In the world of Zoom, phone conferencing, texting, and emailing, time is of the essence, and we can’t see the work of our clients in action as often as we’d like. While resources are limited, and we truly want to use our client’s time in the most productive way possible, there is something to be said for the experience of brainstorming, planning, and connecting with your clients, and those they serve, in person.
For example, nothing compares to seeing rehabilitated sea turtles make their way down the beach after months of being cared for at the New England Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital; there is something special about sorting clothes at the Cradles to Crayons warehouse knowing that a child in need will be wearing them to school shortly; and you can’t beat seeing the look on a woman’s face at Food For Free’s outdoor market when she notices grapes are the fruit of the week.
Recently our team visited the Edward Hopper & Cape Ann exhibition at the Cape Ann Museum and met with our client contacts.
With no photos allowed in the exhibition (rightfully so), it is hard to describe the serenity that fills the room where the Edward Hopper exhibition is on display. With moody lighting to help preserve the paintings, walking around the space brought us back in time to the people and places of Cape Ann as they are nearly 100 years old. With well-known paintings, like The Mansard Roof (left, below) on display, the room was filled with people ogling over every image. To the delight and surprise of many, the exhibition features artwork by Edward Hopper’s wife, Jo Nivison Hopper and even a painting of her on the beach that Edward Hopper created.
As someone who has appreciated the work of the Cape Ann Museum from afar (a mere hour south), it was an invaluable experience to be able to see works we have promoted in the past, like the Foley Cove Designers, and be able to walk through the halls as a visitor would. We also made a quick stop at Cape Ann Museum Green, a free and open to the public green space and building that is an extension of the main building. We saw a Wetu that was constructed on the property as part of the Museum’s celebrations of Indigenous Peoples Day, and took in Etruscan King and Consort, the inaugural sculpture at the Green by Aristides Burton Demetrios. I have had the pleasure of sharing all these things with the world through words, but until last week, I hadn’t had the invaluable experience of seeing them with my own eyes.
I challenge you to make onsite visits a priority in your work, and really take the time to get some human interaction with clients on your calendar. Plan a visit to see your client in action or attend client events, even if it’s on your own time, to inform your work so you can fully appreciate the opportunity you have to work with them and share their successes.
