"Phil Archer" Archive

Museum, gallery representatives to speak at SAC meeting

Phil Archer of Reynolda House, Sara Cromwell of the Museum of Anthropology and Katie Wolf of the Hanes Gallery will speak at the March 12 meeting of the Staff Advisory Council (SAC).

The SAC will meet from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in Benson University Center, Room 409.  The meeting is open to all staff and others.

The meeting and event schedule for the SAC is available on its website.

Categories: Inside WFUStaff News

Former director of historical association joins Reynolda House

Amber Albert

This is a guest post from Reynolda House Museum of American Art:

Reynolda House Museum of American Art has hired Amber Albert as its new manager of community and academic learning. Albert was previously the executive director of the Historical Association of Catawba County and an independent consultant for history museums. She joined the teaching and learning team at Reynolda on Jan. 7.

Reynolda presents scores of programs and events each year that are open to the public, ranging from outdoor films and gallery talks to art workshops and Christmas tours. In her new role, Albert will work closely with colleagues across Reynolda and Wake Forest as well as with community partners across the Piedmont Triad in planning programs that connect to Reynolda’s collections, landscape, and history.

Albert is new to Reynolda but not to Winston-Salem and its deep commitment to the arts and historic preservation. Her husband, Gary Albert, is editorial director and adjunct curator of silver & metals at the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts. At Reynolda, Albert says she’s most looking forward to helping new audiences make meaningful memories.

“Much has changed in the century of Reynolda’s existence, but guests today still experience the essence of Katharine Reynolds’s original vision,” Albert says. “That’s what excites me about coming into this role, the ability to make Reynolda’s collections and history relevant to people today.”

Reynolda’s Deputy Director Phil Archer says Albert’s experience in interpretation, place-based programs and fundraising make her an ideal addition to the Reynolda team. In Catawba County, she managed two projects that illuminated the cultures of the region. One exhibit, “Unpacking: How Many Cultures Make Catawba Home” received funding from the United Arts Council of Catawba County, and the National Endowment for the Humanities supported another.

“Amber brings a depth of experience in building relationships with the people who make up the community in which she works,” Archer says. “Developing those relationships with our audience and evolving with the needs and interests of our visitors is a critical priority for us at Reynolda. Amber will play an important role in achieving this.”

The public is invited to meet Albert at two upcoming events. In partnership with Wise Man Brewing’s Healthy, Wealthy & Wise program, Reynolda is hosting informational evenings at the brewery each Tuesday in January from 6 to 8 p.m. At the final evening, Jan. 29, Albert will be available to talk with guests about upcoming programs. On Tuesday, Feb. 5, Reynolda will host the African American Read-In at noon. The event, held in partnership with the annual African American Read-In, is free and open to the public. Albert will join other participants in reading from a favorite book or writing by an African-American author.

Albert has published numerous articles and presented about historic sites, and she serves on a subcommittee of the North Carolina Preservation Consortium. She holds a Ph.D. in public history from Middle Tennessee State University, a master’s degree in American history from the College of Charleston and a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Appalachian State University. She and her husband live in Winston-Salem with their son, Tice.

Reynolda House names Archer director of program, interpretation

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Phil Archer

Reynolda House Museum of American Art has named Phil Archer the Betsy Main Babcock Director of Program and Interpretation. Archer was director of public programs at the museum since 2002. He brings nearly 20 years of experience to the position when he begins the new role Feb. 1.

“Phil’s curiosity for learning and passion for this place is transmitted to all who experience Reynolda,” said Allison Perkins, the museum’s executive director and Wake Forest associate provost for Reynolda House and Reynolda Gardens. “He is the right person to lead the program for this museum and this historic site into its next century.”

Archer joined Reynolda House in 1997 and has immersed himself in all aspects of the museum. He has held positions in managing special projects and public programs, and served as the museum’s representative to oversee the design and construction of the Mary and Charlie Babcock Wing from 2002-2005. In August 2015, he was named the interim director of the curatorial and education division, following the departure of Elizabeth Chew.

Programs held under Archer’s direction have included free community days featuring collaborations with organizations like the Winston-Salem Festival Ballet and the Guilford Native American Association; Cinema Under the Stars, the popular outdoor film series co-presented with the University of North Carolina School of the Arts entering its 11th season in 2016; and community forums addressing current topics such as downtown development and the creative economy. He launched the museum’s Portals of Discovery continuing education series in 2004, and he has curated or served as managing curator for three exhibitions including “Wonder and Enlightenment: Artist-Naturalists in the Early American South.”

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Meet Elizabeth Chew, new director of Reynolda House Interpretive Program

Elizabeth ChewThere’s a new face at Reynolda House. Elizabeth Chew has been named the Betsy Main Babcock Director of the Curatorial and Education Division.

Chew comes to Reynolda House from Monticello, the historic Virginia estate of Thomas Jefferson, where she served as curator. She holds a Ph.D. in the history of art from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“The story of Reynolda is much more than a local or regional story; Reynolda is an American story,” Chew says. “I don’t see Reynolda as an art museum in a historic house – or as a historic house with an art museum. It is one seamless and unique experience, and I want to help push those identities closer together.”

Chew will provide direction and leadership for the development of interpretation, programming, education and research of the museum’s collections and exhibitions. The collections of Reynolda House are comprised of the nationally acclaimed American art collection; the historic house collection, which includes decorative arts and costumes; and the archives.

“Elizabeth brings to Reynolda House and Wake Forest a wealth of experience. She is an established scholar widely respected by American historians and art historians alike, with the rare ability to translate deep academic analysis into significant knowledge and new understandings for all,” says history professor Michele Gillespie. Read more

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