Busman’s Holiday

The Finance Department took a day away from their offices to do what? Why, to visit other museums, of course!

Cherie Nichols, director of budgeting and reporting, Lydia O'Connor, finance assistant, and Earl Richards, senior accountant with the art bus at the American Visionary Art Museum.

Cherie Nichols, director of budgeting and reporting, Lydia O’Connor, finance assistant, and Earl Richards, senior accountant, with the art bus at the American Visionary Art Museum.

Every year as a treat for completing our annual financial audit, The Phillips Collection finance staff retreat on a post-audit outing. This year we decided as a group to travel to Baltimore and visit the fabulous American Visionary Art Museum before heading to the Baltimore Museum of Art for lunch at Gertrude’s  and a preview peek at the newly returned Renoir painting On the Shore of the Seine (c. 1879).

I couldn’t resist running away with the Renoir, and the cameras caught me in my enthusiasm!

#RenoirReturns  #BMAselfie

#RenoirReturns #BMAselfie

Despite the busman’s holiday, we returned to the Phillips refreshed and ready to face another fiscal year!

Lydia O’Connor, Finance Assistant

Style Profile: Anna Galloway

Anna Galloway

Anna stepped into work with these hip and casual shoes and she rocked it. Photos: Josh Navarro

Josh Navarro: How would you describe your style?

Anna Galloway: Hmmm, maybe classic with a twist? I enjoy preppy things, but in different or bright colors and with fun accents added. Like studded loafers!

JN: What are your favorite shops in the city? Any online shopping as well?

AG: My favorite places to shop are Madewell and J. Crew, and anywhere and everywhere online. I love finding shoes online.

JN: Please describe your outfit in these photos.

AG: This day, I was wearing a blazer from Forever 21 (it makes me feel like I won The Masters), a button down from J. Crew, and pants from Madewell. My shoes are by Bass, they make super rad shoes that are also really comfortable, which is highly necessary being a Museum Assistant.

Museum Mingling: Keeping Staff Connected

Brooke Rosenblatt, foreground, talks with Scott S and other colleagues over lunch in the cafe this past Monday. Photo: Sue Nichols

Phillips employee Brooke Rosenblatt, foreground, and colleagues talk with trustee Scott Spector over lunch in the café this past Monday. Photo: Sue Nichols

Our museum is fortunate to have a cadre of absolutely fantastically devoted trustees, and they are very supportive of museum staff. To give the trustees and staff a chance to get acquainted, we have instituted a series of mingling opportunities. These include lunches with a small number of staff members and a single trustee,  as well as periodic group lunches where several trustees and a larger number of staff gather for a musical chairs buffet lunch, giving everyone a chance for informal conversation. Brooke Rosenblatt, Manager of Programs and In-Gallery Interpretation, attended one of these lunches on Monday and shares her take on the experience:

“At the lunchtime meet-up, I got to know a couple of our Board members better. For instance, Carolyn Small Alper and I discussed her artistic and design practice; Scott Spector shared his insight on local neighborhoods and DC’s changing landscape. I really appreciated how both asked me about my experience of the Phillips and my contributions to the museum. In the comfort of our Tryst at the Phillips café,  I stayed right up until the end and enjoyed learning more about our museum’s governing body. And so did many of my colleagues.”