The count: over 11,000 items, 5,000 of which are ceramics. And the Everson Museum of Art is creating a digital catalog of each one.

With funding from the Henry Luce Foundation, and using a 36 inch diameter SwipeToSpin, photographs are being taken of the museum’s American ceramic collection. The photos will be uploaded into an interactive catalog where users will be able to view the items from all angles. The SwipeToSpin takes continuous photos as the item revolves 360 degrees.

IMG_4885

CLRC First Monday participants had a glimpse into the workings of this amazing project. Karen Convertino, Registrar at the Museum, gave a tour and spoke about the project and the history of the ceramics collection. The three key players, Chad Harper, Jennifer Peters and Jennifer Turner, spoke about their roles in the web design, metadata analysis and photography. Collective Access, an open source cataloging program, is being used in this project.

The Ceramic National Exhibitions were held in Syracuse, from 1932 to 1972. Adelaide Alsop Robineau, a Syracuse native, inaugurated the exhibition in hopes that ceramics would be viewed as art and not just useful household pieces. The Everson Museum has the complete archive of the 40-years of exhibitions.

Completion of the project should take another year. See the December 2013 article about the project from syracuse.com.

IMG_4903

Kimberly Griffiths, Curator of Education, gave a presentation on the museum’s outreach program and the available resources for loan in the Education Resource Center.

The First Monday group had a special treat and was able to take a quick tour the Prendergast to Pollock exhibit.

IMG_4882

See more photos on CLRC’s Facebook page.

Next First Monday – New Hartford Public Library – April 6.   Register here.