Summati n Weekly
USPS Publication Number 16300
THE
T h i s C o m mu n i t y N ew s p a p e r is a publication of Escambia / Santa Rosa Bar Association
Section A, Page 1
Vol. 16, No. 02
Visit The Summation Weekly Online: www.summationweekly.com
Q&A with PMA: A Chat with the new Executive Director
January 13, 2016
1 Section, 8 Pages
Take Me to Church:
By Dawn Gresko Prior to moving to Pensacola and finding her place at the Pensacola Museum of Art (PMA), Raven Holloway was assistant curator of education at the Mobile Museum of Art. Today, Raven is bringing all her art experience and expertise Raven Holloway, to the halls of PMA as the PMA Executive Director museum’s new executive director. How long have you been with the PMA? All of 2010 through November of 2013. I began as the director of education and soon took on chief curator and deputy director of the museum. I came back to the museum in 2015 as executive director. What are your responsibilities as executive director of PMA? My biggest charge is to make sure that every department is working together to give each visitor the best experience possible. We want everyone who comes in contact with us—whether that’s online, in the museum, or out in the community—to be inspired by the art and what we do. I also lead fundraising and grant writing, and I serve the community as the face of everything we do at the museum. One of my biggest goals and responsibilities is to spread the news of our wonderful exhibitions and programming outside of the walls of the museum and to other cities in the region and beyond. What are your plans for PMA now that you are executive director? I think Pensacola can become even more of an arts destination than it is right now, and I want the PMA to lead that initiative. What we can do as the museum to support this is bringing in blockbuster exhibitions, offering up the absolute highest quality art education opportunities for children, and making our public programs truly transformative experiences. What makes you a good fit for the position as executive director? First and foremost my background is in art, so I hope my passion for visual and art history aspects comes through in the types of exhibitions I’ll be working with our curator on to bring to the museum. Something unique about me is that I’ve worked at the museum before, so I’ve seen what it takes for each department to be successful, and what has worked and what hasn’t. I’ve personally had a hand in education, curating, fundraising, marketing, and grant writing so I bring an intimate knowledge of how they should work in the big picture, as well as specifically at the PMA. People come to us to experience the visual arts, and that’s what I’m going to focus on to get the most high quality exhibitions and programs going. Are there any PMA exhibits (past or current) that hold a special place in your heart? Damier: Art for the Masses and Nathan Sawaya: Art of the Brick (Legos). I was the curator responsible for both of these exhibitions and they were two of our most popular exhibitions to date. Damier is from a local collector in the area named Dr. Patrick Rowe. He has also loaned us several other collections he owns including The Design of War: Flags and Posters from WWI and WWII as well as Mucha: Master Artist of Art Nouveau. Art of the Brick was a traveling exhibition on loan from the artist and it brought in more people and more revenue than any other exhibition we’ve ever done in the museum’s 61 years of existence. What else should readers know about PMA and your involvement with the museum? I love being so involved with all aspects of the museum, and I love working with people and this incredible community that supports the arts so much. We have a lot of leaders in that respect on our board, and it’s inspiring to see what they do, and, as key players in Pensacola, what they value to further the visual arts. Challenges at our museum aren’t new to the entire industry of museums, non-profits, and arts organizations. Advocacy from the entire spectrum of patrons—young to old, is extremely important to foster in the museum. It’s also a challenge sometimes to educate the public on the value of the arts and how that translates into the cost of admission, and so on. We do a lot with not a lot and we want people to understand and respect that.
A Morning at St. Michael’s By Josh Newby Pensacola’s southern downtown gets most of the attention regarding historic significance, but toward the north of Palafox is a site rich in culture, religious history, and architectural wonder. The Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel— more casually referred to as St. Michael’s church—has had an uninterrupted presence in Pensacola since 1781 and it is one of the oldest Catholic churches in the south. It also features the distinction of being a designated minor basilica, a title of honor bestowed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. After changing sites several times following fire and other tragedies, the current site was purchased in 1885 for just $3,500 and dedicated in 1886. Much of the 130-year-old construction is still intact, including the structure itself, the altars and the roof, but much has changed, as well. The oak pews, sponsored by families of the church, came in a few years after the dedication and the 25 stained glass windows were installed in 1920 after being custom-made in Munich. In 1986, the 14 papier-mache and horsehair cross-stations were marbleized. There is more change on the horizon, too. On Jan. 6, work will begin to hurricane-proof and clean the stained glass windows, as well as repair the framework surrounding the windows. The
renovation will take about four months, according to the Very Reverend Joseph Callipare, who has been with the church just over two years. “Right now, you can’t see into the church during the day, nor can you see the stained glass art,” said Callipare. “This renovation will change that, and address some much-needed repair work.” The bell tower will also feature six new windows along the stairwell to the choir loft that will celebrate St. Cecilia, the patroness of musicians. The church’s historic and spiritual importance is noticed by the Vatican, as well. St. Michael’s is one of only eight dioceses in Northwest Florida designated as a pilgrimage church for the Jubilee Year of Mercy. In early 2015, Pope Francis announced for only the fourth time in church history
an extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, a collective answer to the evil in the world and an offering of special graces from the Father of Mercies. The Jubilee Indulgence is received by having passed through the Door of Mercy, something that St. Michael’s boasts, and it is considered a substitute for making a pilgrimage to the Major Basilicas of Rome. Not simply an agent of the Catholic religion, Callipare is very happy to endorse various public initiatives that extend church’s reach beyond its loyal 200 families. “We are open each Gallery Night and during the morning of the Palafox Market for tours,” said Callipare. “I have a team of 24 parishioners—eight teams of three—who work to monitor the church’s exposure to the public. As a result, we’ve received about 2,000 more visitors in 2015.” The church has also begun offering concerts. In early 2015, they had double-organ and cello showcases, and on Jan. 8 and 9 they will offer a joint pianoorgan concert. The church staff also works to provide about 150 sack lunches to the homeless every month. All of this is part of a mission to expose the church to those who may not routinely visit. “Our goal is to help those on their spiritual journey to God,” said Callipare. “We do that by giving the prescription to receive those blessings.”