Jill Greenwood Named AMAM Curator of Education

As the Allen Memorial Art Museum celebrates its centennial anniversary, Jill Greenwood joins the staff as the Eric and Jane Nord Family Curator of Education. Greenwood, who has more than 20 years of experience teaching art history and museum studies, will lead AMAM’s community outreach and public programs. These projects include facilitating museum education programs for students from kindergarten through college, overseeing tours of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Weltzheimer/Johnson house, and managing the museum’s social media.

“We have an amazing collection of art, and what I think is exciting is that I can teach the whole history of world art,” Greenwood says. “We have representative examples from around the world and from multiple cultures, time periods, and mediums, so it’s really an incredible opportunity for the kids to see some world-class works of art right here in their backyard.”

With both a master’s and PhD in art history from the University of Kansas, Greenwood has taught at a variety of art institutes, large state universities, community colleges, and elementary schools. Her experience extends outside the classroom, too, with previous posts including manager of public art and programs for the Arts Council of Lake Oswego, Oregon, and curatorial assistant for the Hallie Ford Museum of Art in Salem, Oregon. Most recently, Greenwood served as a visiting assistant professor of art history at Kenyon College.

In her new role, Greenwood hopes to continue developing strong relationships with local schools. One of her goals is identifying intersections between curricula and exhibits to bring more student groups into the museum. Though engaging young students with art can be challenging, Greenwood enjoys introducing interactive elements that make works exciting in new ways, such as encouraging students to emulate sculptures by matching their poses with pieces.

“I’m really excited to be working here in the Oberlin community,” Greenwood says. “Obviously we live here, but it’s exciting now to be working here because I think it’s such a great community of dedicated people. I love the diversity, and our children are here, so we’re really invested in continuing the great work that’s already being done here.”