20 / AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU ROSEN-JONES PHOTOGRAPHY ROSEN-JONES PHOTOGRAPHY MARLISE BROWN Joining the Allen’s staff is Marlise Brown, newly appointed Assistant Curator of European and American Art. Brown holds a Ph.D. from Temple University, where she researched gender, theatricality, and selffashioning in architecture and the interrelated roles of labor and luxury in 18th-century decorative arts. Brown brings with her a strong track record of museumwork, with previous positions at The Barnes Foundation, Walters Art Museum, and Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State, as well as a collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum of Art where she reconsidered racialized porcelain figurines in the museum’s collection alongside the Met’s assistant curator of European Ceramics and Glass. Brown’s history of teaching—both as a lecturer at Temple University and Jefferson University and as a writer for educational websites like Smarthistory and Khan Academy—will serve her well with public and college audiences alike. “I am enthusiastic about working with the Allen’s superb collection and various media,” she says, “from paintings and sculptures to smallerscale works in metal, wood, and ceramics—and creating new opportunities for engagement with students and the general public.” EMILY FRENCH The Allen welcomes Emily French to the museum staff as the Assistant Curator of Academic Programs. French holds a Ph.D. in Mediterranean Art & Archaeology from the University of Pennsylvania, and comes to the museum from the University of Colorado, Boulder, where she acted as a visiting assistant professor. At the Allen, French will help current Curator of Academic Programs Hannah Wirta Kinney facilitate teaching engagements with Oberlin College classes—including the almost 300 yearly class visits to the museum. French’s own experience teaching at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology will help her lead classes, tours, and create educational resources for college students. “I’m looking forward to working with and learning from Oberlin students and faculty, and being in such a rich intellectual environment,” she says. French has worked on archaeological digs in Greece, Italy, and Israel, but is looking forward to working with kinds of art outside of her specialty. “I am very excited to explore the Allen’s fantastic collection, and learn more about works of art beyond the ancient world!” HIGHLIGHT / STAFF NEWS ALYSSA TRASTER Allen Memorial Art MuseumDirector Andria Derstine is pleased to announce that long-time Curatorial Assistant in the Education Department Alyssa Traster has taken on a new role at the museum. As Coordinator of Student and Community Connection, Traster will focus her work on strengthening relationships between the community, college students, and alumni through engagement with the museum. This three-year position is a key part of the museum’s new strategic plan. Traster’s wealth of experience at the Allen and familiarity with the surrounding area makes her the ideal candidate to adopt this role. As a native of Vermilion, Traster is passionate about broadening art education opportunities to the wider Lorain County community and bringing even more diverse groups of people to the Allen. “The Allen is really a hidden gem for this area,” she says. “Because we have such a broad collection, we have something that appeals to so many different audiences. I’m hoping to engage different groups of people throughout the community that might not have visited the Allen before.”
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