About Us
Our Mission
To engage, educate and unify groups through facilitated arts experiences that inspire joy and foster critical and creative thinking, as well as an appreciation for our shared humanity.
Our Approach
Rooted in Visual Thinking Strategies, our teaching prioritizes and honors the interpretations of group members. We foster dynamic discussions by asking the right questions and linking ideas. Finally, we add fun facts and a little academic rigor to the conversation. The result? An arts experience that is engaging and rewarding for all participants. Our talks break down elitist stereotypes of the art world through an informal tone, a slight irreverence and lots of laughter.
The Benefits of Talking About Art
Arts experiences correlate to good health, satisfaction with life, low anxiety and low depression in both men and women. Additionally, viewing artwork, particularly work that one finds beautiful, causes a person to experience joys similar to falling in love.
Talking about art is a workout for the brain and nourishment for the soul.
Jane Oneail, Founder & President
Click here for Jane's brief bio for introductions.
Jane was leading tours at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston when she first began to appreciate the special magic that happens when people look at art together and share their genuine reactions and questions.
"Talking about art requires bravery - you're inherently vulnerable when you share your perspective. There is joy in seeing things in a new way - and in simply shifting gears to appreciate the beauty and poetry of everyday life."
Jane holds a master’s in Art History from Boston University and a master’s in Education from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. She was born and raised in NH and has worked at some of the state’s most esteemed cultural institutions, including the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, where she served as Executive Director, and the Currier Museum of Art, where she held the role of Senior Educator. Jane founded the Currier’s Alzheimer’s Cafe and led the tour program for the museum and the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Zimmerman House. She has taught Art History at the college level for more than a decade, most recently at Southern New Hampshire University.
Click here for Jane's full resume.
Megan McIntyre, Creative Partner
Megan discovered the magic of art as a child and some her fondest memories are of visiting museums with her mother. In college, Megan studied art and served as a gallery guide at the Smith College Museum of Art, where she fell in love with sharing art with others, especially those new to the museum setting. The experience would fuel a career in museum education and her passion for sharing art with people of all ages and backgrounds.
Megan holds a master’s in Museum Studies from Harvard University. She has worked in museum education at the Wichita Museum of Art and was the Manager of Tours and Volunteers at the Currier Museum of Art. In that role, Megan worked with students, adult learners and visiting groups from across the country. In addition to her love of art, Megan has interest in historic preservation and a serious passion for fashion.
Alexis Nelson, Teaching Specialist
Alexis was introduced to art and its ability to deepen one’s understanding of the past when her
elementary school art teacher shared Monet’s haystacks and Renoir’s garden parties as studies in light to serve as inspiration for the assignment with pastels. She loved seeing those same artworks on the walls at museums and was hooked: in high school, she continued to study Art History in Rome and then in Siena during college. While living in New York City, she volunteered in the Guggenheim Museum’s Reading Room and loved speaking with visitors about Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic spiral structure.
Alexis holds a master’s in Education from New England College and a bachelor’s degree in Art History from Occidental College in Los Angeles. She served as the Tour Programs Administrator at the Currier Museum of Art, facilitating experiences for students groups ranging from kindergarten to college. She has taught in private and public schools since 2008 and was awarded a UVM Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award in 2018 for her work with high school students in Vermont.
Susanne Larkham, Educator and Artist Demonstrator
Susanne hails from the Midwest where she studied Art at Taylor University. In 2013, she trained to become a docent at the Currier Museum of Art with Jane Oneail, reigniting a passion for the arts in her life. She has led tours at the museum since, frequently volunteering to support the museum's Memory Cafe program. Susanne has also become a juried member of the Pastel Society of America, exhibiting throughout New England and beyond. Susanne leads in-person art appreciation programs for audiences of all ages, specializing in senior groups. She also presents engaging artist demonstrations on pastels, creating beautiful works of art while explaining her artistic process and sharing stories.