Post-graduate Realness with Chloe Post!
Thank you for your support on our newsletter last week with Jan DeLozier! This week we are talking with Chloe Post (C’16), who has fun stories and experiences to share. She is real and honest about her post-graduate life, it is so refreshing. Enjoy reading!
Did you have any internships during your time at Sewanee? If so, what were they?
“I had an internship going into my senior year at Menconi and Schoelkopf Fine Arts, which specializes in American Art of the early 20th century in the Upper Eastside.
“I had another internship with Susan Menconi as her secretary. She worked at Christie’s and branched off as an art director. I worked on building up her website and providing more information regarding artists. I realized I couldn’t do New York, though. It was like a beautiful prison, there were so many things I wanted to do, but those internships did not provide the financial resources. I took a job in retail while I was there that summer. I knew I loved art but realized New York was probably not a good fit for an immediate move postgrad.”
What made you decide to major in Art History?
“I had it in the back of my mind when I came to Sewanee that I wanted to do something in art. Honestly, I’m surprised I didn’t do studio art, it was my passion in high school. I was much more of the creator rather than the admirer. Actually, I applied to Sewanee with an art portfolio. I took AP Art History in high school, and I realized how interdisciplinary the subject was. It provides you with an understanding of history, philosophy, religion, and visual language. I love how Hollis McGregor phrased it in her interview.
“I took survey classes, and really enjoyed them. I realized I can always create art on my own, so it will always be important to me. I had to also consider career options, money is a motivator. I found with art history it could be translated into many different ways; it was flexible.”
What was your favorite art history course you took at Sewanee?
“The ones that impacted me the most as of now were Dr. Brennecke’s American Art from early America to the late 19th century and French Art in the same time period. The bulk of what I worked with aligned with those dates. Those classes have served me well and provided me with a base understanding and knowledge.
“However, I had a concentration in Medieval Art, part accidentally, part intentionally. I loved Northern Renaissance Art with Dr. Clark. How many of you can say you had a professor compare Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” to art history? You have to love a class like that.”
Where did you go after graduating? What’s your story postgrad?
“In hindsight, Dr. Brennecke was CRUCIAL (be sure to emphasize that) in my decision-making process for my career decisions. New York was out, I didn’t want to be broke as a joke. I decided I was going to DC. It’s a big city and there are a ton of art opportunities and museums.
“As a few other alums have already mentioned in their interviews, the Guarisco Gallery has ties to Sewanee, where a lot of art history graduates get hired. I was offered a position at Guarisco Gallery and at Washington Fine Properties to be an assistant to the agents. I sat down with Professor Brennecke and showed her the two offers. I wanted to listen to my gut and take the job at the gallery. But Dr. Brennecke advised me to go into real estate and make some money, and then move towards art once I’ve established myself more professionally.
“So, I was a Marketing Assistant at Washington Fine Properties. There are lots of Sewanee graduates that work there now. I was there for a little over a year. It allowed me to get acclimated. I knew my first job was not going to be my forever job.
“When I moved to DC, I had a goal of working in the art world, and the museums are the primary hirers there. I realized early on that museums are huge organizations with tons of different departments. So, I needed to decide on a department and gain experience in that area before moving on. I felt like art and fundraising suited my personality.
“I got a job at the Madeira School as the Development Coordinator, where I gained incredible fundraising experience working on an $85 million dollar campaign. It was a tough two years, but I am forever indebted to the institution for taking a leap of faith with me.
“In 2019, I moved to the Phillips Collection. It was not easy taking this next step. I swear I interviewed with half the cultural institutions in DC. Then, this opportunity came up. I stayed there for three years. There I was the Major Gifts Officer, where I focused on music fundraising and the patronage circle. There was a high level of annual giving that I worked with.
“Recently, I started a new position at the National Cathedral School as the Director of Alumnae Engagement. This was definitely through Sewanee connections. This was a job offered to me. Make sure to leave good impressions everywhere you go, it will pay off.”
If you had to give one piece of advice to your college self, what would it be?
“Everyone is allowed a pancake year. This means you get a year to flop. If you hate what you’re doing, stick it out for a year, then transition. If your entire resume looks like a stack of flapjacks, maybe not so much. If you have a few hefty years in there, hirers understand that some places aren’t a perfect fit.
“And of course, networking. Networking gets you so far. Something else that people do not really talk about is their financial situation. I always come back to it. Everyone is working for money, so make your work worth it. Your job can fuel your passions, so find your motivations. I will always make a strategic career move for money.”
What’s your favorite museum/ gallery/ exhibit/ work of art you’ve seen recently?
“I mean I have to give the Phillips Collection a plug. The most impactful exhibition was when I was first hired in the summer of 2019. The exhibition was called The Warmth of Other Suns. It was a series of stories regarding global displacement with all living artists in the exhibition. They commented on global displacement, migration, and the refugee crisis. It was so groundbreaking, it took over almost the entire museum.
“More recently, and more traditionally, from 2022 there was a giant Picasso exhibition called Picasso: Painting the Blue Period. This was the first major reexamination of his Blue Period. It took over eight years to put it together. I took part in the efforts of fundraising and facilitating conversations with patrons. This was also post-pandemic, so the galleries were filled to the brim with museum-goers. With the use of cutting-edge technology examining the underparts of the work, the viewer is provided with a new lens to view Picasso’s masterpieces.”
How has your art history major helped you in your daily life?
“I loved working at a museum because your education doesn’t end when you graduate. You can only learn so much art history in a classroom. When you are in a museum, you are constantly being educated and re-educated. Because art history is such an interdisciplinary field it offers a wonderful springboard for many careers. A liberal arts degree will get you where you want to go, so you might as well major in something you are passionate about.”
Thank you so much, Chloe, for being real and sharing your postgraduate experiences and opinions with us! It is so insightful to hear! If you are interested in learning more about Chloe or connecting with her, don’t hesitate to reach out. Be on the lookout for our newsletter next week with McGowin Ey Anderson (C’10).