Committee Paul Lentz Saenger, Chair Kevin Click, Vice Chair Butch Patrick, Immediate Past Chair Julia Peterson, Secretary Karen Praytor, Treasurer Staff Directory and Contact Board of Trustees Tami Bebber Robert Benites Courtney Blossman Chris Cavanaugh Carolyn Coward Betsy Cunagin Paula Dawkins Lei Han Museum Members receive 12 months of free general admission. becoming a Museum Member, renewing your membership early, or upgrading your current membership. The most recent dates shown on the N.C. Sec of State site is 2020. The Museum, with the assistance of its volunteer docents and support from the Asheville Area Section of the American Institute of Architects, is proud to be a regional affiliate partner hosting the WNC Regional Scholastic Art Awards each year. Well certainly take everything you had to say to heart, Michelle, as we always have, Saenger said. David Huff, one of five museum board members who resigned in the spring, said the trustees were doubling down by removing Weitzman. Nonprofit journalism in the public interest. But some trustees felt the board should do more, such as hire an administrator to run the day-to-day operations and free Myers to focus on fundraising and larger issues. Its also about what it looks like for Asheville, all of us.. Time for an even closer look at this situation. Established by artists and incorporated in 1948, the Asheville Art Museum is committed to being a vital force in community and individual development and to providing lifelong opportunities for education and enrichment through the visual arts. Every request was honored, Krider said. Well certainly take everything you had to say to heart, Michelle, as we always have, Saenger said. The governing body for both the museum and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, this group of highly dedicated individuals bring their wide-ranging expertise to ensure the institution as a whole remains responsible and vital to those it serves. where is the house in the carvana commercial. Three of the board members who resigned in May, including Huff and Green, told The Watchdog the treatment of employees and the boards response was a factor in their decision to leave. We need your help to continue serving as a source of knowledge and inspiration during these uncertain times. This success can be attributed to the great work the staff did in marketing and administration. The board has stood by Myers, 65, largely crediting her with raising $30 million in a capital campaign that spanned well over a decade. Yes, I also saw the similarities to that narciopath Agent Orange. It is common knowledge among museum experts that museum stores and restaurants have become much needed sources of additional revenue; leadership at Asheville Art Museum, however, treats the store and cafe as unimportant after thoughts, refusing to provide the resources and support they need in order to be profitable. If they are not publicly stating that the situation, as reported, has improved are we to believe that it hasnt, or perhaps gotten worse? The Bass Museum of Art opened in 1964 through the donation of a private collection by John and Johanna Bass to the City of Miami Beach. Theyre not hearing. Experience great art while mingling with fellow art lovers at an opening reception, watch a local ceramist throw a pot in her studio, discover new creative skills at a workshopall this and more. David Menconi. Enter the code you received via email to sign in, or sign in using a password. As a Member, you will enjoy a wide range of benefits while providing vital support for the Museums engaging education programs and innovative exhibitions. Lewis said that Myers told her, Now is not the time, but did not say when she would be available to speak. Yeah, were not talking about typos or lending a hand. Were pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Krider, according to Weitzman, continued with her rant about a terrible way to run an organization.. After the meeting, Weitzman told Asheville Watchdog she believed her removal was retribution for challenging the museums leadership.

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