Up Next... Tish Spearman
Thank you all so much for your feedback and responses to our previous newsletter with Lilly Robicsek. This week we are chatting with Tish Jennings Spearman (C’90), who has an interesting story to share. Enjoy!
Did you have any internships during your time at Sewanee? If so, what were they?
“I had an internship at the Nexus Art Center in Atlanta between my sophomore and junior years. It was a wonderful learning and growing experience at a contemporary art center. I worked in administration, marketing, and event planning, and worked alongside the executives while evaluating exhibitions.”
What made you decide to major in Art History?
“I knew that since I was at Sewanee, I wanted to obtain a liberal arts degree. I adored history, literature, and art; I really couldn’t decide.
“Art history allowed me to do the best of all three of those subjects. I was fascinated by the interconnectedness between art, history, and politics. Art history allows you to see connections and relate different points of view to things going on in our modern world.
“The ability to make those connections allowed me to become a creative thinker. It teaches you to express yourself and form your own opinions in different mediums; this is such an invaluable skill.”
What was your favorite art history course you took at Sewanee?
“I loved all the courses taught by all our Sewanee professors. We had a visiting professor from Spain who taught 17th-century Spanish art, and that was something new and exciting. Most memorable were courses taught by Pradip Malde; He is a fantastic teacher and thinker, and his classes helped me understand the interconnectivity of it all.”
Where did you go after graduating? What’s your story postgrad?
“I applied to UGA for a master’s program in Museum Studies and Art History, but then decided to defer my studies. That turned into three years, when I lived in England. I ended up getting an MBA about 9 years after I graduated, but I still found myself using the art history skills I developed, especially critical thinking and developing new strategies and solutions for problem-solving.
"For the first 15 years of my career, I worked in corporate communications, handling both internal and external communications. I did speech writing for executives as well. All of these I still attribute to what I learned at Sewanee.
"Then, seven years ago, I made a career change to commercial real estate advisory and joined the DaVinci Development Collaborative in Atlanta. Just prior to joining DaVinci Development, I was leading internal communications for Cox Enterprises in Atlanta. One of the projects I was in charge of was developing a corporate history museum. This project introduced me to the leadership of DaVinci Development – and the exciting world of creating spaces that tell stories and serve communities through real estate development.
DaVinci Development is a boutique real estate advisory firm specializing in working with mission-driven clients such as museums, churches, educational institutions, hospitals, and other businesses. I help the owners develop strategies to realize their real estate visions. Projects I have worked on include the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, a forthcoming “Foodseum” in Beaufort, as well as numerous churches and universities. Joining DaVinci Development has allowed me to have a full-circle moment. Just like the namesake of our company, I truly get to blend art and science every day.
If you had to give one piece of advice to your college self, what would it be?
“Don’t be afraid to step outside of your box. Sewanee is a small and inviting space. Get to know your professors outside of class. Make sure you meet and befriend students in different majors and groups. I would also encourage students to take advantage of the extraordinary opportunities and hike all the trails around them. It’s important to get involved outside of the classroom – in nature, with events, clubs, and all the array of services Sewanee offers. Your career may not follow as linear a path as you may expect, but your skills and experiences at Sewanee will always serve you.”
What’s your favorite museum/ gallery/ exhibit/ work of art you’ve seen recently?
“My all-time favorite museum is in Oxford, England called the Pitt Rivers Museum, which is a natural history museum. There are so many amazing things from all over the world with beautiful architecture. The story of how these items were acquired is a difficult one, but studying the lessons to be learned and the history from different cultures is critical.”
“Most recently though, the Obama portraits came to the High Museum in Atlanta, and I was able to see them in person. All that they represent, and their beauty was amazing.”
How has your art history major helped you in your daily life?
“I often find myself making connections between things that may seemingly be different. I also have found I am not afraid to ask questions, extrapolate details, and challenge ideas and myself. I think the ability to see and seek connections is what makes us human.”
Thank you so much, Tish Spearman, for talking with us today! If you are interested in learning more about Tish’s experiences, don’t hesitate to reach out! Be on the lookout for our newsletter next week with Annie Stuart (C’10).