Miranda Aisling

About Miranda Aisling

Miranda Aisling (ash-lean)’s mission is to reconnect art to daily life, a purpose you can see throughout her work as an interdisciplinary artist, community organizer, and entrepreneur. Since 2020, she has been applying her creativity and community organization as Head of Engagement & Education at the Cape Ann Museum. In 2013, she launched her book Don’t Make Art, Just Make Something which became the subject of a TEDx talk in March 2014. This message, that everyone makes something, is at the center of her work both as the founder of Miranda’s Hearth and as an artist and community organizer. Between 20••••17, Miranda grew from the Office Manager to the Director of Operations & Visual Arts at The Umbrella Community Arts Center in Concord, MA. She holds a B.A. in Studio Art from Mary Baldwin College’s Program for the Exceptionally Gifted and a M.ed. in Community Art from Lesley University. She has taught at the Museum of Fine Arts, The Umbrella Community Art Center, and The Staunton Augusta Art Center, among other places. While sharpening her skills as a community organizer, Miranda has also continued to focus on her own art and creativity. She is a committed oil painter whose pieces focus on process, experimentation, and play. Her brightly colored canvases are rich in detail and thick with layers. In addition to making abstract oil paintings and writing books, she is a potter and a singer-songwriter.

Experience

1. Head of Education & Engagement

   Cape Ann Museum

   Mar 2022 — Present · Gloucester, MA, US

   Designs a robust education and community engagement program that engages visitors of all ages across the Museum’s two campuses Manages and trains CAM Staff and volunteer docents to develop and offer tours for adults, seniors, and school age children Develops and oversees the implementation of new creative educational initiatives to engage K-12 students and teachers across all Cape Ann area public schools Builds authentic, cross-cultural relationships across wide cross sections of the community as a liaison for the Museum’s programmatic activities Implemented and leads the Museum’s growing Native Initiative and DEIA efforts Envisions, plans, and implements the Museum’s annual calendar of events reaching over 11,500 people through over 500 programs annually. Designs and manages multiple community exhibitions, installations, and public art projects annually across two campuses.

Education

• Mary Baldwin College

  Bachelor of Art, Studio Art

  2007 — 2011

• Lesley University

  Masters of Education, Community Art

  2011 — 2013