Who’s Who – Team WMODA – WMODA

By Louise Irvine

The dedicated WMODA team has kept the museum-going through the pandemic, thanks to our benefactor Arthur Wiener. There is light and color at the end of this dark tunnel as can be seen in our Hot Glass Gallery! Everyone has been challenged with learning new skills and wearing many hats during the crisis – as well as masks! Come meet the team in our beautiful COVID-careful museum environment and experience the solace of art in these challenging times.

Staff

Kimberly Sheridan, our Visitors Services Manager, is now also developing our social media outreach. Lori Brown, our Graphic Designer, and Webmaster, is discovering how to make videos as well as creating her glass art. Carolina Bermudez juggles her time between Collections Management and artist liaison for the museum shop. Elyse Buchanan focuses on cataloging for the museum database when she is not welcoming guests at reception. Doris Werner, a former CFO, keeps our books in order on a weekly basis. Erica Montanez comes every Saturday to handle reception and manage the shop. Luis Montanez handles all our maintenance and logistics, including art handling for installations and exhibitions. He keeps the museum scrupulously clean in accordance with CDC guidelines and still finds time to help people in need in our community with his good works. Louise Irvine, our Executive Director & Curator, is the heart and soul of the museum and provides leadership and inspiration for this amazing team.

Volunteers

Linda Saft, who is Arthur Wiener’s independent appraiser, volunteers her personal time at weekends to help in the WMODA shop. Claudia Bailey is a professional ceramics restorer, who also volunteers to help with museum projects and receiving guests. Shawn Orr has been coming each week for the last two years to meticulously clean all the art objects on display. He must have handled over 5,000 objects with great care and professionalism. Jim Read is a familiar face at our Saturday openings where he engages with visitors and shares his wide-ranging knowledge and interests about the exhibits. George Hawthorn, Louise’s husband AKA the Voluntold, thought he was retiring to Florida but has been immersed in all types of WMODA projects for the last five years.

Artists

Many of the artists in our community share their creativity and spend their valuable time at WMODA. Glass Artist, Chelsea Rousso, teaches our fused glass workshops and brings her flair as a fashion designer to installations and special events, such as the Mermaid Tail. See what fun we had at Mardi Gras with Chelsea’s glass masks. Multi-disciplinary artist, Dave Rosenthal, has been inspired by the WMODA exhibits to compose music and performed live in the museum to light up the Lladró Chandelier. Public Artist, Lloyd Goradesky, advocates the art of kindness, edits our video projects, and encourages his audience to Let Love Guide Your Way to WMODA where he also teaches photography.

Thank you to Arthur Wiener, our founder, and benefactor, for sustaining WMODA and sharing his remarkable legacy.