The White House to Digital Curating, Harmony Heslop's Story!
Thank you for the support in our previous newsletter with Jessica Osaki. This week we are talking with Art History alumna, Harmony Heslop (C’92). Her story is intriguing and could open lots of doors and ideas for young art history minds.
Did you have any internships during your time at Sewanee? If so, what were they?
“I did not have any internships while I was at Sewanee. It wasn’t as prominent as it is now. However, once I graduated, I had 3 internships.”
What made you decide to major in Art History?
“I was in a Sewanee art history class and a philosophy class at the same time, and I realized there is such a connection between the two. All the studies here are in relation to what happens in time, and art history encapsulates that. You can tell what was going on at the time visually, not just through history. You can relate everything back to art history.”
What was your favorite art history course you took at Sewanee?
“I loved taking Dr. Clark’s classes. My art history class was actually the one that started ‘Cartoon Day’ in his class. It was the weekend of Homecoming (Fall Party), so we all just wanted to watch cartoons and not have class. He turned it into a lecture, but it was so much fun.”
Where did you go after graduating? What’s your story postgrad?
“In 1992, I graduated from Sewanee and moved to Washington, D.C. in the summer. I had an internship at the International Sculpture Center and the National Museum of Women in the Arts. I was doing both of them at the same time, unpaid. The Sculpture Center turned into a job. I was doing it after graduation, and just said “Hey, can you hire me?” While I was there I was the Advisory Production Coordinator, which meant I got all the artwork from artists into a magazine.
“Then I moved to the National Gallery of Art working in the Deputy Director’s Office. There were so many routes I could take: special events, legal, curation, and so much more. I was trying to figure out graduate school, did I want to be a professor or a curator?
“I ended up getting a job at the White House Historical Association, just by word of mouth. I was a Photo Archivist there, then became the Rights and Production Coordinator for all the artwork in the White House. I did exhibits, seminars, and publications. I was working with people in movies and books that wanted images of the artwork inside the White House.
“I moved back to South Carolina, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next. I reached out to people I knew who had a huge private art collection in Spartanburg, SC. It was the Johnson Collection, a collection of Southern Art. There were no staff members at the time; they were still building a collection. Their daughter was in art history, so she hired me to be a full-time staff member for them to organize, work in buying art, be their registrar, and checked artwork for needed conversation and frames.
“I got my Master’s certificate in Collections Management and Care from George Washington. From Spartanburg, I moved to Charlotte, got married, and started cataloging and documentation work on my own. I was a contract registrar for museums, collections, and various people.
“I got a job as a director of an art gallery in Belmont for a nonprofit organization for children and adults with disabilities. I helped open up the gallery with some of the residents and helped get it off the ground and running.
“In February of this year, I switched to the company that my husband works at. Now, I am a digital curator and I work in cataloging. The owner of the company is a data scientist and works in coding information he created. So, I am curating and working on how to share this information through his website.”
If you had to give one piece of advice to your college self, what would it be?
“Don’t be afraid to go somewhere or to call someone up and ask. They can’t say no if you don’t ask. Also, don’t be afraid to do something you love. The money will follow. If you follow what you love, the passion for what you love will come out.
“We are lucky in our field. There are so many people that are happy to help you.”
What’s your favorite museum/ gallery/ exhibit/ work of art you’ve seen recently?
“Recently, I’ve really enjoyed the Van Gogh Immersive Exhibition in Charlotte. I loved how they took the paintings and turned them into something that can grow and come to life with the music. The combination of everything with history, music, and visual arts was captivating.”
How has your art history major helped you in your daily life?
“It helps me to see the minute details in everything, but I am also able to focus on the big picture. You can be much more observant and open-minded when you consider life from an art historical perspective.”
Thank you, Harmony Heslop (C’92) for dedicating some time to talk to us and share your post-Sewanee experience. Be on the lookout for next week’s conversation with Kate Driscoll (C’20)!
—Sewanee Art History Department