Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/709503
600 percent increase during Ami's tenure here." "This is a rewarding group to work with," Davis says. "I have a lot of experience with the K-12 age group, having worked with that audi- ence at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles for seven years prior to coming here." N ot only rewarding, but challenging. "Every age group is different, of course," she says, "but, for example, every third grade class is different as well. And each one is different depending on the time of school year." Children are given group tours through the museum, led by a staff member. They are encouraged to jot down their impressions of the art, and many of them are posted through- out the galleries. Then, they're led to a bright room to make their own art. "I'm getting rave reviews from teachers," Davis says. "They say our staff is patient, profes- sional and well-informed. They say that their stu- dents seem to have more confidence in their ability to create or talk about art." "We recognize that not everyone can come to the museum," Eyerman says. "So we work hard to create ways for people to experience our collec- tion in a virtual manner." One such way is "Monter- ey Places," (montereyart.org/montereyplaces) an easy-to-navigate, fun and interactive portal. A map of the region highlights specific clickable locations that bring up a painting from the col- lection along with artist information and a short description and explanation. "Every painting has a story to tell and to evoke," adds Eyerman. As in most aspects of our lives, Eyerman says that technology is becoming more impor tant in the way ar t is presented. Several Smar t TVs located in various places allow visitors to inter- act with the displays, to explain the history of a par ticular piece and tell a greater story than was possible with the traditional little labels that an old-school museum would place next to a painting. "The kind of work we're doing here is at the edge of the trends in art museums," Eyerman says proudly. "The museum world is watching us." Monterey Museum of Art is located at 559 Pacific Street in Monterey and is open Thursday through Monday. La Mirada is currently open only for special museum events and programs. Visit www.montereyart.org to learn about upcoming events and special exhibitions. Armin Hansen (1886-1957), "Men of the Sea," 1920, oil on canvas. Gift of Jane and Justin Dart, 1991. © Estate of Armin Hansen. Henry Gilpin (1922-2011), "Highway 1, 1965/1984," gelatin silver print. MPMA Acquisition Fund Purchase in honor of Richard Garrod, 1984. © Estate of Henry Gilpin. 220 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 6