One might think that an artist would crow about having her work accepted by the Smithsonian.
Not Margaret Strickland.
The Smithsonian has acquired four of Strickland’s photographs, but she has mostly remained mum about the honor.
In a recent phone interview, the former Valdosta resident says she was “floored” to have four pieces at the Smithsonian. Strickland remains quiet because she’s still an art student. She’s not sure how her instructors and fellow students would feel about it.
Her work was accepted while still attending the University of Georgia where she graduated this past spring with a bachelor of fine arts in photography and a minor in graphic design. She is now enrolled in a three-year photography program at Columbia College in Chicago.
She makes no secret of the honor but it’s not something she brings up in conversation. Her fiancé, Morgan Moye, however, tells everyone, Strickland says.
“Having works in the Smithsonian can work to my advantage in a good way,” she says, “but it can also lead you to ask, what now? I want to prove I’m not just a one-hit wonder.”
The daughter of Allan and Kim Strickland, Margaret graduated Valdosta High School. She has two sisters, Beth Downs and Caroline Strickland.
Margaret has always been interested in art, painting and drawing throughout her life. She didn’t become interested in photography until her sophomore year at UGA. She quickly developed a passion and an eye for photography.
While at UGA, she was awarded the Vince Dooley Design Scholarship, and a Cortona Studies Abroad Scholarship. In addition, her works have been added to the permanent collection of the Department of Photography at the Lamar Dodd School of Art.
In the last three years, Strickland’s work has been included in more than 15 exhibitions nationwide. Most recently, her works were included in a juried exhibition, “Emerging Visions 2009,” hosted by the Atlanta Photography Group, and one of her images was chosen as the promotional image for the event.
A couple of years ago, while attending a Denver, Colo., photography conference, Strickland registered her photography portfolio for review. She had traveled cross-country in a mini-van. She had brought the portfolio but hadn’t planned to enter it. At the last minute, she changed her mind and entered the review.
Her photos caught the eye of Toby Jurovics, curator of photography at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Jurovics told her to e-mail him some of her images. Returning to UGA, she sent him several images.
Later, during a trip to Washington, D.C., she contacted him, hoping to ask him questions about graduate school.
“We were wrapping the meeting up and he asked me, How would you feel if the museum bought two of your images and you donated two to the collection,” Strickland recalls.
She accepted the offer.
While part of the permanent collection, Strickland’s works will not be on public display until a planned 2011 exhibit of artist photographs of their families.
As for Margaret Strickland, she will continue studying, preparing for a planned career as an art professor.
“Ultimately, I always want to create art,” she says. “As an art professor, you can stay in a community of artists, other faculty and students, working and inspiring each other.”
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