Vendelin assists La Salle's hidden treasure: the art museum

By Janine Stevens
Collegian Staff
March 28, 2007

“Highly intelligent,” “very organized” and “a thinker,” were among the many phrases used to describe Carmen Vendelin, Assistant Curator of Art at the La Salle Art Museum and professor of ART 210: Women and Art. Vendelin has a strong interest in women’s place in art, both as artists and as subjects being depicted.

Vendelin, a Boise, Idaho native who started at La Salle in April 2006, brought with her years of experience. She taught Art History at SAIC, Rutgers and Rider University.

The national art magazine, New Art Examiner, in Chicago also hired Vendelin as an editorial intern.

Later, she worked in the archives of the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries at the Art Institute of Chicago. She also held a position as a Research Associate at the Newark Museum and was an Assistant Exhibitions Curator at the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum.

In an effort to learn everything she could about her passion for art, Vendelin obtained multiple degrees. Her bachelor’s degree in art history came from the University of Washington, which was followed by her master’s degree in modern art history, criticism and theory from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Finally, Vendelin earned her ABD (“All But Dissertation” status on a doctoral degree) in art history from Rutgers.

In La Salle’s Art Museum, Vendelin is good at “streamlining” things, according to Museum Assistant Mary Morrow-Farrell.

“She is careful to make sure people understand each other and their place in the process,” Morrow-Farrell said. “She breaks things down and really helps to make my job easier.”

Vendelin’s favorite aspect of the Art Museum is the collection.

“We have a great collection and right now we are working to expand our audience,” she said. “We want people to know we are here and to come and see the collection in person.”

“We have special exhibitions about every three months. There are artworks on view that you haven’t seen yet,” Vendelin said. “I hope that this week will give people an opportunity to become more aware of the arts in general and the arts at La Salle in particular. If anyone has never been to the museum or has not visited recently, Arts Awareness Week is the perfect opportunity.

The exhibition features artwork by students, staff and faculty. The artists are affiliated with a range of departments and represent all of La Salle.”

“She really engages people during tours,” Morrow-Farrell said. “She gets them to think about art in terms other than ‘Oh, that’s pretty.’”

From her creative ideas for fund-raising, to her eye for detail in written materials, Vendelin is an integral part to La Salle’s hidden gem in the basement of Olney, the Art Museum.

stevens1@lasalle.edu