Meet Lori Williamson, Mia's Supervisor of The Print Study Room

The Herschel V. Jones Print Study Room offers individuals and groups the opportunity to examine up close the exceptional collection of the Department of Prints and Drawings. These works of art on paper include woodcuts, engravings, etchings, lithographs, screenprints, drawings, watercolors, and artist’s books. Mia’s “guide” through this collection, Lori Williamson, gave us an inside look into her work there.

Give us a sense of your educational and career journey.

I grew up in St. Paul and attended St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland, a small school of 500 students which is known as a Great Books College. Students explore foundational books spanning 3000 years. I loved it. I met my husband there, who is from Atlanta. For graduate school, I received a Master’s Degree in History and Research Methodology at the University of Chicago. My husband and I found that Chicago was not a good fit, so we returned home to St. Paul to raise a family and pursue careers. I worked at the Minnesota Historical Society for over 20 years, ending my time there as Collections and Outreach Coordinator.

What drew you to Mia? When I heard about the job opening at Mia, I was overwhelmed by the opportunity. Minnesota history is an interesting microcosm, but Mia’s collection covers a vastly greater time period and geography. I was intrigued to be able to tell the story of what happened with printmaking over time, and how the ability to produce multiples altered artists’ opportunities. I am thrilled every day to be in the presence of Durer, Rembrandt and contemporary artists that we have in the collection!

Describe your experience at Mia so far. I have three main responsibilities. 1) collections management; 2) research; 3)  teaching classes and providing access to works on paper not on view.  The classes are for a diverse audience. Often college students are studying art history or art making, but I also welcome history students, English students, members of the printmaking community, and librarians. People come from far and wide. I recently hosted a group from The Minnesota School for the Deaf. I was so impressed by their visual acuity. I invite guides to bring their groups into the print room by appointment. Just ask me! Every day is a surprise. Early in my time here I received a call from a man who wanted to visit the Print Room on his birthday; he wanted to view Standing Girl by Egon Schiele (now on view in the Timber exhibition). I was thrilled to accommodate his birthday wish. I appreciate the opportunity to witness these kinds of powerful moments, when a person connects directly with a work of art.

Can you describe the process you and Galina Olmsted pursued as the two of you developed the Gatsby exhibit? Developing exhibitions is not usually part of my job. That responsibility belongs to the curators, who are wonderful and so generous with their knowledge.

Previously I had worked with The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, and I was aware that they were organizing a yearlong celebration of the centennial publication of The Great Gatsby in 2025.  Mia has an incredible collection of works on paper from the 1920s, some that are rarely seen. We thought this exhibition would be a great opportunity to partner with them and celebrate our local author, F. Scott Fitzgerld; encourage viewers to think about the conversation between the visual and literary arts; and hopefully reflect on the meaning of art in all its forms in our lives. Galina Olmsted agreed to work with me on this, for which I am so grateful. Her deep knowledge and excellent eye are just what was needed; also, she has a great sense of humor.

You’ve now been at Mia for about four months. What has the experience been like so far? I’m part of the Art of the Americas department. Eventually there will also be a curator of Native American art, but for now I’m broadly responsible for U.S. art up to 1970, with a particular focus on painting. A lot of my time so far has been getting to know the collection and reflecting on how it’s displayed. It’s challenging because it’s dispersed—you have Latin American art here, some American art there—so it’s hard to find a cohesive through line.

The exciting part is thinking about what the future of American art at Mia will look like, especially in dialogue with other collections. That could mean transnational connections of American artists working in France, American designers drawing inspiration from Japanese aesthetics, or approaching American art through a hemispheric lens that encompasses all of the Americas, not just the United States.

How do you see Mia guides as part of your work? I have been so impressed with the depth of knowledge and the enthusiasm of Mia guides. Already I have collaborated with guides regarding pieces in our collection relevant to book tours. I want them to feel welcome to visit the Print Study. Guides can email or knock on my door with requests or questions. I am glad to help!

What other projects have you worked on so far and what other projects are on the horizon? 2027 will be the 500-year anniversary of the birth of Abraham Ortelius, a cartographer from Antwerp who is credited with creating the first modern atlas. In collaboration with the Newbery Library, the Plantin-Moretus Museum in Antwerp , and the James Ford Bell Library, Mia will be presenting a small exhibit in Gallery 344.  Also, every month I write a feature called Print Study Picks, which can be found on our website at The Hub:  https://new.artsmia.org/hub/collection-exhibitions