George Kinghorn
Resume
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Zillman Art Museum (ZAM)
Director and Curator
June 2008-Present
Serve as the chief administrator and artistic personnel for the Zillman Art Museum, a cultural resource of Maine’s flagship Land Grant University.
Responsible for all fundraising efforts to support operations, exhibitions and educational programs through the cultivation of corporate, foundations and private individuals. Proven track record of building solid relationships with donors.
Responsible for dramatically expanding the Museum’s educational programming and community outreach mission resulting in a 256% increase in attendance since 2007 calendar year. There has been a complete shift in the culture of the institution to be more community oriented, accessible and offering an array of dynamic programs.
Provide innovative leadership and strategic visioning for the institution including the creation and implementation of a Five-Year Strategic Plan for the Museum. Facilitated numerous focus groups involving advisory board, Museum staff, University administration and community stakeholders.
Curates 12 original modern and contemporary art exhibitions each year by artists of national reputation in three distinct galleries. Curatorial excellence is demonstrated through positive critical reviews in national and regional print media.
Dramatically increased the Museum’s visibility throughout the Northeast and beyond. Noted institution for excellence in contemporary art exhibitions and programming.
Develop and implement collections management, scope of the collections and scope of acquisitions policies aligned with best practices in the Museum field and approved by University administration.
Guide the development of the permanent collection of over 3,800 (primarily focused on art since 1945) including the acquisition of works of art through purchases and gifts. Also, responsible for the management of the educational teaching collection which consists of over 3,500 objects.
Added over 270 works to the permanent collection by significant contemporary artists during tenure at the Museum.
Ensure proper stewardship and interpretation of permanent collection of over 3,800 works of art that rotates in distinct galleries every three months.
Responsible for Museum’s fundraising efforts including public and private sector support. Create opportunities for earned income.
Represent the Museum in leadership positions on various boards and commissions in the City and State. Significant contact with Mayor, City Councilors, City Manager and municipal staff.
Provide solid leadership and management of the professional staff of five full-time and up to five part-time employees. Thorough knowledge of Human Resource standards and best practices.
Actively involved in University community beyond Museum duties. Assist with numerous special projects/committees assigned by the President and Provost for the betterment of the University and student experience.
Responsible for a complete rebranding of the Museum of Art including website, logo, signage, etc.
Implemented new programs to better involve University students and faculty.
Ensure the Museum’s adherence to best practices in the field of art museums.
Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (MOCA)
Served in positions including Director, Deputy Director & Chief Curator, Chief Curator and Curator
1999- June 2008
Provides the artistic vision for the institution by directing the development of contemporary exhibitions and/or programs which fulfill the Museum’s mission. Expand and raise the profile of the Museum regionally and nationally through excellence in exhibition and educational programming.
Plans diverse programming for the museum’s five galleries totaling approx. 14,000 square feet of changing exhibition space. Includes conceptualizing museum organized exhibitions, reviewing artist proposals, soliciting submissions for thematic exhibitions, negotiating loans. Works cooperatively with mid-career, nationally and internationally recognized artists in designing exhibitions appropriate for various galleries.
Provides overall leadership for the institution and serves as an advocate for the visual arts by establishing and maintaining contacts in the cultural community, educational in, city government and business community.
Responsible for the overall financial health of the museum, including: developing strategies for generating resources and securing funding to support diverse programming and operations, cultivating relationships with individuals and corporate donors, and maximizing sources of earned income. Work collaboratively with Trustees and development staff in all aspects of the institutions fundraising activities.
Work cooperatively with Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Executive Committee of the Board, and volunteer trustees to develop policies and ensure the on-going success of the institution through orchestrated strategic planning processes and careful oversight of Museum’s finances.
Manage annual 1.7 million operational budget. Supervise a senior management team of six department heads and provide leadership for staff of 32 employees.
Designs, establishes, and maintains an organizational structure and staffing to effectively accomplish the organization's goals and objectives; recruits, employs, trains, supervises, and evaluates staff.
Refine the quality of the Museum’s collection through the selective deaccessioning of works of art and through the acquisitions of significant new works of art that support the scope of collection and mission of the institution.
Establishes and implements long- and short-range goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures; monitors and evaluates program effectiveness; effects changes required for improvement.
Possesses comprehensive knowledge of appropriate best practices in museums, including ethics, governance, collections management and conservation practices.
Oversees production of Museum’s scholarly publications and promotional materials.
Maintains professional association memberships and leadership positions within those organizations. Responsible for wide range of public speaking engagements including presenting lectures at professional conferences, universities, community groups and cultural venues.
