A Visit With The Curator of Decorative Arts & Design at The RISD Museum of Art

Glenn Gissler - Blog - 2014 - Elizabeth Williams RISD Museum - 640x426

Last week, Elizabeth Williams, the Curator of Decorative Arts & Design at the RISD Museum visited my design studio to look at a wide range of objects that I am now offering to her department at the Museum.

Some five years ago I was invited to join the Board of the RISD Museum.  As a student at the Rhode Island School of Design I loved, enjoyed and learned a great deal about the history of the Fine and the Decorative Arts at the Museum, so I was happy to offer help and assistance in any way that I could, and was thrilled to have a reason to visit Providence 3-4 times per year.

Over the last 5-10 years I have accumulated lots of objects – of various scales, materials and time periods – that are of specific interest to me.  In the course of my professional life I regularly ‘shop’ and buy items at auction, and have been a very active participant on eBay (another form of auction) for over 14 years.  Many of these items I have purchased for my personal use and pleasure; some I include in design projects; and others have been accumulating in closed cabinets in my office ‘for the Museum’.  I think Elizabeth was surprised to find dozens of items for her review and consideration.

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