There are areas within the art museum world where having expertise in
both is a distinct advantage.  Community art centers, for example,
require expertise in studio art, art history (if they have a gallery),
and business.  Sometimes you are in more demand for musuem teaching
positions if you have a studio background--they don't have to hire a
separate studio manager if the museum has a strong studio component.

Our Associate Director has a background in studio art (M.F.A.) and some
art history (a double B.A./B.F.A.), and is a working artist as well.  He
is extremely flexible in what he can handle, and within the world of art
centers can pretty much write his own ticket.

If flexibility is your goal, I recommend that you pursue a M.F.A. at a
graduate school that has both a strong university museum as well as a
decent gallery associated with the art department, and arrange your
non-studio time so that you hang around the museum a lot--internships,
work-study, and whatnot--and become involved with organizing shows at
the art department's gallery as well.  Frequently, universities need
people to bridge communications between these two entities--you could be
the one!!!

If you are looking for a specific recommendation for a place, you could
investigate the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign.  I don't
personally know anybody there, but I have worked with artists from there
and it seems that it's a place where you could pursue both of your
career ambitions.

Good luck!

Julia Muney Moore
Director of Exhibitions and Artist Services
Indianapolis Art Center

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