Resume — Leigh Taylor Mickelson

EXECUTIVE LEADER

An arts-minded hard-working detail-oriented achiever with 23 years of experience in non-profit arts administration, executive management, exhibitions and program development. Grew two art centers from small grassroots organizations into vibrant, nationally recognized arts institutions with expansive community impact. Established a robust consulting business with the intent to help arts businesses and non-profits develop and grow.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

SELECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

· Executive Leadership: Promoted to Executive Director of a national ceramic arts organization. Have been the primary supervisor for full-time employees, consultants, and an indirect supervisor for events related staff, volunteers, and interns. Oversaw growth, development and promotion of exhibitions and education programming. Adept in community building, strategic planning, non-profit administration, audience development, budgeting, and major donor gift solicitation.

· Budgeting and Financial Management: Responsible for creation and adherence of budgets ranging in size from a few thousand to over a million dollars. Strong experience in reporting to boards, committees, outside funding agencies, and partnering organizations.

· Program Development / Business Acumen: As program director, curated calendars of exhibitions and educational programming, including classes, lectures, workshops and symposia with intent to increase audience and expose public to the arts. As executive director, led expansion and development of exhibitions and educational programming for adults and youth, increasing earned revenues by 38% and doubling audience in 6 years.

· Project Management: Led successful design and renovation of kiln equipment room, gallery and retail space and led program and budget development for new facility spaces. Led the jury process and coordination of placing 77 curated exhibitions in 69 diverse venues across Westchester County for a county wide celebration of clay, All Fired Up, in 2008; and the placing of over 200 exhibitions in diverse venues for a state-wide celebration of clay in Baltimore, Tour de Clay, in 2005, in conjunction with an international conference.

· Board and Committee Management: Served as lead staff member for full board, fundraising & finance committees, programming committees, and strategic planning committees. Prepared and presented budgets, financial reports, status updates, and policy recommendations to committees, boards, and supporters

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Principal, LTM Arts Consulting, Ossining, NY April 2019 - Present

· Helping arts businesses and non-profits grow and development through program development, grant writing, project management and strategic planning. Clients include Silvermine Arts Center, Saratoga Clay Arts Center, The Marks Project, Westchester Collaborative Theatre, Hudson Valley MOCA, The Studio Potter

Interim Executive Director, Hudson Valley MOCA, Peekskill, NY September 2019 – March 2020

· Hired to lead organization through leadership transition, spearhead strategic planning and visioning for the future, oversee staff and finances, and create and implement a sustainable fundraising development plan

Executive Director, Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY November 2012 – 2019

· Led growth of unearned revenues by 142%, earned revenues by 38%, and doubled staff and audience in a 6-year period of accelerated growth and change

· Led in 2017 the center’s celebration of its 60th anniversary as a ceramic art center, 10 years as a non-profit organization, and its first year surpassing a $1 million budget

· Nurtured business management and program development through a team of program managers, enhancing and expanding exhibitions, artist, education and community arts outreach programs

· Implemented a donor database and guided expansion of contributed income through individual and institutional donations, grant writing and membership

· Led organization through strategic planning and visioning exercises to help determine future objectives

· Nurtured and expanded nationally competitive artist residency program for emerging artists

Program Director, Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY September 2006 – 2012

· Responsible for all adult educational programs, including classes, lectures and workshops including recruitment and management of instructors, staff, volunteers and interns

· Expanded and enhanced youth educational programs, initiated and developed a new summer camp program

· Curated, designed, managed and installed a calendar of exhibitions, featuring emerging, mid-career and established ceramic artists from across the nation

· Developed and nurtured relationships with nationally and internationally respected exhibiting artists

· Directed program and budget development through a 4000 square foot expansion of classroom and gallery space in 2010

· Established and developed the SHOP at CAC, showcasing utilitarian and decorative ceramic art by Clay Art Center artists and invited artists

· Responsible for PR, marketing and communications, including website development, social media and all press materials

· Coordinated 73 ceramic exhibitions at 60 venues across Westchester county for a county-wide celebration of clay, “All Fired Up!” in 2008. The exhibitions featured regional, national, and international works of art that explored the breadth and depth of ceramic expression

Board of Directors, Exhibitions Director, National Council on Education of Ceramic Arts (NCECA) March 2014 – 2018

· Served as a board member and executive committee member for a nationally respected 501(c)3 organization that engages and sustains a community for ceramic art, teaching and learning and cultivates the next generation of ceramic artists and enthusiasts through programing that affects professional artists, K-12 schools, community centers, universities, museums, galleries, businesses, organizations, collectors and enthusiasts of ceramic art.