Curatorial duties included organizing diverse contemporary exhibitions, writing scholarly essays associated with each exhibition, supervising the production of publications, working collaboratively with exhibiting artists, supervising Registrar, reviewing exhibition proposals, supervising loans and accessions, work collaboratively with Collections and Exhibitions Committee of the Board, cultivating potential donors to the collection, evaluating potential gifts of art to the collection, as well as the routine care and interpretation of the permanent collection.
Administrative duties included hiring staff, human resource issues, strategic planning, budgeting, program development, generating sources of revenue, and assisting in grant writing.
Worked closely with architects, trustees, and staff to develop new six-floor contemporary museum in downtown Jacksonville, including ensuring adherence to construction timelines, coordinating with subcontractors, and designing galleries in line with appropriate conservation standards and for maximum flexibility for contemporary exhibitions.
Served as chief project manager for the creation of $400,000 children’s interactive center with fifteen hands-on interactive stations geared toward an enhanced understanding of the permanent collection
EDUCATION
Master of Fine Arts in Visual Art, 1994 Michigan State University
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art, 1992 Jacksonville University
Savannah College of Art and Design
OTHER PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
Graduate of Georgetown University Non-Profit Executive Institute
National Center for Non-Profit Boards Training Conference, Washington, D.C.
Leadership Jacksonville, Class of 2002
LEADERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY
President and Member of the Board of Directors of the non-profit Bangor Center Management Corporation (Downtown Bangor Partnership) responsible for the administration of special tax levy on downtown property owners. Work closely with City Council. Four years of service.
Chair, City of Bangor, Commission for Cultural Development (Cultural Commission). City Council appointee responsible for working collaboratively with 12 commissioners and administering tax payer dollars to fund cultural organizations and oversight of all public art projects.
Board Member, Downtown Bangor Arts Collaborative. Established this non profit including writing successful IRS application for 501(c)3.
Panelist, General Services Administration (GSA), Art and Architecture Program, US Government, Washington, DC. Redesign of Federal Building, Bangor, Maine.
Percent for Art Panelist, Maine Arts Commission
Grant Panelist, Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, Individual Artists Fellowships and Level I Museums
Selection Panel and Art Advisory Panel, City of Jacksonville, Public Art Commission
Grant Panelist, Fostering Vitality in the Arts, Jacksonville Community Foundation, 2003
Leadership Development Team and Chair, Arts Day, Youth Leadership Jacksonville, 2003
Group Research Head, Individual Artist and Cultural Attitudes, Jacksonville Community Council research project on Enriching the Community. 1999
Research Staff, Communication Research Center, Department of Journalism, University of Florida, Community Context Study. 1999
GUEST CRITIC & JUROR
Guest Reviewer/Critic, Palms Springs Photo Festival, Palms Springs, California, 2015
National Panelist, Cintas Foundation, Visual Artists Fellowship and Guest Juror Cintas Exhibition, Miami, 2012
Guest Reviewer/Critic, FotoFest International Photography Festival, Houston, Texas, 2011 & 2014
Juror, New American Paintings national publication, juried exhibitions in print, 2009
Juror, Boston Contemporaries exhibition, Boston University, Works by artists from five New England States, 2009
Juror, Bangor Arts Society Juried Annual exhibition, 2009
Juror, Images, Atlantic Center for the Arts, New Smyrna, Florida, 2006
Juror, Riverside Arts Festival, Jacksonville, Florida, 2005
EXHIBITIONS CURATED-CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Second Skins: Sculptural Soundsuits and Tondos by Nick Cave, MOCA Jacksonville, January 26, 2007- April 7, 2007
Intuition & Response: Masterworks from the Edward R. Broida Collection, MOCA Jacksonville, Sept. 6, 2003 – Jan. 9, 2004
Contemporary Currents: Selections from the Bank of America Collection, MOCA Jacksonville, April 26, 2007- August 26, 2007 (First Large-scale presentation of Bank of America’s art collection drawing works from all over the nation)
Sheltering Eye: Selections from the Prentice and Paul Sack Photography Collection, MOCA Jacksonville, Jan. 20 - Apr. 15, 2006
Place of Mind: John Bailly in collaboration with Richard Blanco (President Obama’s 2013 Inaugural Poet), University of Maine Museum of Art, April 5, 2013-June 8, 2013. Blanco reading and talk in conjunction with exhibition.
