Getting to know us...

In the upcoming weeks, we'd like to take the opportunity for you to get to know us. We'll have staff members, front desk volunteers, docents, board members and others involved in the Museum writing blog posts so you have the chance to meet some of the well-rounded group. We're an approachable bunch, so say "Hi!" and feel free to ask any questions next time you visit.

This post is written by Judy Swan, Trustee and Secretary of the Asheville Art Museum:

I have been on the Board of the Art Museum for many years; that can be serious stuff. The real fun is volunteering at the front desk/shop. Visitors are always interesting and share their museum and Asheville experiences. The staff always has something interesting for me to do between visitors.

The first Wednesday of the month is free at the museum from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. That fell on one of my volunteer days this month and what a great day! The Mountain Xpress ran an excellent article about the Sewell Sillman exhibit just before it closed but in time for the free visitors. We had guests from NYC, Canada, Illinois, Iowa, Florida, California, Colorado as well as Asheville and nearby counties. All of this on a cold day between snowstorms mid-week in Asheville. There were young couples with designer winter jackets, family groups taking advantage of a free day, a couple of people my age who were interested in moving here. Earlier in the day I suggested some young people might come back when it was free. One couple did, but another paid and spent a long time enjoying all three upstairs floors of the Museum as well as the outstanding Director’s Cut exhibition in our ‘always free’ first floor community galleries. They appreciated my money-saving suggestion but had late afternoon plans.

Judy Swan (right) with her husband Bob at the Museum's 60th Anniversary Party at The Orange Peel.