Erin McGough

Erin McGough has been appointed the new Registrar of the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Selected from a field of more than 130 candidates, Ms. McGough comes to the Whaling Museum from the Concord Museum, where she developed the Registrar’s office, creating systems and procedures that allowed the museum to obtain its accreditation. She replaces longtime Registrar Jean Banker who retired in June.

Ms. McGough holds a Master’s Degree in Art History and Museum Studies from Tufts University, a B.A. in Art History from the College of William and Mary and has extensive internship experience at museums including the Corcoran, the Smithsonian, and Harvard’s Peabody Museum.

In making the announcement, Dr. Greg Galer, Vice President of Collections and Exhibitions, noted “Erin will play an essential role in the operation of the Whaling Museum, managing the legal and intellectual control of the collection as well as its physical care, storage, security and climate control. Erin comes with an extensive skill set for this position, possessing a deep knowledge of collection databases and object loan protocols. She will be an important member of the Curatorial Department, with museum best-practices at the heart of all our programs. The Board of Trustees and staff are thrilled to welcome her aboard.”

Ms. McGough added, “I am honored to be working at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The collection is large, diverse, and interesting — certainly providing a Registrar with plenty of challenges. I look forward to working with the entirety of the museum’s staff, as we provide a satisfying visitor experience while maintaining professional standards of collections care.”

ARTicles: Notes on the Arts
October 30, 2010 12:00 AM

Many who have visited the New Bedford Whaling Museum lately, or just sauntered by its canopied main entrance, probably have noticed a giant orange squid wrapped around a square column near that access. It is the artwork of Erik Durant, a New Bedford sculptor, an MFA graduate of UMass Dartmouth, and currently coordinator of the Fine Arts Program at Bristol Community College, where he has taught since 2006.

Durant is one of eight artists participating in a show of outdoor sculpture titled “In the Unequal Cross-Lights — Contemporary Sculptors Respond to the Whaling Museum Collections,” organized by Lasse Antonsen, director of the University Art Galleries, and in collaboration with the UMD College of Visual and Performing Arts, the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, and the Whaling Museum. The eight artworks will be placed around the museum’s downtown campus, and will remain on view for a year.

Rick Creighton’s “Little Sailor Boy with Paddle Arms”, photo by Loring S. Weeks/

rest of the story…

From his “One Drawing Every Page of Moby-Dick” project and blog.

Moby-Dick, page 110

Title: “Men may seem detestable as joint stock-companies and nations; knaves, fools, and murderers there may be; men may have mean and meagre faces; but man, in the ideal, is so noble and so sparkling, such a grand and glowing creature, that over any ignominious blemish in him all his fellows should run to throw their costliest robes.”

Matt Kish, Dec 20, 2009, 8.5" by 11", colored pencil & ink on found paper

Mr. Barthelmess organizes a tri-annual whaling history symposium in Cologne, and for the 2009 event, he wrote about and exhibited whaling memorabilia connected with the fleet of Aristotle Onassis. This piece, entitled “The Arts and Crafts of OLYMPIC CHALLENGER: Souvenirs, company gifts, and whaler folk art from the Onassis whaling venture, 1950 – 1956″ describes the exhibit curated by Mr. Barthelmess.

Tooth by the Onassis flag painter: Dedecke Whaling Collection

Moby Dick: Heart of the Sea presents imagery relating to the classic Melville novel Moby-Dick. Exhibiting artists George Klauba and Kathleen Piercefield are each natives of the Chicago area. Works by Robert McCauley former chair of Rockford College Department of Art will provide a sculptural element to the exhibition. Their contrasts in style and media, Klauba’s realistic paintings, Piercefield’s expressive, multi-media prints and Robert McCauley’s sculptural assemblages will make for a striking and challenging show. Author and Moby-Dick scholar Robert Wallace will lead a gallery walk at the opening reception on April 17, 2009.

711 N. Main Street
Rockford, IL 61103
USA

www.rockfordartmuseum.org

Members Preview and Curator’s Tour: Thursday, February 26, 200, 6PM

Here’s a sneak peak at what’s going on in the Gratia Houghton Rinehart Gallery:

gallery model (constructed by intern Evan Price)

Preparator Scott Benson, (photo by volunteer Herb Andrew)

Preparator Scott Benson (photo by volunteer Herb Andrew)

Stay tuned for more!