When Ocean Beach resident Nancy Owens Renner walks along Sunset Cliffs she is in awe of her natural surroundings.
“We have rock created during the time of dinosaurs, and then an icing on that cake of rock that was created during the ice ages,” Owens Renner said.
During her walks on the beach, Owens Renner connects with nature, a connection that mirrors her work as an exhibit developer for Fossil Mysteries, a new permanent exhibit at the San Diego Natural History Museum.
“Fossil Mysteries is [the museum’s] expression of honoring this place and sharing the rich history of this place so that we might better understand and appreciate what we live with today,” she said.
At the museum, Owens Renner’s responsibilities augment that of a collaborative exhibit team made up of scientists and other experts. They strive to make the museum a place where people can see, learn and do. Her contribution to this goal is to create and perfect the aesthetic aspects of the exhibits.
“I’m the person who really tries to advocate for the learner ” in this case the museum visitor ” and understand what it takes to learn in a museum. The many learning styles and learning strategies available for this purpose make the process a challenge, as well as a very rewarding experience,” Owens Renner said.
She added that it is sometimes difficult for her exhibit team to collaborate in a way that meets the expectations of all of the different experts.
“Fortunately, everyone on our team is really committed to creating the best possible learning experience,” she said.
Owens Renner attributed the exhibit’s success to effective communication and flexibility in the team environment.
“Well, I can tell you that it is not a very compartmentalized process. It’s a really integrated, collaborative process,” she said.
Often, a particular component is not clearly defined within the domain of one expert, which leads to confusion over whether or not it is deisgn- or science-based.
“It is both many times,” Owens Renner said.
Actually, Owens Renner has both subjects in her background. As a Chicago native, she attended Northwestern University in Evaston, Ill., and began her studies in science. She invested several years of intensive study in science and mathematics before she began her art major. After graduation and some experience in the field, Owens Renner landed an internship at the San Diego Art Museum. This internship launched her into the world of art and design in San Diego, where she has been for seven years.
“[This was] a wonderful experience because museums are just loaded with interesting, intelligent people,” she said.
Owens Renner credits a mentor who helped her transition her career from graphic design into her current work with exhibit design. Her mentor, who Owens Renner referred to only as “Ellen,” provided her with the books, articles and access to organizations, as well as the necessary advice needed to effectively make the transition. Ellen now has a high level position at Hillwood Museum and Gardens in the District of Columbia and they remain in contact as friends and colleagues in the art world. It is partly through Ellen’s mentorship that Owens Renner said she believes she is in a position to mentor others and give back to the art community.
Before she began her exhibit work at the San Diego Natural History Museum, she took some time off of work to raise her two children and own/operate an art studio with her husband. Owens Renner recruited other artists to join her husband in showing his work.
Throughout her life, Owens Renner has spent a lot of her time outdoors, especially during her childhood. Her mother grew up on a farm, which she visited frequently during her youth.
“The connection with the farm and getting out into nature with my family were really formative experiences for me in terms of cultivating that love of nature,” she said.
In addition to her sheer love for nature, Owens Renner enjoys all of the supplementary learning that is available through the museum. Through the help of a fellow staff member’s Spanish classes, she speaks two languages and uses this skill to make the exhibits bilingual, which supports the museum’s mission to make the exhibits accessible to everyone in the southwestern region, including those who only speak Spanish.
Often she is called upon to do media spots on radio or television and give presentations for donors. These educational opportunities allow Owens Renner to further develop the writing, presenting and public relations skills that supplement her exhibit designs. She has also used her skills to publish on the power of bilingual communication.
Owens Renner’s general philosophy on life reflects her work as exhibit developer, mother, wife and Ocean Beach resident.
“In essence, I believe that it is our opportunity and our responsibility to create the kind of world that we want to live in,” she said. “And I want to live in a kind, compassionate, generous, forgiving world.”