Flow: Paintings and Installations by Radcliffe Bailey, MOCA Jacksonville, May 5 - Aug. 27, 2006
Lori Nix: The City, University of Maine Museum of Art, April January 13, 2012-March 24, 2012
Highway of Thought: Photographs by David Hilliard, University of Maine Museum of Art, June 26, 2009-Septmber 19, 2009
EXHIBITIONS CURATED-SELECTED LISTING
Piranesi to Picasso: Master Prints from the Permanent Collection, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 18, 2014- March 22, 2014
Time’s Wife: Hannah Cole”, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 18, 2014- March 22, 2014
Parabellum (Prepare for War): Installation by Kenny Cole, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 18, 2014- March 22, 2014
From the Shadows: Photographs by Susan Burnstine and Lynn Saville, University of Maine Museum of Art, October 4, 2013- January 4, 2014
Sachiko Akiyama: On Finding Home, University of Maine Museum of Art, October 4, 2013- January 4, 2014
Gregory Kalliche: GPOY, University of Maine Museum of Art, October 4, 2013- January 4, 2014
Joanne Freeman: Three Chords, University of Maine Museum of Art, June 21, 2013- September 21, 2013
Travel in My Borrowed Lives: Paintings by Rachelle Agundes and Sean Downey, University of Maine Museum of Art, June 21, 2013- September 21, 2013
Emily Trenholm-Monhegan: A New Perspective, University of Maine Museum of Art, June 21, 2013- September 21, 2013
I-95 Triennial 2013, University of Maine Museum of Art, April 5, 2013- June 8, 2013
Dog Run: Michael Crouser, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 18, 2013- March 21, 2013
The Promised Land: Robert Rivers, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 18, 2013- March 21, 2013
Honey from the Belly of the Lion: Candice Ivy, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 18, 2013- March 21, 2013
What’s Yours?: Susan Jane Belton, University of Maine Museum of Art, October 5, 2012- January 5, 2013
Ring Cycle: Mayumi Sarai, University of Maine Museum of Art, October 5, 2012- January 5, 2013
At the Edges: Alan Bray, University of Maine Museum of Art, October 5, 2012- January 5, 2013
Carved Signs; Richard Haden, University of Maine Museum of Art, June 22, 2012-September 5, 2012
Arnold Mesches: A Minispective, University of Maine Museum of Art, June 22, 2012-September 5, 2012
Lily Ponder: Chris Natrop, University of Maine Museum of Art, June 22, 2012-September 5, 2012
Vanished Into Stiches: Ruth Marshall, University of Maine Museum of Art, April 6, 2012- June 9, 2012
Moments Abstracted: John Goodman, University of Maine Museum of Art, April 6, 2012- June 9, 2012
Slab Waltz: Jemma Gascoine, University of Maine Museum of Art, April 6, 2012- June 9, 2012
The Moment: Michael De Brito, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 13, 2012-March 24, 2012
I Put a Spell on You: Brett Day Windham, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 13, 2012-March 24, 2012
Because You’re Mine: George Terry, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 13, 2012-March 24, 2012
Dominic Chavez: The Global Lens, University of Maine Museum of Art, October 14, 2011-December 30, 2011
Carlo Pittore: Studio Life, University of Maine Museum of Art, October 14, 2011-December 30, 2011
Abe Ajay: Constructions, University of Maine Museum of Art, October 14, 2011-December 30, 2011
New Dawn Fades: Photographs by Thomas Hager, University of Maine Museum of Art, June 24, 2011-September 24, 2011
Photo National 2011, University of Maine Museum of Art, June 24, 2011-September 24, 2011
Shadow Play: Works by Brian Shure, University of Maine Museum of Art, April 8, 2011-June 11, 2011
Implements: Recent Sculptures by JT Gibson, University of Maine Museum of Art, April 8, 2011-June 11, 2011
Hanging Drawings: Nancy Murphy Spicer, University of Maine Museum of Art, April 8, 2011-June 11, 2011
Fear and Play: Paintings by Jonathan Lux, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 14, 2011-March 26, 2011
The Gesture Contained: Recent Sculptures by Joshua Enck, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 14, 2011-March 26, 2011
A Pointed View: Recent Photographs by Ilya Askinazi, University of Maine Museum of Art, October 8, 2010-December 31, 2010
String too Short to Use: Todd Watts, University of Maine Museum of Art, October 8, 2010-December 31, 2010
Ceremonies of Mud: New Paintings by Alfredo Gisholt, University of Maine Museum of Art, June 25, 2010-September 18, 2010
I-95 Triennial: A Survey of New England, University of Maine Museum of Art, April 23, 2010-June 12, 2010
