Glasstire Contributor Interview: Megan Wilson Krznarich

Megan Wilson Krznarich is an impressive woman. She has carved her own path within the museum world, and even course-corrected when the traditional models of museum methodology didn’t work for her. She has held steady and firm in her path and carved out a place in museum education that allows for change within the museum itself. I admire Megan’s steadfastness, her reliability, and the many ways that she recognizes the value of slow and steady change. 

Leslie Moody Castro (LMC): Where do you live currently, and where are you from? 

Megan Wilson Krznarich (MWK): I currently live in Burleson, Texas, a growing suburb of Fort Worth. My hometown is Shawnee, Kansas, a suburb just outside Kansas City, Missouri. I grew up visiting the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City as a child, and that’s where I developed my passion for art. My grandmother felt it was important to take me to museums because she saw it as a form of activism. She felt that people of color needed to assert our rights to the arts and cultural institutions, to be seen and see ourselves in places that had previously been restricted to us.

LMC: I can imagine this has really shaped your career path. Can you elaborate on how? 

MWK: Initially, it created a passion to study African-American art so that I could place a bright spotlight on the contributions of Black artists to our nation’s artistic heritage. At this stage, I’ve focused on how I can position myself in roles of influence, particularly in the museum setting. Sadly, there are still significant racial disparities in hiring at most museums. It becomes acutely apparent when you look at higher-level positions and leadership roles. This impacts on the work done by museums and the people served. Thus, my goal is to continue working my way up to positions of leadership and also recruit and hire other people of color. This is where real change can occur in museums and the arts broadly.

LMC: What is your favorite book?

MWK: My favorite book is This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I’ve always deeply identified with the main character, Amory Blaine, a young man with so much promise and ambition whose faith and optimism are rattled by tragic circumstances beyond his control (World War I) as well as the consequences of his own reckless choices. I first read the book just after I graduated from college. I was a young, single mother struggling to find my financial and professional footing in the wake of the Great Recession. When reading the book, I just felt I was not alone in my struggles, that what I was experiencing had been felt by generations before me. I also love the central theme of becoming a personage rather than a personality, meaning finding your authentic self and moving beyond the façades developed in youth.

LMC: Did you study journalism and/or writing? If so, where? If not, what did you study?

MWK: My background is in art history and museum studies. I originally went to school for art history (B.A. & M.A.), with lofty dreams of becoming a curator. However, I quickly found that the road to curatorial work was long and often paved with unpaid internships. I simply could not afford that as a single mom of two. So, I pivoted to what I perceived as the more practical path of museum studies.

LMC: How does your background and where you live now impact your writing/way of looking at and thinking about art?

MWK: I think I’ve always felt like an outsider in the art world, surprisingly considering the amount of education and experiences I’ve had in art settings. There have been many moments when I felt othered in museums and galleries. Thus, I write for others who may not feel instantly at home in the art world. I want to share information that helps readers/visitors to understand what they’re seeing and why it matters in an accessible way. I also use my perspective as a fairly typical suburban mom to share my experiences navigating art institutions. As important as the art on the walls is, the experience of a space is just as important. So, part of my process in determining what I write about is how welcomed I felt in the space as a Black woman or a mom visiting with children.

LMC: Even though I am very much a part of the art world, I also often relate to this feeling of being an “other.” I do not come from privilege or an “arty” family. I also did not cut my teeth in places that were considered major art centers (CDMX was little recognized internationally when I moved here 20 years ago). How have you coped with that professionally through the years? 

MWK: It truly has been about community. Finding other women of color who are just as passionate about the work we can do. I have been so fortunate to have wonderful colleagues and mentors, like Jessica Fuentes. I also think it is important to maintain a strong sense of self. I try to shut out the noise, negative comments, and those who do not wish to see greater diversity in the arts or our nation overall. I recognize that institutions do not change overnight, but I’m always pursuing steady, incremental change.  

LMC: What is your day job? What do you do outside of contributing to Glasstire, and how, if at all, does that shape your perspective on art?

MWK: My day job is serving as the Manager of Gallery Teaching Programs at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. In that role, I manage onsite and virtual programs for students in prekindergarten through grade 12, as well as classroom educators (18,000+ each year). What I love most about this role is that I get to shape those special field trip experiences for students, many of whom are visiting an art museum for the first time and don’t believe that a fancy art museum is where they belong. I get to ensure that the next generation inherits a space that is more welcoming and inclusive for all. My job is to find ways to share information about art that is scaffolded to support a wide-ranging audience. I hope my writing reflects a similar approach.

LMC: What makes Texas a great subject for writing about art?

MWK: I love writing about Texas art because of the range of arts opportunities. Of course, I spend a lot of time writing about exhibitions at the major museums and galleries in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. But I also love getting out to some of the smaller cities, like Wichita Falls, Abilene, and Waco. It is the art scenes farther afield from the large metropolitan areas that have the potential to connect with audiences that have not always seen museums and arts institutions as relevant and important. The arts are under threat, particularly in conservative states like Texas and Florida. I believe it is essential that we find ways to open the doors of museums to all and grow arts audiences, including in smaller towns and rural spaces. I hope that my writing helps to support organizations doing this work.