It’s not much of a stretch to say that Janet Hendricks was the Academy Art Museum was she first joined the museum in the early 1990s. While the AAM today has all the making of a robust regional museum and school, it was much more a “ma and pa” structure in Janet’s early days. The museum director at the time, Chris Brownawell, was in the role of art curator and financial manager, but almost everything else was on Janet’s plate, from the scheduling of classes, setting up lectures, creating music programs, and designing the AAM Magazine.
Janet remembers that era with fondness but has been overjoyed that, over time, the Academy has added key staff positions to help with this important side of the museum’s mission. And while she officially retired late last year, it’s still pretty likely one will still see quite a bit of her, and she continues to help the AAM on a few of their programs.
Nonetheless, after 30 years of dedication to the Academy, the Spy thought it was a perfect time to talk to Janet and her tenure as she saw her beloved institution grow and grow.
This video is approximately four minutes in length. For more information about the Academy Art Museum please go here.
Carla Massoni says
Chris Brownawell was the Director not Erik – Janet goes all the way back!! She was in charge of everything…and together Chris and Janet developed an extraordinary facility. They were the team before AAM achieved Museum status….and the reason it did.