Staff Spotlight: Taylor Lear Joins the Team as Assistant Editor

Taylor Lear

As 2017 projects begin to wind down and the year comes to a close, the department of communications has one last addition before ringing in 2018. Taylor Lear has joined the department in the role of assistant editor. Although she is just getting started, Taylor is confident that this position will be a great fit for both her and the museum. In the midst of settling into her new job, she sat down with us to discuss her past experiences and hopes for the future.

Can you explain what you will be doing in your new role of assistant editor?

As the new assistant editor, I am joining Hillary Brown and Michael Lachowski in the department of communications, where I will be helping to produce the museum’s quarterly publication, Facet. I will also be working on all of the exhibition catalogues that the communications department produces each year, as well as taking care of wholesale orders and other various projects as needed.

What were you doing before coming to the Georgia Museum of Art?

For the past year, I have been living in New York, working on my master’s degree in Publishing at Pace University. I was a graduate assistant for my program, and I worked at W. W. Norton & Company as well. After I finished all of my coursework I decided to come back to the South, since I am from Roswell, Georgia and most of my family lives close by.

What excites you the most about working at the museum?

The thing that I find most exciting about the museum and its publications is the range of topics that I will have the opportunity to work on. From early Georgia gunsmiths and the history of craft at the University of Georgia to modern photography and historical figures, I have a feeling that the diverse subject matter will allow me to learn about and appreciate more areas than I had ever imagined.

What are your initial impressions of the museum?

I have admittedly not been here for very long, but so far all of the other employees have been extremely welcoming and ready to help me get started in any way they can. The museum itself is also world class, and I am so grateful to be able to work in this type of environment. So my initial impression has definitely been a positive one!

Are you familiar with the Athens area?

I received my bachelor’s degrees from the University of Georgia in May 2016, so I actually lived here for four years before moving north to start my master’s program. I’ve been gone for about a year and a half, but moving back feels like coming home.

So you are excited to be back?

Definitely! I am tremendously happy to be back in Athens. I’m excited to see what has changed in the time I’ve been gone and what is just the same. It also feels great to be back in a town that cares about college football as much as I do! Overall, I am delighted that I found the perfect job in my favorite place in the world.