Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Carol Ward. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Carol, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
My purpose, dating back to my Junior year of high school, has been to share my love of art and art history with everyone I meet.
I found this purpose on a summer vacation with my parents, we were visiting family over in England and we were staying in London and doing our usual day of museuming. It was my first visit to the Tate Britain, and I was already someone who loved all things British both art and literature, especially the works of Shakespeare. So when I rounded the corner and saw an amazing painting of the death of Ophelia I immediately wanted to learn all about who painted it and why.
I’d come to learn it was created in the nineteenth century by an artist named John Everett Millais, and this painting of Ophelia became by “a-ha” moment, my “why” and led me on my path to studying art history in college, pursuing my Masters in art history and museum education.
My purpose, and why, in life is to make art accessible to everyone – whether in museums, galleries, creating pop-up exhibitions or art markets, everyone should have art in their life!
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I have 20 years of collaborative leadership in for profit and non-profit management, financial oversight, fundraising, strategic planning, Board relationships and grant-winning cultural program development.
I’m an art historian with her BA from Mary Washington College, and two Masters Degrees, her first in Museum Education from the College of New Rochelle, and her second in Art History from Hunter College.
I’ve presented the keynote address at CLHO (Connecticut League of Historic Organizations) on connecting an historic site to the community, the annual NYCMER (New York City Museum Educators Roundtable) conferences on bringing contemporary art into an historic house museum, at Mary Washington College about the future of careers in art history and the museum field and the New-York Historical Society on Alexander Hamilton (the man and the musical).
Articles I’ve written have been published in The Magazine Antiques, The Historic House Trust journal, the American Alliance of Museums Magazine, Antiques Weekly and catalogs for the Bruce Museum, Morris-Jumel Mansion and Keno Auctions.
Her book “Visions of America: The Morris-Jumel Mansion” was published in 2015 and she has recently appeared in the documentary on the making of the hit musical “Hamilton.”
And in the last couple years I was named a “Rising Star” in the field by the Museum Association of New Year, received the “Top 40 Under 40” award by the Westchester Business Council and completed the Launch1000 Entrepreneur Program through the Westchester Economic Development Office to grow my Consulting Firm, Outside the Lines, which assists emerging contemporary artists in marketing themselves.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I always say to people early in their journey that your path will never be straight, and to embrace every opportunity because you never know where it might lead and what you might learn. My first job right out of college was in high end retail at a store called Fortunoff, not only did I gain lifelong friends from there but I also learned so much about coming out of my shell, becoming a better communicator, interfacing with the public, and working with people of all ages and demographics.
Three qualities I think are super important, which have helped me along the way, are flexibility, humor and resilience.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
My ideal client is any artist who is working right now and thinking to themselves – how do I get myself and my work out there more?
The goal of launching my consulting firm was to showcase all the amazing artists out there who want to focus on their art making and not the marketing and business side of things, which I know can be overwhelming and scary.
With my diverse background of arts administration, museum operations, retail business planning and curatorial practices I can create strategic goals for each individual artist and assist them in growing their business, their sales and their reach to potential clients, galleries, museums and the general public.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.outsidethelinesconsult.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outsidethelinesconsulting/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-ward-5985a420/
Image Credits
All photos by Carol S. Ward
