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Dear
Karen, I hope you are enjoying your new position. We have one piece
of outdoor sculpture (brushed stainless steel) that does not require
regular maintenance from our preparation staff. Following is a job description
for Head Preparator at our institution (forgive the formatting - it did not
translate well to e-mail). I hope it is
helpful.
Best
regards,
Amie Geremia
Registrar
Frist Center for the Visual Arts
919 Broadway
Nashville, TN 37203-3822
(615) 744-3243
(615) 744-3991 fax
ageremia@fristcenter.org
www.fristcenter.org
Head
Preparator (Full-time –
Exempt)
Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville,
Tennessee
The
Environment: The Frist Center for the Visual Arts is a major art
exhibition center that opened April 2001 in Nashville’s historic downtown
post office building. The development of the Frist Center is the result of
unprecedented community involvement and cooperation from the public and
private sectors which developed this institution that now serves as a hub of
Nashville’s flourishing arts community. The Center does not have a permanent
art collection. Rather, the Center is committed to bringing top-quality
exhibitions to the region, to community outreach, and to education programs
and activities.
The Board
of Trustees of the Frist Center is firmly committed to the Center. The Board
is broadly diverse, comprised of corporate leaders of national renown,
public school educators, working artists, community activists, and
collectors.
The city
of Nashville is steadfast in its commitment to the arts, as evidenced by the
explosion of new galleries, important art exhibitions at the city’s existing
institutions, and the formation of new visual and performing arts
organizations. This growth is raising awareness of the arts to new and
exciting levels in the city.
Job Summary: The Head Preparator will work
closely with curators, registrars, exhibition designers, conservators,
artists, and other museum staff to produce high-quality exhibitions. The Head Preparator assists in the
planning, preparation, security, installation and deinstallation of museum
exhibitions and other display materials. Key responsibilities include
coordination of art handling teams and coordinating display, packing,
crating, transporting, and maintenance of exhibitions, galleries, art
storage areas, and preparatory spaces.
Essential Job Functions: Working under the Registrar and
coordinating closely with other Frist Center Staff, the Head
Preparator:
- Adheres to and helps to enforce the Center’s art handling
policy.
- Plans, prioritizes,
and schedules preparation work; assesses resource needs and determines
adjustments as required.
- Assists Exhibitions
team in the planning, installation, and deinstallation of art exhibitions
and other materials for public display. Assists in receipt, dispersal,
packing, crating, transportation, handling, and maintenance of
exhibitions. Implements
proper storage and display methods.
Recruits, supervises, and evaluates temporary art handling
personnel in performing related
work.
- Confers with exhibition designers, curators, artists,
graphic designers, other museum departments, and staff from other
institutions, in planning for the design and construction of exhibits;
participates in exhibition planning teams; in consultation with other team
members, determines detailed production schedules, estimating time and
cost involved and general procedures.
- Consults with registrars and conservators with regard to art
movement and handling, and mount making.
- Monitors the work of Assistant Preparators and temporary art
installers, and works alongside them in the preparation of artwork and the
installation and de-installation of exhibitions; manages and participates
in the fabrication and installation of exhibits (including mat-cutting and
framing for works of art on paper, packing and unpacking; exhibition
graphics, signage, and labels; wall construction and painting; lighting;
display fixtures and mounts) insuring the highest quality within available
resources.
- Assists in preparing departmental budget, and assists in the
development of exhibition and special project budgets.
- Manages the ongoing monitoring of the condition and
appearance of exhibit installations; identifies problem areas and
recommends solutions; oversees the necessary repair/maintenance or
coordinates work with other museum departments as required.
- Oversees the maintenance and repair of tools and equipment;
estimates costs, purchases materials, equipment and supplies; insures
adherence to safe workplace practices and procedures in the handling of
art and in all preparation work and workshop spaces.
·
Operates museum van or rental vehicles as needed for art transport
and procurement of tools and supplies.
·
Works with museum security personnel and registrars to ensure
security policies and procedures are followed with regard to all art
movements.
- Performs other duties as required.
Education and experience:
- Bachelor’s degree and five years of progressively
responsible experience directly related to the essential job
functions.
- Demonstrated successful experience in the management of
major projects. Ability to
plan, prioritize, schedule, and implement projects; simultaneously oversee
a variety of projects.
- Ability to plan, supervise, motivate, and evaluate staff;
participate effectively as a member of a cross-functional team; establish
and maintain effective working relationships with museum staff,
volunteers, the general public, and representatives from other museums.
- Knowledge of art handling procedures for two-and
three-dimensional art objects in a variety of materials, sizes, and
weights, including the rigging and movement of art; mount making
principles, and lighting concepts.
- Knowledge of art handling training practices and procedures.
Ability to explain and carry out methods and procedures relating to the
handling of irreplaceable objects of art.
- Knowledge of safe
art storage, packing, crating, and transport techniques and
procedures.
- Proven leadership skills; excellent interpersonal and team
building skills.
- Computer proficiency; ability to develop spreadsheets and
schedules.
- Knowledge of the design and construction of museum exhibits.
- Knowledge and experience in using standard tools, practices
and methods in painting and basic carpentry. Skill in the use and care of
standard hand and power tools.
- Knowledge of safety regulations, practices, and procedures.
- Strong time management and organizational skills. Ability to
meet deadlines efficiently.
- Ability to develop and manage budgets; prepare cost
estimates; make sound purchasing decisions.
- Ability to interpret working drawings; develop and implement
design concepts.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those
that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential
functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable
individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
Demands may include:
- Ability to climb ladders and stairs;
- Ability to lift materials up to 80 pounds.
- Ability to stoop, bend, and kneel;
- Ability to stand for up to eight (8) hours per
day;
- Work in hydraulic lifts and possibly on scaffolding at up to
18 feet from the ground;
- Ability to operate forklift, man-lift, power tools, and
other equipment and machinery requiring constant attention;
- Work around paints, solvents, and other similar products in
a workshop environment and around historic and art artifacts that may give
off dust or off-gassing smells (taking all due precautions prescribed by
OSHA regulations; the Center is equipped for safe handling of such
materials).
Work
Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are
representative of those an employee encounters while performing the
essential functions of this job.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with
disabilities to perform the essential functions.
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