Meet Vicki Wright, the designer behind the gallery
(Photo Courtesy/Mike Beiermeister) Vicki Wright hangs a painting for the Besser Museum's upcoming exhibit.
Alpena, Mich. — The Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan’s ‘Winter Blues Non-Juried Art Exhibit’ opens next week.
It features over 60 pieces of artwork from artists all over Michigan. With so many different types and styles of art, one has to wonder how it all comes together into a nicely arranged gallery. Vicki Wright volunteers at the Besser Museum, helping design the art exhibits. Wright has been volunteering since she retired and moved to Presque Isle.
She’s been designing different exhibits for 39 years as a director of collections and exhibits. Even with all of her experience, it can still be overwhelming when first walking into a blank canvas of walls.
“There is always a little bit of panic because I think, “well, how am I going to get this many pieces in this small of a space, and this many pieces that are by this many different artists,” said Wright.
The volunteer gallery designer helped arrange the layout for the ‘Winter Blue’s Exhibit’ at the museum. It’s a challenge, but pausing and observing each piece of art really helps her find a common flow.
“I start with some larger pieces, and then I begin to build around them,” said Wright. “I look at color, I look at subject matter, I look at style, I try to do a range of sizes.”
Wright got her start at a branch of the Phoenix Art Museum just outside of the city. She received a Masters of Art degree from Arizona State. Arizona is where her passion took off.
From there, she traveled to New Hampshire and then Kalamazoo, helping curate different exhibits. Wright retired a few years ago, but she still is finding time to volunteer her expertise.
“This part of putting together an exhibition, arranging it and hanging it, is the most creative part in many ways,” said Wright. “The most visually creative part, and so I think, even though I’m not an artist anymore, I think this is my artistic outlet.”
Check out Vicki’s work with the ‘Winter Blue’s Exhibit starting on February 13. An opening reception will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. More information can be found at https://www.bessermuseum.org/
