Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Patricia Tomlinson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Patricia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.
I was a professional art historian and art museum curator when I was invited to take part in a one-day seminar on integrating veterans’ programming into a museum setting, taught by Jill Sonke of Arts in Health at the University of Florida. I was inspired by the ideas and the Arts in Health discipline, and immediately began integrating arts interventions into my museum work. In addition, I kept reading all I could on the discipline in general. Fast forward a few years, and I left the museum world for my current position as Executive Director of Arts in Health Ocala Metro. It’s amazing because so many doors have opened for me in Arts in Health – I was invited to present at a conference in Greece in 2024, and this year I’ve been accepted to a research intensive partnership with University College London’s Social Biobehavioral Research Group and the Jameel Arts & Health Lab, And it all began with Jill’s introduction to the Arts in Health discipline!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My professional route is a bit of a winding road! I went to Uni for and began as a professional archaeologist, and after 13 years, segued into the museum world, then to a career in Arts in Health. So my degrees are in Anthropology, Art History and Museum Studies. The organization I work for is three years old and it was a “trust the process” thing. I am the original ED, and had never helped create a nonprofit from the ground up. I’d worked in nonprofits virtually my entire adult life, but starting one was a whole new experience. Needless to say, I’ve learned a TON. Arts in Health Ocala Metro is a nonprofit that supports mental and physical health through the arts – we have visual artists, musicians, dancers, and literary artists in our cohort. I like to joke that working with artists is not like herding cats – that I’ve got – it’s like herding chipmunks!
Have you ever had to pivot?
I feel like my entire life has been a giant pivot! There are times it’s been hard, but everything I’ve done has led to the knowledge base I have both personally and professionally. For example, I know ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, but I can also tell you what parts of the brain are stimulated by visual artmaking. I can speak at length about famous artists and their influence(s), but also extend those correlations into mathematics. It is the sum of all of us that makes the whole.
At AIHOM, we pivot constantly. For example, if the neurodivergent child you’re working with doesn’t respond to a specific type of art, then you find the one that does. This not only includes the artists, but the scheduler, programming ideas, those I meet with to form collaborations as E.D. – the whole thing. Flexibility is key.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Sometimes, not saying anything is the best route. I am naturally sarcastic, but in a jokey way, and that often doesn’t play well in the southern US. I also don’t suffer fools gladly, but there are many, many times in life that you need to simply smile and deal with it. Mind you, I am not advocating passivity, but especially with women, people often expect sweetness, and if that’s not your natural demeanor, you “fake it till you make it” in order to get things done. There are several times in my past when my acid wit and directness came out, and it was a major “whoops, shouldn’t have said that” moment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://aihocala.org/
- Instagram: aihocala
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/aihocala
- Linkedin: aihocala
- Youtube: artsinhealthocalametro
Image Credits
Olana Stroub, Jenny Eggers, AIHOM