John and Mary Pappajohn Director Dr. Kelly Baum stands in front of Carl Milles’ Man and Pegasus in the Bookey Family Courtyard at the Des Moines Art Center.
Q: What do you love about your career?
A: There are two things I love most about my career: working directly with artists, especially when I’m helping them realize brilliant ideas, and engaging with members of the public about art and culture. The exchange of ideas is exhilarating, and I enjoy learning from and alongside others.
Q: What are some guiding principles you’ve used in your career?
A: I’ve always held myself to high ethical and intellectual standards. Operating with integrity and rigor is key to my professional identity. I’m also deeply committed to collaboration; great ideas emerge from thoughtful discussions with others. Finally, I take seriously my responsibility to my colleagues, to artists and the public.
Q: Who inspires you?
A: I’m inspired by artists and writers like Wangechi Mutu. Wangechi’s unwavering commitment to art, women, justice, and community is a model for me. I admire her skill at finding beauty amid pain and her ability to think critically about the world while remaining optimistic about the future.
Q: What’s the weirdest job you’ve ever had?
A: The summer after my last year of high school in 1989, I worked as a guide on the Alaska Railroad in Anchorage. I introduced tourists to the wonders seen from the train- from glaciers and salmon runs to Dall sheep and beluga whales in Cook Inlet.
4700 Grand Ave | Des Moines, IA 50312 (515) 277- 4405 | desmoinesartcenter.org
