When Nancy Grinnell became curator at the Newport Art Museum nine years ago, she never thought she would wear so many hats. Recently, in preparation for the current "Annual Members' Juried Show", there were last-minute changes, and she was drafted to hang the exhibit herself.

"We didn't know we'd have to do a salon-style exhibit, and I don't normally hang the works," she said, but she did- a task involving climbing 15-foot ladders and leaning way-overboard to position the works. "You can't have fear of heights for this job," said Grinnell. Despite still having "...tennis elbow," during this evolution, in walked local artist Bill Heydt.. Heydt saw Grinnell surrounded by the ladder and unhung paintings and announced that it will be in this pose that he will paint Grinnell's portrait.

For people who have never been to the museum, what would you say to them? That we're not a musty old museum. These days museums really are interested in what visitors want. We're interested in the community's opinion. So, we have to balance schedule between old and new, different media, arts and crafts, the school. The job is to take the museum's heritage and make it relevant in today's world.

With the museum's 100th anniversary coming up in a few years (2012), how does the Newport Art Museum rank in age among others in the country? In 1984 we changed from the Newport Art Association to the Newport Art Museum. We are definitely one of the oldest art associations in the country exhibiting both national and regional works.

What is your art background? I'm not an artist but rather an art historian. I have two master's degrees: A Master's of Library Science and I recently received another Master's of American Civilization/Museum Programs from Brown University.

What's your favorite genre? American Art of the late 19th century.

Do you have a special area of interest? I'm fascinated by the history of the women from that era, particularily Maud Howe Elliott, the museum's founder.

Do you show art at home? I'm a real supporter of the region's art. Whenever I have a chance, I'll buy works I like at events like the Wet Paint Auction and the Artist's Ball.

Your favorite work at home? My favorite? (thinks for a moment) Two old calendar pieces by Maxfield Parrish.

Last book read? "Archie and Amilie: Love and Madness in the Guilded Age" by Donna Lucey.

Do you have children, pets? Three kids; all grown up and one grouchy cat.

Did your children inherit their mother's love for art? Yes. I use to drag them to art museums when they were growing up. (Indeed during this interview, the curator's son Geoff, home for the day from New Hampshire for his birthday, visited the museum and was immediately directed by his mother to view the member's exhibit in the museum's Cushing Gallery)

Sneak peek for future exhibitions? For this fall, I am organizing "Barbizon to Impressionism: Rhode Island Painters of the 19th century."

How many exhibits do you oversee? We do 16 to 20 a year. Some are very involved and are planned a year or two in advance. About 7 artisits each year have solo exhibitions, as well.

And the permanent collection? Since our mission changed from being an association to a museum we really haven't been collecting that long. We have about 2,000 works; most are from Rhode Island collectors. We've loaned some of our art, recently, we sent pieces to California.Then there's the Cushing Memorial Gallery where about 10 works are kept on display as part of the deed agreement.

Who's Newport works are the most prominent in the museum's collection? William Trost Richards. We have 25 of his works, and John La Farge, we have one of his stained glass pieces and about 15 other illustrations of his. They are both identified with Newport because they lived here during their lifetimes.

After nine years, have you been at the museum the longest? No Judy Hambleton, Director of Education, has been here longer. She runs the school and all those outreach programs.

Recent hirees Molly Sexton, Alden Tucker, Rebecca Rex; all young Newport women involved in the local art scene, lots of women power. What's going on? It's very professional now. We now have weekly meetings where we listen to each other and work together. For the first time since I've been here, I've received help writing grants for the exhibits. It's very exciting. We're really going after it. In addition to the exhibits, we have the winter lecture series, the summer concert series on the lawn attended by up to 600-people, and 17-educational outreach programs.

So it truly is a place run by women? Well, we do have a director who is a man, Karl Willers, but yes the museum always has been primarily run by women. I have recently written an article for the Newport Historical Association about Judith Silvia, the museum's first professional director.

Passions? Well my passions are art history, American culture, and women's history. Here I get to blend all three.

By Charles Avenengo