Phillip Rivlin

Artist Phillip Rivlin holds a BFA from Pratt. Among many of his talents are music art, art conservation, Guitar building and repair. He’s been in the New York City for 40 years at least with the exception of two years in San Francisco. We met at the Guggenheim. Surprise! If you follow the podcast you’ll know that’s where I’ve met most of my art handler friends, but like the others Phill’s story is different and the same. One thing I’m learning with this project is that there is always more to learn. How do you cover one person’s life in just one hour? Mr. Rivlin came in to join a crew of craftsmen builders painters in the early nineties, a crew which I eventually joined and would work with through out the decade. My audio is low in this but the convo is still a good one. Here’s me and Phil catching up.

At the beginning of this episode. I suffered from momentary laps of competence so, some of the sound is bad. I cut that part out. A few details as well as the freshness of the beginning was lost. Lucky for you I’m sharing it on patreon worts and all. You’ll get to know Phil Rivlin a little better and also get a feel for behind the scenes on Limited Perspective. Become a patron for 1 to 3 dollars a month.

James Cullinane

James Cullinane is an artist with a B.F.A. from Cooper Union. Everyone I worked with at 1071 fifth ave was an artist of some kind most of us trying to pay the bills and make our own work in the big city. A lot of friends were made as we labored to install the latest show at the Gugg. I thought of them as coworkers at the time. Looking back now I consider most of them friends. James was part of a core group that was my introduction to the Guggenheim and I would work with him in some way whenever I was back up town, all though out   the 90s. It really doesn’t seem like that long ago. I remember James sharing the word of the day. He once had shirts printed with the phrase “possible blame opportunity “ on the back. If you’ve worked in certain types of environments then you understand. I promised to buy one but never did. Sorry about that. To really survive as a freelance art handler you have to juggle several jobs. James has done just that. He’s still doing that, or up until the quarantine he was. Mr Cullinane was kind enough to give me a call. This is me and James catching up after over 20 years. Listen up.

Salome, 2012, map pins, collage, paint and silkscreened paper, 46”x46”

Rainforest Blues, 2020, ink on paper, 31 x 23 inches

Patroclus and Achilles, 2018, photo collage, paint, map pins on panels, 30”x30” each

Stone’s Throw, 1997, silver and black pushpins on wall, 25’x16’

steel pushpin detail

Sarcophagus Blues, 2020, ink and paint on paper, diptych: 41 x 56 inches overall

Twins for Luis Buñuel, 1999, black pushpins on wall, 18’x14’

Sand Town (For Freddy Grey), 2015, ink on panel, 30”x28”

Sarah Titheridge

What’s happening with my counterparts and former coworkers? My latest inquiry has lead me to a counterpart  across the sea. What do you know. They have museums over there too. My next guest is a fascinating woman with a great story that I am eager to share with you. Sarah Titheridge changed course from a likely career in either art history or art conservation to the hands on job of Art Handler or Art Tech as they say across the water. In addition to that she has also set up a few resource websites for those working in the field, starting with Art Tech Space, known for connecting employers with art techs and hosting forums for users to connect and talk about the biz. I’m so happy she was able to talk to me and fill me in on all the details. Listen up people.

Keith Losh

I met Keith Losh through my first museum job. He came in on occasion to help out at the Ringling Museum, while I was there. Recently I learned that the position I was fortunate enough to fill is the one that he had left after five years. Keith was, a guide, a supporter and a fellow artist on the scene during my years in Sarasota, I never thought about it much at the time. I was too self centered. I know him from his artist/art handler days. Though he made an interesting 25 year career change into drafting in the mid 90s,  he’s back at it, installing at some of the new venues that have popped up over the 30 years I was gone. He also brought me up to speed on a few changes in the Sarasota, Museum and gallery world. Keith holds an A.A. degree in Fine Arts from Polk Community College in  Winter Haven,  and a B.A. in Sculpture and Drawing from New College of Florida in Sarasota. What a great way to get back in touch with Keith.

concrete assumptions

early modernist dilemma

Scott Wixon

Scott Wixon is an artist with a BFA from he Massachusetts College of Art and Design and a MFA from Yale University.

By the time we met, Scott had worked his way up from art handler to Operations Manager at a well known art museum, housed in one of the most Iconic buildings in New York City, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.  On my first day he was the person that met me at the employee entrance and lead me down behind the sense to a work area, affectionately known to as The Grotto.  This was an assortment of hallways connecting few workrooms, a freight elevator and a small office.  Scott worked in that little office and I guess he was my bosses boss whenever I was there on a two or three week freelance gig. I don’t know. I wasn’t really paying that much attention. Several years ago we connected on social media and I was able to follow his artwork and career a bit. After this conversation, I know Scott even better than before. Listen up.

Close Encounter - 12 x 14 inches

Joe Adams

In 1992, I had the good fortune to meet Joe Adams at the Guggenheim museum in NYC. Joe ran the art handling crew and I was thrilled to be part of it. Mr. Adams is an Artist with a BFA from The University of Georgia and a MFA from LSU. He managed up to 40 free lance installers per show , meeting all the deadlines ,while keeping the spirits high among all of us. I was inspired and I learned allot from the work environment Joe created. So I decided not to wait another 20 years to reconnect with my friend Joe.

Sean Harrison of PACCIN

Did I say I’m an artist? Well sometimes as an artist one must find work to help “supplement” ones income. For me that has been art handling and museum exhibition work. Some people don’t even know this kind of work exists. However, now that museums and galleries are closed for the foreseeable future and as I’m a little too young for retirement, my focus has been renewed into networking. Hence this podcast. Once I began calling up old friends from the field it occurred to me to reach out to a known source of information and networking opportunities. PACCIN.

(Preparation,Art handling,& Collections Care Information Network). To my delight they got back to me and I was connected with their secretary to the board, Sean Harrison. Sean generously gave an hour of his time to explain to me the history and objectives of the organization, and more. 

Christopher Skura

 As I continue my inquiry into what’s happening with my counterparts and former coworkers, I decided to check in with an old friend. Christopher Skura is an artist with a BFA in painting and a professional certificate in sculpture from the Ringling Collage of art and design, and an Associates degree in Liberal arts from NYU. Though currently on pause from his duties as a paper conservator. Right now he and his wife Julie are in their up state live-in studio making art until this whole thing  blows over.

I met Chris in art school, back when it was called the Ringling School of art and Design. He was a positive influence artistically and he also helped me get my first Museum job. 

We had allot to talk about. Listen up.

Chris Skura