Cynthia Hawkins is never without her cell phone. "I'm almost never at my desk," she said, and with the trifold responsibilities of being Geneseo's director of galleries, an artist and a doctoral candidate at the University of Leicester, it's clear why Hawkins cannot remain sitting.
Hawkins is used to hitting the ground running. She learned about the position she now holds while completing the final requirements of her master's program at Seton Hall University, and, equipped with experience working as gallery director at Cedar Crest College, she secured the title we know her by today.
"This is the job of my dreams," Hawkins said. Her dream job, however, is not an easy one. Responsible for the Brodie Hall's Lederer and Bridge Galleries as well as the Lockhart Gallery on Main Street, Hawkins' duties run the gambit. She curates and organizes exhibitions, arranges conservational work, takes care of donations made to the galleries and works to bring diverse artwork - including local talent and creations by minority artists - to the community's attention.
"People think I curate a show and then get to relax for a few weeks, but that's not the case," Hawkins said. When she's not directly putting shows together, she's managing a budget, interns and fundraising efforts and completing administrative tasks.
Hawkins said she only wishes that people, especially students, would take a more active interest in the galleries. "These galleries are for the student body, faculty and entire community," she said. While Hawkins strongly and enthusiastically encourages students of all majors to apply for internships with the gallery where they can earn academic credit performing tasks ranging from curating to marketing, she said that everyone is free to benefit from the galleries as they choose. She said that the enjoyment of viewing a gallery is its own reward.
Join "libgalleries" on Facebook for more information about the art galleries in Geneseo.