All it took Tabitha Jacques to come up with her next big idea was a four-month stay in the Big Apple.
Jacques, an art history graduate from Gallaudet University had thought up the idea of Art Eyes while living in New York City two years ago, and savoring the programs offered by the museums in the city, namely the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), the Frick Museum, and the Whitney Museum.
"It got me thinking about why Washington D.C. didn't have something similar to what NYC had, especially when D.C. has one of the largest [populations of] Deaf residents in the U.S.," said Jacques in an email. "So, from there, I decided to make an internship out of it for my master's degree at Georgetown University."
Jacques first thought of Art Eyes to focus on bridging the deaf and art communities in museums and art galleries that supported the interaction between deaf people and artists/art lovers. To reach out to the art museums in the Nation's Capital, Jacques used connections from her undergraduate program at Gallaudet and send out cold calls.
"Only the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the Smithsonian American Art Museum responded," said Jacques. "From there Art Eyes was born."
While Jacques had hoped to keep the program name "Art Eyes" it was the museum's decisions to name their own programs. The program at the American Art Museum was called Art Signs.
"Art Signs are gallery talks led by Deaf tour guides on one or two art pieces," explained Jacques. "The programming happens twice a month, and the audience is actually a mix of Deaf people, ASL-signers, and curious hearing visitors." Jacques went on to explain that instead of guides lecturing the audience about the work of art, they guide the audience to discover the awesome aspects of the artwork. Because of Jacques' work with the American Art Museum, now Artisphere (formerly known as the Ellipse Arts Center) and the National Gallery of Art are setting up their own programs.
Starting the program wasn't easy, admits Jacques. But she has been able to meet all of her short-term goals. "[My goal was to make sure] museums and art organizations provided programming for the deaf community."
Jacques has hopes that this will continue to grow. "I really want to improve public relations and get more visitors to come to those events. I would love to figure a way to secure funding for interpreters for smaller organizations such as art galleries and art organizations," she said.
Jacques' work with the American Art Museum and other art venues in the city isn't her full-time job. She works as a Special Projects Manager at the National Postal Museum. "One step at a time is what I tell myself for now."
Eventually, Jacques hopes that Art Eyes becomes an organization that works with museums and art organizations to provide interpreters and programming ideas designed specifically for the deaf community. "There is so much that the deaf community could do with this kind of access," stated Jacques.
Jacques has been very pleased with the working relationship with the museums involved in this process. "They know that the programming cannot work without us, and they usually listen to us when we have advice to give."
While this program is only one year old, Jacques has already seen the benefits. "I see how much more enlightened they are when they leave, and they often come and tell me (or other guides) how they wouldn't have even thought about [a piece of art] this way if not for the commentary that we provide."
She feels that this can branch out to include schools with deaf programs and public school classrooms.
"It's important for me to see people coming to those events and to see their genuine passion, because it's those types of responses that I look for that inspire me to keep on going with this," said Jacques.
Author's note: To find out more about Art Signs, go to http://americanart.si.edu/calendar/talks/artsigns/ and the Artisphere events at http://www.arlingtonarts.org/venues/Artisphere.aspx.
From now through July 5, every Thursday at 1 p.m. the National Gallery of Art provides ASL interpreted tours of the works of deaf Dutch landscape artist Hendrick Avercamp. To get more information about this, go to http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/avercampinfo.shtm.
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