Heather Raybould
Akron, Ohio

Why did you become a member of the Akron Art Museum?  

I love what the Museum offers to the public and as a member there are so many benefits. In addition to the incredible exhibits, I find the access to talks, tours, openings, art tutorials and yoga & Qigong sessions make it incredibly worthwhile. The Museum staff and volunteers are so welcoming, knowledgeable, and helpful. It’s a joy to visit the Museum whether it’s for a short half-hour walkthrough, a lunchtime tour/talk or for an extended visit or event.  

If you could borrow one piece of art from the Museum’s collection to display in your home, what piece would it be and why did you select it? 

Light Atlas by Cynthia Daignault, was a piece of artwork on loan from the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art that was striking. It was comprised of 360 postcard-size paintings documenting the artist’s travels across the US. The colors and scenery were very reminiscent of areas I’ve lived in or traveled to. I currently live downtown and walk to work, so I don’t leave the downtown area very often; having this piece which highlights the various landscapes and views from across our country would bring the outdoors into my downtown life in such a beautiful way. (As a side note, this piece was in the gallery used for yoga and it added to the serenity of the experience.) 

From the Museum’s collection, I would borrow one (or ideally more) pieces currently displayed in The Natural World exhibit. The Wundegarten Der Natur (Magic Garden of Nature) piece by Karl Blossfeldt celebrates the forms found in the natural world, many of which are considered weeds, from almost a century ago. He had delicateness and precision in capturing the details of the plants in these monochromatic images, yet they allow you to almost feel their unique textures. I am a fan of works in series (or diptychs, triptychs, etc.) as well as the beauty of nature, so both Daignault’s and Blossfeldt’s work satisfy both of those interests. However, I also love the colors and feelings in the other pieces within the Natural World exhibit, including William Sommer’s Landscape with Yellow Clouds and Bach Chord, which would be welcomed in my apartment as well.    

If you had a chance to work at the Akron Art Museum, what role would you like to take on and why? 

I love the idea of art not only being accessible to all, but providing ways in which various people can enjoy and interact with the artwork and each other to experience the work together. For that reason, I feel the Community Engagement area of the Museum would most interest me. I love bridging gaps and making connections in creative ways to expand reach, which is what your current team does so eloquently. Thank you for the wide-ranging experiences you offer us and our community! 

Is there a current or past exhibition that was special to you? Which one and why?   

Sorry, I’m going to color outside the lines on this answer. 🙂    

I moved to Akron in late 2021, so most of the exhibitions I’ve seen have been since then.  RETOLD: African American Art and Folklore and Keith Haring: Against All Odds were both fantastic exhibitions. The galleries were (as always) designed so thoughtfully. Both exhibits were striking visually and equallycontemplative regarding the nature of the artwork.  

I love the inclusivity of Keith Haring’s work and his intentionality of making his work viewable by those other than just the artistic crowd. My nephew is a huge fan of Keith Haring and hearing the curator’s talk with him was a great inter-generational experience. The galleries danced with life and movement. One of the exhibit events was painting a skateboard deck with a Haring-inspired design by local artist Matt Miller. It was a fantastic experience with a great take-away that my husband and I still display in our offices.  

The RETOLD: African American Art and Folklore exhibit was a powerful collection of artwork that was thought-provoking and emotionally moving. It was an exhibit that I needed to revisit multiple times due to the heaviness of the content. The galleries welcomed you with warmth, yet the subject matter of the pieces often conjured feelings of loss, degradation, and inequality. There was immense depth, feeling and beauty in the pieces, an extent to which I likely can’t even comprehend. I appreciate the Museum highlighting this beautiful work in a way that was approachable while also challenging the folklore (historically) that was told to those of us outside of the African American culture. 

I would be remiss to not mention the Chihuly exhibit and talk I visited with my parents in the late 1990s. My parents were catalysts for my love of outdoors, traveling and artwork which I still enjoy today. 

Share a favorite story or memory about the Akron Art Museum.    

My favorite moments at the Akron Art Museum have been the chances to learn about the behind-the-scenes processes as well as deep dives into specific artworks or movements. I’ve especially enjoyed Dr. Jeff Katzin’s talks on curating the Keith Haring exhibit, his gallery walk for RETOLD: African American Art and Folklore, as well as Emma Kaczmar’s talks on the Guerrilla Girls and Chuck Close’s Linda painting. The Kay Haring and Tucker Hewes (Haring subway drawing collector) talks were added bonuses to an already spectacular show. I’m so thankful for what the Museum shares with us and am looking forward to many more memories being created at the Akron Art Museum. Thank you!