The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art celebrated local history during its April 12 Neon Night event with a piece from its collection of Orlando area business signs. Hundreds of curious observers attended, but few may have realized it was the first exhibit assisted by the museum’s new Hugh F. McKean curator, Dr. Kayli Rideout.
“I’m not from Florida so, through researching those signs, I got to learn about the history of Central Florida and its local businesses,” she told the32789. “It was a fun way to learn more about the area.”
Rideout was officially announced as Hugh F. McKean curator in May, and as a fan of the museum’s primary focus – the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany – the job is something she was more than ready for.
Born in Concord, NC., her academic resume includes a Bachelor of Arts degree from Davidson College and a master’s and Ph.D. from Boston University. Rideout’s doctorate research focused on American decorative arts of the late 19th and early 20th centuries with a focus on Louis Comfort Tiffany, whose work became a personal interest when she was named Tiffany & Co. Foundation Curatorial Intern at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2021.
“I studied silver in my master’s program, so I was already familiar with Louis Comfort Tiffany’s silver pieces,” she said. “But the primary project of The Metropolitan Museum of Art internship was to work with their collection of Tiffany Studios design drawings.” The works led to a deeper appreciation of the glass pieces they represented. “The drawings of windows and his interpretation of lighting is unlike anything else, and his story as a businessman and as an artist is very interesting to me.”
The internship also resulted in a friendship with the Metropolitan Museum’s curator of american decorative arts, Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen. “I credit her with introducing me to the study of decorative arts,” Rideout said. “I became deeply interested in the subject, and she has been so supportive and such an influential presence in my life since then.”
Rideout sat down with the32789 to discuss her new position and what she hopes to achieve as a key member of the Morse Museum team.
When and how did your interest in art begin? I first became interested in art in middle school. I always tried to fill my class schedule with art courses over anything else that was offered, and in high school I took as many art courses as were available. Sometimes, especially for the more advanced classes, I would be the only person enrolled, so they would have me sit in with an existing lower-level class. I would work on one project while the other students would work on another. This led me to major in studio art in college.
What did you want to be when you were growing up? I definitely saw myself as an artist. I knew from the early years of high school that I wanted to pursue art in some way. I decided to attend a liberal arts college, which was a great fit for me because it allowed me to take classes in art history and history, which I was also very interested in.
What are the responsibilities of a curator and what is the most important aspect of the job? The primary responsibility of a curator is to care for and interpret a museum’s collection, but this is a dynamic job that looks different every day. In general, I help plan and prepare for upcoming exhibitions, facilitate object conservation with our collections department, respond to public inquiries, and assist with our educational programming. I think the most important part of my job is twofold: to ensure that our collection is maintained for future generations and to make sure that our exhibitions are engaging and accessible to our visitors.
What influenced your decision to come to Winter Park? As a Tiffany scholar, working at the Morse was a natural fit, but the founder, Jeannette G. McKean, and the first director, Hugh F. McKean (for whom my position is named), had a really unique vision for the Morse: They believed that any art sincerely made should be appreciated, and that everyone should have access to such art. This mission of accessibility and art enrichment is central to the Morse’s operations, and it was important to me to work for an institution with those values. I was fortunate that the museum was looking for a new curator just as I was finishing up my Ph.D. program.
What do you want to bring to the Morse Museum – short term and long term? I hope I can contribute to the McKeans’ legacy of bringing art to the Morse and the Winter Park community. Those are big shoes to fill, but the staff here are all dedicated to the mission. We’re always trying to think about our collection and exhibitions from multiple viewpoints and perspectives. We want everyone to feel welcome in the museum and to feel like they can gain or learn something new with each visit.
How do you see the Morse Museum’s place in the Central Florida art community evolving in the coming years? I’ve only been at the Morse a short time, but I’ve already been so impressed with the way that the museum can draw in different groups, especially youth and students. These are really important demographics that museums can often struggle to attract. Our exhibition and public programming continue to evolve to appeal to diverse audiences, and I definitely foresee this continuing in the coming years.