· Co-curated and coordinated NCECA sponsored exhibitions, hosted at various institutions and organizations across the nation for their annual national conference, which attracts over 6000 attendees

· Participated in board led strategic planning, fund development, program development, and served on the executive committee

Exhibitions Director, Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore, MD Sept 2000 – May 2006
Program Manage, Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore, MD July 1997 –Sept 2000

· Developed, directed, implemented and executed all education (adults and youth) and exhibition programs, then focused on exhibitions as full-time curator and exhibitions director after an expansion of the center

· Curated exhibitions of contemporary ceramic art featuring emerging, mid-career and established artists from the US and abroad

· Led programs through accelerated growth over a 9-year period

· Managed all PR, marketing and communications for the organization

· Developed, curated and managed the center’s Shop featuring high end utilitarian and decorative ceramics

· Coordinated over 200 ceramic exhibitions for a region-wide celebration of ceramics “Tour de Clay” while acting as host liaison for the 2005 NCECA conference in Baltimore, MD

Studio Technician & Adjunct Instructor, Catonsville Community College, Catonsville, MD 1995-97

Oversaw operations of sculpture and ceramics studios. Taught Drawing 101 and Sculpture 101 studio classes.

CURATORIAL EXPERIENCE (abbreviated)

2019-pres Chief Curator, Saratoga Clay Arts Center, curate/manage exhibitions featuring emerging, mid-career & established artists

2018 Transformations: 6x6, Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY

2016 Unconventional Clay: Engaged in Change, NCECA Invitational, Co-curator, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO

2006-12 Chief Curator, Clay Art Center, curated/managed exhibitions featuring 100s of emerging, mid-career & established artists

2011 eARTh, Arts Westchester, White Plains, NY

2010 On Earth, Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, NY

2010 Gift It, Pelham Art Center

2009 Home Sweet Home, Pelham Art Center

1998-2006 Chief Curator, Baltimore Clayworks, curated/managed exhibitions featuring 100s of emerging, mid-career & established artists

AFFILIATIONS / COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT /ARTIST ACHIEVEMENTS

1997-present Member, National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts

2016-19 Business Member, Business Council of Westchester

2015-19 Organization Member, Nonprofit Westchester

2012-19 Organization Member, Association of Development Officers

2016 Judge, The Crafts Festival, Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT

2012 Judge, Nita Lowey High School Art Show, Music Conservancy of Westchester

2003 Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award

SOLO EXHITBITIONS (abbreviated)

2013 LURE, Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden, North Salem, NY

2011 Apiary, Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore, MD

2010 LURE: Leigh Taylor Mickelson, Sherrie Gallerie, Columbus, OH

2008 Botanical Attraction: Leigh Taylor Mickelson, Greenburgh Nature Center, Scarsdale, NY

GROUP EXHIBITIONS (abbreviated)

2020 Peters Valley Present, Peters Valley School of Craft, Layton, NJ (virtual)

2020 Flora and Fauna, Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore, MD

2018 Alternate Endings, Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh, PA

2017 Rewind, Clay Art Center, Port Chester, NY

2016 In Form, Rockland Center for the Arts, Nyack, NY

2016 Natural Shift, Fort Collins Museum of Art, CO

2015 Revisiting Arcadia, ArtsWestchester, White Plains, NY

2015 Botanica Ceramica, Roger Williams Botanical Center, Providence, RI

2013 Duo (Anat Shiftan & Leigh Taylor Mickelson), Saratoga Clay Arts Center, Schuylerville, NY

PUBLISHED ARTICLES (abbreviated)

2020 Miranda Thomas Pottery: A Labor of Love, Ceramics Monthly, September

2020 Rooted in the Gut: Chris Gustin, Ceramics Art & Perception, June

2019 From Scratch: A Conversation with Restaurant Potter Connor McGinn, Ceramics Monthly¸ December

2019 Making the Unseen Seen: Julia Galloway’s Endangered Species Project, Ceramics Monthly¸ October

2019 Arthur’s Garden, Ceramics Monthly¸ September

2009 Small Organization, Big Ideas, Ceramics Monthly, March

2008 Enjoying the Still Life of Anat Shiftan, Ceramics Monthly, September

2007 Ship Happens, Clay Times, Nov/Dec (co-authored with Mary K. Cloonan)

2005 Reconnecting: The Expressive Utilitarian Wares of Andy Shaw, Ceramics Monthly, October

2005 Centering: Community, Clay and Culture, NCECA 2005 Conference Preview, Ceramics Monthly, Feb

EDUCATION / PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT / TECHNICAL SKILLS

Rochester Institute of Technology, School for American Crafts, Masters in Fine Arts Degree; Ceramics/Ceramic Sculpture; Minor in Metals

Hamilton College, Bachelor of Arts Degree, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa; Studio Art/English Literature Double Major

CEO Learning Lab, 2019; A 5-month professional development initiative focused on identifying the tools and leadership strengths needed for advancing organizations toward greater impact and sustainability

Westchester Leadership, 2012; A rigorous, 9-month curriculum designed to sharpen leadership skills and give an in depth understanding of how non-profits works

TECHNICAL SKILLS - Adept in Microsoft Office Suite; Salesforce CRM; Squarespace & other website platforms; Adobe Photoshop, Acrobat & Elements. Savvy with all aspects of exhibition installation, so good with lighting, tools, basic maintenance & repair of equipment, etc. Practicing ceramic artist – www.leightaylormickelson.com – and handy with general upkeep of a facility.