Melanie Johanson, Cornell Museum curator, with one of artist Will Kurtz’s
sculptures, Linda the Dog Walker.
Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
Melanie Johanson and her husband, Greer Prather, moved to Delray Beach three years ago from New Orleans, where she was an art instructor.
In January 2013, the two were sitting across the street from the Cornell Museum at Spot Coffee and saw that there was an open house for the School of Creative Arts. They went over to check it out with the idea that she might try joining the teaching staff.
Instead, she ended up becoming an assistant to the Cornell Museum’s curator, and when the curator retired not long after, Johanson was promoted to that job.
“After procuring all the artwork for an exhibit, it’s a fun challenge to figure out how to best show all the different pieces together in one space,” she said.
“The process intrigues me just as much as the finished product,” she said. “I love displaying an artist’s sketches, studies and unfinished work.”
Johanson, 33, said the museum recently moved in a new direction and is bringing in contemporary art from all over the world. An exhibit called “Language Art” opened Nov. 28 and features artwork with a typographic element.
She enjoys travel and is especially drawn to the Big Apple.
“I have always had a fascination with New York City — it’s so alive, “ she said. “I love the art galleries and museums, my studio visits with artists, and enjoying the city itself — the mystery of what might be around every corner intrigues me.”
Her husband works in Pompano Beach managing a distribution warehouse for Shell Oil. On weekends, they go to the Seagate Hotel coffee shop with Wilbur, their lovable Catahoula hound dog.
“He loves it,” she said, “and so do we.”
They live near, and regularly enjoy, the beach. But they also like riding bikes, sometimes on the Shark Valley bike loop in the Everglades.
“You’ll be riding along and there will be this huge alligator,” she said. “It’s incredible what you can see from the observation tower. You can see birds swimming underwater to catch fish.”
— Mary Thurwachter
Q. Where did you grow up and go to school?
A. New Orleans, and I attended both Loyola and Tulane universities.
Q. What are some highlights of your life?
A. Falling in love with and marrying my best friend, teaching high school art for six years, moving to Delray Beach three years ago and finding this great job at the Cornell Museum.
Q. How did you choose to make your home in Delray Beach?
A. We were new to South Florida and were hooked as soon as we discovered Atlantic Avenue and the picturesque beach.
Q. What is your favorite part about living in coastal Delray Beach?
A. I love running on the beach along the water.
Q. Do you have a favorite artist?
A. My favorite living artist is the painter Wayne Thiebaud and my favorite artist of all time is Edward Hopper.
Q. Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?
A. Professionally, Casey Gleghorn, the first gallery owner I worked with, has taught me so much about navigating the art world. On a personal level, my late grandmother still has a lot of influence in the decisions I make … “what would Granny do?”
Q. What music do you listen to when you need inspiration? When you want to relax?
A. The Indie Dance station on Pandora radio is constantly playing on my computer at work, and when I want to relax, I love listening to anything by British singer-songwriter Birdy.
Q. What’s the last book you read and would you recommend it?
A. 7 Days in the Art World, by Sarah Thornton, a great read for anyone interested in learning more about the world of contemporary art. My last guilty-pleasure beach read was Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? I like to think that we’d be friends.
Q. If someone made a movie of your life, who would you like to play you and why?
A. I would want it to be a hand-drawn, fully animated movie, and I would want Taylor Swift to sing all of my musical numbers!
Q. What makes you laugh?
A. Cat videos online!
Comments