FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Springfield, MO. (March 28, 2022) – The Springfield Art Museum is pleased to announce the appointment of Lori Gipson as Museum Educator. Effective April 11, 2022, Gipson will lead the Museum’s studio arts programs as a key member of the Museum’s leadership team. Gipson will work closely with Museum Educator Jenny Schwartzberg in delivering educational services to over 60,000 patrons a year, 8,500 of whom are children from over 65 local and rural school districts located across southwest Missouri.
Gipson has a background in studio art, art education, museum education, and museum and studio retail operations. She previously served as the Education and Community Engagement Manager at the Metal Museum in Memphis, TN. She has a proven record of collaborative, growth-minded initiatives that include museum professionals, community partners, and teaching artists. Her educational programming work has been awarded six times by the Tennessee Association of Museums (2016-2019).
Gipson holds an MFA from Kent State University, and a BFA from Missouri State University. She has taught Metalsmithing and Jewelry at Kent State University. Gipson’s immediate work with the Museum will involve the re-introduction of in-person art classes, workshops, art camps, and other studio-based programs that include art-making, which have been on hiatus since March of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gipson notes, “I am so excited to become a part of the Springfield Art Museum and the Springfield community. It is an honor to join an institution that has such a profound legacy and history and to be a part of its continued growth. I look forward to creating meaningful and engaging programs for the Museum’s visitors and the community to continue to connect with the Museum, its collection, and each other.”
Museum Director Nick Nelson adds, “We are very excited to have Lori join our team. She is not only a talented artist and museum professional, but she also has a track record of developing and growing educational programs. I look forward to seeing the Museum’s studio art classes and other studio art programs expand under her leadership.”
As Museum Educator, Gipson will oversee the Museum’s popular Summer Art Camp sessions for children ages 6-10, which are enrolling now at: www.sgfmuseum.org/162/Summer-Art-Camp. The Springfield Art Museum is located at 1111 East Brookside Drive. Admission is always free. Donations are gratefully accepted.
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The Springfield Art Museum is Springfield, Missouri’s oldest cultural institution, founded in 1928. A department of the City of Springfield, the Museum invites you to connect with the world, your community, and yourself through active engagement with art objects. For more information, please visit www.sgfmuseum.org or contact Joshua Best, Museum Affairs Officer at (417) 874-2859 or jbest@springfieldmo.gov.