Resonant Places: Paintings by Megan Chase, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 14, 2010-April 3, 2010
Bio-Permutation: Sculptures by David Isenhour, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 14, 2010-April 3, 2010
Burnt Cove: Watercolors by Gerald Matthew Immonen, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 14, 2010-April 3, 2010
Roadside Ghosts: Photographs by Dave Anderson, University of Maine Museum of Art, October 2, 2009-December 31, 2009
Evergreen: Installation by Wendy Wischer, University of Maine Museum of Art, October 2, 2009-December 31, 2009
Abstract New England, University of Maine Museum of Art, October 2, 2009-December 31, 2009
Elegant Darkness: Photographs by Connie Imboden, University of Maine Museum of Art, June 26, 2009-September 19, 2009
Recent Sculptures by Christopher Frost, University of Maine Museum of Art, June 26, 2009-September 19, 2009
Vessels Absent: Works by Aaron Stephan, University of Maine Museum of Art, April 17, 2009-June 19, 2009
Successive Approximations: Works by Carol Prusa, University of Maine Museum of Art, April 17, 2009- June 19, 2009
A Bit of Colored Ribbon: John Bailly, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 16, 2009- April 1, 2009
Reclaimed: Works by Mildred Johnson and David McLaughlin, University of Maine Museum of Art, October 11, 2008-January 3, 2009
Metaphysics of Landscape: Painting by Timothy McDowell, University of Maine Museum of Art, January 16, 2009- April 1, 2009
And Further the Dew Drop Falls: Installations by Chris Natrop, MOCA Jacksonville, April 25, 2008-August 31, 2008
Continental Shifts: The Art of Edouard Duval-Carrie, MOCA Jacksonville, January 25, 2008-April 6, 2007
Ramen Noodles 2008: Installation by Sang-Wook Lee, MOCA Jacksonville, January 25, 2008-April 6, 2007
Essence and Materials: Works by Minoru Ohira, MOCA Jacksonville, September 13, 2007-January 6, 2008
Sculptures by Duncan Johnson, MOCA Jacksonville, September 13, 20007-January 6, 2008
Coherent Structures: Recent Silverpoints by Carol Prusa, MOCA Jacksonville, September 13, 2007-January 6, 2008
Raddle Cross and Dowsing: Installations by Martha Whittington, MOCA Jacksonville, September 13, 2007-January 6, 2008
Valuistics: The Making of: Installations by James Greene, MOCA Jacksonville, September 13, 2007-January 6, 2008
Impermanence: Recent Works by Andres Michelena, MOCA Jacksonville, April 26, 2007- August 26, 2007
Keyhole: Constructed Paintings by Todd Murphy, MOCA Jacksonville, April 26, 2007- August 26, 2007
Athletes and Warriors, MOCA Jacksonville, January 26, 2007- April 7, 2007
Bloom: Paintings and Constructions by Luis Cruz Azaceta, MOCA Jacksonville, Sept. 15, 2006 - Jan. 7, 2007
Cheerleaders, Body Builders and Disco Queens, MOCA Jacksonville, Jan. 20 - Apr. 15, 2006
30th Parallel: A Convergence of Contemporary Painting, MOCA Jacksonville, Sept. 15, 2005 - Jan. 4, 2006
Image & Energy: Selections from the Haskell Collection, MOCA Jacksonville, Sept. 24, 2004 - Jan. 9, 2005
Skin: Contemporary Views of the Body, Inaugural exhibition, MOCA Jacksonville, May 3 - Aug. 8, 2003
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS:
Conference Presenter: Visual Art in a Hyper-Visual Culture, Maine International Conference on the Art, 2013
Presenter: On Building the Collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, 2013
Conference Presenter: Finding and Building New Audiences, Florida Association of Museums Conference, September 2007
Conference Presenter: Off the Pedestal: Installation Art and Redefining Museum Presentation, College Art Association Conference, Boston, 2006
Paper Presentation, Recent Curatorial Research, The New York School: First Generation Abstract Expressionist from Hofmann to Rothko, Southeastern Museum Conference, October 2005
Lecture: Museums in the Community: Cross-Curricular Learning and Literacy, Florida Association of Museums Conference, Daytona, FL. 2001
Lecture: Museums and School Partnerships: Visual Art and Literacy Programs, Florida Art Education Association Annual Conference, Fort Lauderdale, FL. 2001
Lecture: “Pluralism: Contemporary Painting in the 80’s and 90”s”, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL., 1998
Visiting Critic and Lecturer, Savannah College of Art and Design, 1996
AFFILIATIONS
Former Member of the Board of Directors for the Southeastern Museums Conference
American Association of Museums
New England Museum Association
Association of Academic Museums and Galleries
College Art Association
Southeastern College Art Conference
Florida Association of Museums