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Sheehan, originally from Philadelphia, studied at Bowdoin College. She continued her education and received her master's degree at Tufts. Not long after, she returned to Maine. She said being in Maine was due to "wanting to be here and luck." Her time at Bowdoin generated a love for the state. She discussed how Maine is a place where artists could find resources and mentioned that the art community in the state is growing.
Before coming to Bates she worked at the Portland Museum of Art, where she coordinated the 2003 Biennial. She has not only helped bring in some amazing artists, but she also is organizing some amazing exhibitions to bring in next year. With her help, the Bates Museum is making great strides not only to bring in amazing art, but also relating art to the students and the diverse academic departments. As I have mentioned before, the current exhibition involves science, particularly physics. They have just set up a lab within the museum where students will be trained to do holographic art.
The goals and qualities of Sheehan's work here definitely add to making art on this campus an approachable resource for students. Part of the new developments going on at the Museum, such as the exhibitions and modifications of the Website, are to "help student's think of their discipline in a new way." She is working with other staff members to take the Bates collection of art out of storage and bring it online. She is also working to promote a different perspective of existing works. She gave me the example of landscape paintings, of which our school has many. She explained that some of the ways they are trying to get people to approach the art is through political, social, environmental or economic type perspectives. In our meeting she told me that this is a mainstream movement to have a "more collaborative perspective."
Her work is important because she sustains a student's interest in art and brings art into the community. She develops more accessibility and greater relations with those in the community that have interests in the arts. Sheehan had many great ideas and views about art and our museums role in the Lewiston and Bates community and her work in this area is imperative. I look forward to viewing the exhibitions that she will bring in next year and hope that you all will take advantage of the great opportunities for viewing art that she has helped create at Bates. If you want to see some of the work she has already done, check out the museum's website at www.bates.edu/museum.xml.