Corcoran School of the Arts + Design, Columbian College of Arts & Sciences GWU

Moore College of Art and Design

Exhibit Designer

Tasks include:
• Creating design concepts that support the exhibition’s big idea and main themes in every manner, reflecting the goals and messages developed by content experts
• Employing a wide variety of spatial communication tools including visual research, sketching, hand drawings, composite renderings, and computer white/photo-realistic modeling
• Developing exhibition design concepts and vocabularies offering multi-layered experiences using informational and visual hierarchies appealing to a wide spectrum of demographics, learning styles, and personal motivations to make content accessible to diverse audiences
• Creating space planning diagrams identifying locations of macro objects, media and interactive elements, and key interpretive experiences
• Coordinating with the graphic design consultant to develop stylistically varied design concepts, materials research, finishes specifications, as well as color and texture palettes
• Preparing design drawings using accepted architectural and engineering drafting standards rooted in thorough understanding of fabrication techniques and materials properties

Smithsonian Exhibits

Acquired working knowledge of the mountmaking process and the requirements for artifact conservation under the mentorship of Exhibition Specialist and Mountmaker Shelly Uhlir. Organized and re-shelved exhibition mounts for storage and reuse, implementing proper sorting procedures and tagging methods, and organizing the relevant documentation. Assisted in the finish work (padding and painting) on mounts for the exhibition "Unbound: Narrative Art of the Plains" at NMAI's George Gustav Heye Center in New York. Attended meetings with NMAI conservation, collections and curatorial staff to discuss object handling, materials testing, treatment approaches and object placement decisions for exhibitions at the Mall or GGHC museum during Spring 2016.

Smithsonian Institution National Museum of the American Indian

Cultural Interpreters Unit Mountmaking Intern

Assisted the Exhibition Design Department on projects in varying stages of completion, from concept development to exhibition installation. Collaborated on iterative designs for the unit’s new logo, brand identity, and developed the final design solution for the main entry wall. Created inspiration boards, hand sketches, and composite renderings of interactive concepts for schematic design proposals for the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibit Services (SITES). Drafted design and construction documents for an object case modification at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Gained experience and a better appreciation for the role of the practitioner, bringing balance to the theory and academic perspectives of graduate student course work.

Smithsonian Exhibits (formerly known as the Office of Exhibits Central)

Design Unit Intern

Fabricated custom metal flagpole bands for the exhibit "Nation to Nation: Treaties Between the United States and American Indian Nations"​ (September 21, 2014–Fall 2018)
Assisted with production and installation for the exhibition "The Great Inka Road: Engineering and Empire" (June 26, 2015–June 1, 2018)

Freelance Exhibit Production Specialist

Performed vendor research, drafted requests for proposals and scope of work descriptions, and updated curatorial image database for the exhibition Unraveling Identity: Our Textiles, Our Stories.

The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum

Exhibition Coordinator Intern

Produced detailed metalwork for museum installations, exhibitions, and immersive environments.  Projects included the Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush Presidential Libraries in Texas, the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York, and the National Postal Museum and the Saint John Paul II Shrine in Washington, DC.

Design and Production, Inc.

Exhibit Fabricator (Metal Shop)

Designed, produced, and installed custom architectural and sculptural projects, including a series of tree guards for Palumbo Community Park in SE Philadelphia commissioned by the Fleisher Art Memorial.  Managed business development, marketing, hiring subcontractors, client relations and accounts.

Elena Saxton Sculpture & Metalwork

Artist

Created sculptures and dioramas for museum, performance, commercial and trade show settings, including large scale tree sculptures for Cross Iron Mills Mall in Alberta, Canada.  Supervised the proper preparation, production, and installation of structural and sculptural work.

Quinlan Scenic Studios

Welder & Sculptor

Restored architectural ironwork for award-winning Philadelphia based projects, including the Rodin Museum entrance and the Samuel Yellin entry gate to Rittenhouse Plaza Apartments.

Vintage Metalwork, Inc.

Assistant Conservator

Assisted in the restoration of the original Adamesque decorative plaster ceiling of The Solitude House at the Philadelphia Zoo.

Elena A. Saxton