Little Pay Big Reward

Ever worked in a museum? Not in an office near a museum but standing in the gallery for hours and hours, watching people's hands when they inch up to a sculpture and sweating with every space cadet parent and hyperactive kid who eagerly enter the gallery like they've just gotten off the bus at Candyland. Passing the time is difficult, but the rewards of being forced to experience the same artwork for weeks or months on end are worth it. Even if you've been making things your whole life or researching and studying art history for years you'll be missing something if you never watch a painting change over time as you notice the little things that come to the fore only after hours or days; titular jokes and signs, detailed handiwork, symbolism, texture, curatorial relationships and the effects of light and atmosphere.

Plus you get to see all the collectors that make up museum boards in your city, and even if they don't know who you are you'll have the upper hand on them when you do finally meet. I very much enjoyed working as a guard in a museum, and even if the pay was horrible it was a good 'vacation' from work that gave me a lot of time to think and argue, write and draw. One day they snapped shots for a Matthew Ritchie catalogue- three years later that one pic has been all over the world and back- featured in books and as I found out this week- even a calendar! Cop out way to say I was featured in Art Now, but fuck it!

that's me up at the top on the right!

The Contemporary Arts Museum Houston seeks part time Gallery Attendants. The principle duties of a Gallery Attendant are to ensure the safety of works of art in the Museum and represent the Museum to the general public. Other duties include assisting the Gallery Supervisor and Assistant Gallery Supervisor in opening and closing the Museum, answer general questions from Museum visitors and refer specific questions to the appropriate Museum staff and inspect works before and after each shift. Candidates for the position may be required to work weekends and evenings outside the Museum's standard hours. A background or interest in art is desirable.

To apply for this position please submit a letter of application and a resume to Kenya Evans, at kevans@camh.org, or mail to Kenya Evans Gallery Supervisor, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, 5216 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77006