CURATORIAL DEPARTMENT
Acquisitions, Collections, and Exhibitions Committee (ACE)
Nicole Maria Evans
Curator of Exhibitions & Collections
Natalie Woodson
Facilities Care Specialist/Exhibition Preparator
ACE Committee & Current Members
Committee Statement of Purpose and Intention
The Acquisitions, Collections, and Exhibitions Committee (ACE) is made up of committed and outstanding members of Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art’s community. They are knowledgeable in many areas but are committed to the advancement of the contemporary arts, history, and education. They are interested in the safeguarding of material culture and institutional collecting history, especially the conservation and protection of the collection of art at the museum. In addition to their role as collections patrons they serve to support the museum and Curator of Exhibitions and Collections by respecting the curator’s expertise, attending monthly ACE meetings, actively participating in curatorial programs as volunteers and guests, and positively advocating for the exhibitions and collections at the museums.
The ACE committee’s role is to discuss, vote, and recommend acquisitions and deaccessions to the museum’s Board of Directors. Decisions are based on the Curator of Exhibitions and Collection’s research, presentation, and recommendation. The ACE committee follows the museum’s Collection Policy and its decisions support the collecting goals of the museum. The ACE Committee meets once a month, except in August and December. The chair of the ACE Committee is board appointed and serves a three-year term. The Executive Director shall serve as an ex-officio member of the ACE committee and will cast only tie-breaking votes, which will be done in conversation with the Curator of Collections and Exhibitions.
The ACE committee will comprise no fewer than six and no more than 12 voting members, exclusive of the chair and ex-officio members. The ACE Committee should include two to three curatorial department members with expertise in an area of museum collecting, a representative of another museum department, and at least one other board member, as well as representatives of the community constituency served by the museum. Members serves a two-year term with an option for reappointment.
Terry Thall- Committee Chair, PGSMOA Board of Directors
I arrived in Great Falls at the end of August 1977. And I have been involved with the Square in one way or another ever since. I have served on the Board of Directors, the executive committee, the education committee, the finance committee, Square Roots and, of course, the ACE committee. I have been an instructor, a docent, and have rounded up hundreds of volunteers for all kinds of fundraisers.
But I am most of all a viewer. I want to look at the exhibitions and at the permanent collection and absorb what these pieces can tell me about our contemporary world. Art informs my understanding of the world. By serving on the ACE committee, I can, in some way, help shape the kinds of exhibitions that are presented to our community and the art that is preserved as a record of our contemporary society. --Terry A. Thall
Susan Thomas - Artist & Educator
I have lived in Great Falls since 1995 and have been involved with Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art continuously since then. From 1996-2004 I served as Education Director at the Square and later served on the Board of Trustees for two terms. I also taught Art History and Foundations courses at the former University of Great Falls from 1995-2012.
As an artist and educator, the Square’s exhibitions and education opportunities have continuously provided inspiration, information and community to myself and my family. It is an exceptional, essential resource for Great Falls and the surrounding area, greatly enriching the lives of so many people.
Serving on the ACE Committee has been a pleasure as we engage with artists, exhibitions and collections on a deeper level than we might otherwise be able to do. This engagement feeds my art and my life and I am grateful for it.
Julia Becker - Artist & Educator
Teaching, creating, mentoring, collaborating, improvising, designing, advocating, …. All of this brings joy and deep gratitude for being alive every day! As a lifelong artist, world citizen, interdisciplinary art educator, and advocate for diverse learners and creators, I am honored to be on the ACE committee. The quality of exhibitions, programs, and innovation at PGSMOA supports my personal and professional efforts in the region over decades. Being on the committee allows opportunity to work with an exceptional group of artists, historians, curators, and contemporary art advocates. Without contemporary art being made, shared, discussed, and treasured, we are lost. I am grateful to have this opportunity to support contemporary art, artists, and the wonderful museum staff and its significant efforts to keep contemporary art alive in our community and in the world. My experiences as a working contemporary artist and art educator over many decades empowers my daily efforts and hopefully brings this enthusiasm to the ACE committee.
Dusty Molyneaux - GFPS Music & Art Supervisor
Dusty Molyneaux is the Music and Art Supervisor for the Great Falls Public Schools. He enjoys being the ambassador for the public schools for all things Fine Arts in Great Falls and the surrounding community. In his spare time he enjoys playing his trumpet in local music groups such as the Great Falls Symphony and the Great Falls Municipal Band. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Paris Gibson Square Museum, and serves on several other Boards and committees in the area.
Dusty is on the ACE committee as part of his Board duties, and also to further his understanding of how museums function and learn more about how great art is selected, curated, stored, and viewed again in future.
Jacob Cowgill - Artist, Baker, & Business Owner
Jacob Cowgill is a photographer and printmaker who explores the social geography of the rural west through black-and-white film, relief cuts, and intaglio prints. He also owns and operates a sourdough bakery called Blue Truck Bread, which uses wheat grown by Montana organic farmers. Jacob was born and raised in north-central Montana and received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Montana. He and his wife, Courtney, have two children and live on Fairfield Bench. He is currently serving on the ACE Committee, joining in 2023. The Square has been a part of his life since he was in high school when he visited exhibitions and wrote about them for art class. The ACE Committee has allowed him to become more intimately involved in The Square and to have a direct role in art itself. He has enjoyed getting to learn about the inner workings of the Museum as well as meeting and connecting with others in his community.
