In the autumn of 2023, Jen Padgett, MA ’12, PhD ’18, was named the Wingate Curator of Craft at the illustrious Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art situated in Bentonville, Arkansas — marking the museum’s inaugural endowed curatorial role.

Padgett specializes in contemporary art and design within the realm of craft, which she describes as creative works produced with technical proficiency and established forms and motifs on, as Padgett articulates, “a human level.” This places her in an exceptional position at one of the most recent and extraordinary art institutions globally — an impressive milestone for a curator whose journey may have begun with a classic Parker Brothers board game.

It was called Masterpiece, a game wherein players could bid on, purchase, and trade postcards that were replicas of celebrated works including Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait, Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks, and Georges Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte-1884.

“It was a game my mother cherished in her childhood and played with us frequently,” reminisces Padgett, who was raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. “It was enjoyable, but what stands out to me most was the artwork represented on all those cards. I just did not realize until much later that in the version of the game we owned, all the artworks came from The Art Institute of Chicago. So during my initial visit there as a college student, I remember looking around in awe, thinking, ‘I can’t believe that all the most renowned artworks in the world are housed in one location!’

“Experiencing that moment, seeing those original paintings — pieces I’d been acquainted with only through small printed versions — was enlightening,” she shares. “And that feeling of forming a personal bond with the artwork has always stayed with me.”

This passion for enabling visitors to build their personal connections with art is what motivates Padgett at Crystal Bridges.

Established in 2011 by philanthropist Alice Walton, the museum, set within a picturesque northwestern Arkansas Ozark forest, harmoniously integrates American art, architecture, and nature across its 134-acre landscape. In her capacity as curator of craft, Padgett engages deeply with an artistic expression that is distinctly American and inherently tactile. The medium of craft encompasses a wide range of materials, including wood, glass, metal, textiles, and ceramics, produced by diverse individuals — women and men, people of color, immigrants, and Indigenous peoples.

Craft, Padgett articulated in Crafting America, Artists and Objects 1940 to Today, the book that accompanied the 2021 exhibition co-organized by herself and Glenn Adamson, is “an art form that significantly contributes to the broader narrative of American art.”

“There is something profoundly human about craft.”

Wearing multiple hats

A museum curator’s role encompasses numerous skills beyond mere expertise in a particular art form — from conceptual development to project coordination, installation, writing supporting materials, and even engaging the public once the exhibition opens. Throughout the years, a curator balances several projects simultaneously. It’s a role that Padgett finds exhilarating.

“Donning multiple hats adds excitement,” she remarks, “especially when one finds a rhythm. The project’s initiation invites broad concepts, raising questions like ‘What is the exhibition’s intention?’ or ‘What artworks are available, and what else should we incorporate?’

“Engaging in those initial discussions is crucial. Afterward, the process evolves over months, sometimes years. My responsibility includes finalizing the arrangement of these works and determining, ‘Yes, this works well here’ or questioning, ‘Is this functioning as we envisioned?’”

Moreover, the writing tasks a curator undertakes present varying challenges. There’s the exhibition catalog, where Padgett explains, “you delve deep into the pieces and employ more scholarly terminology.” And then, there’s the text needed for the wall labels and signage that accompany each artwork in the museum. At times, Padgett notes, she steps into a gallery as it nears completion and envisions speaking to a visitor, contemplating what she would convey if she could offer each one of them a personalized tour.

“I picture someone excited about art but perhaps lacking extensive background knowledge — a curious person who is pleased to be at Crystal Bridges,” she describes. Considering that personal connection helps integrate the various aspects of her job that are separate from being in the galleries, such as long-term planning, budgets, and project specifics. “In the galleries, it revolves around the artwork,” Padgett expresses. “So I inquire, ‘What is intriguing about this particular piece? What narrative do I wish to share with them?’”

And then the exhibition unveils itself, and visitors begin arriving with questions and observations, contributing their perspectives. “Witnessing our plans manifest is genuinely delightful,” she remarks.

From South Bend to Bentonville, by way of St. Louis

Padgett has been a part of Crystal Bridges for six years, having been initially recruited as an assistant curator in 2019. However, by that time, she had already compiled a remarkable curriculum vitae filled with internships and fellowships from art museums nationwide, starting with a position in visitor services at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas. This marked her entry into the art realm following her attainment of a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame in art history and English.

“The Amon Carter experience proved immensely beneficial,” she reflects. “I believe that anyone engaged in the curatorial domain of museums gains from the interaction with visitors who arrive daily. It’s literally your responsibility to greet them with, ‘Welcome! We’re delighted you’re here,’ while addressing fundamental inquiries about restrooms, dining options, and gift shops. It provided me with insight into creating an inviting environment.”

“I believe that anyone engaged in the curatorial domain of museums gains from the interaction with visitors who arrive daily. It’s literally your responsibility to greet them with, ‘Welcome! We’re delighted you’re here.’ ”

Jen Padgett

It was also at the Amon Carter that she discovered her appreciation for American art and began investigating graduate art programs to enhance her understanding. For Padgett, that led her to WashU.

“WashU

“ possesses an exceptional postgraduate program in art history,” she remarks, referencing the expertise of the art history faculty, particularly Angela Miller, professor of art history and archaeology in Arts & Sciences. Miller would later serve as her mentor, but even before Padgett set foot on campus, she mentions that Miller’s contributions and academic work were pivotal in her decision to pursue studies here.

“The Kemper Art Museum is also an excellent venue regarding collections and prospects for students,” Padgett states. “St. Louis itself boasts a rich museum culture. Having a complimentary art museum like the Saint Louis Art Museum just a short distance from the art department is remarkable.”

Throughout her pursuit of graduate degrees, she actively sought summer internships at institutions such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. “I gained various experiences to engage with the art realm from multiple perspectives, which facilitated my journey toward a career,” she notes.

However, at present, Bentonville, where she initially arrived in 2016 as part of a residential fellowship program, occupies a special place in her heart. “My first journey at Crystal Bridges was as a Tyson Scholar of American Art,” she shares. “For an entire semester, my focus was solely on my thesis, supported by the resources of this remarkable institution — including office space, the library’s collection, and the artwork. It felt like a writer’s retreat nestled in nature.”

Future Plans

Padgett’s upcoming significant endeavor involves assisting Crystal Bridges with a substantial expansion expected to be finalized by the summer of 2026. This 100,000-square-foot addition, designed by the museum’s original architect, Moshe Safdie, will enlarge the museum’s footprint by approximately 50%. She sees this as a chance to present more diverse and comprehensive narratives of American art through craft.

“We’ve been acquiring a substantial amount of work within the area of craft, thus we are strategizing on the best methods to incorporate these into the narratives we are already sharing in other gallery settings,” she explains. “We aim to craft new tales in inventive ways that resonate with people.”

That theme of “connection” resurfaces, a principle that remains central for Padgett. “A museum serves as a space for individuals to blend their personal experiences with the myriad stories regarding, for instance, American history or the innovation of American art or artistic exploration,” she articulates. “Yet, one can experience both personal and communal interactions as well.

“Those moments when visitors arrive, pose questions and share insights, and then express their own viewpoints are genuinely thrilling!”

The article Crystal clear was originally published on The Source.