Key Players: Tim Watkins and Carol May

Tim Watkins and Carol May of May & Watkins Design, LLC were contacted by Krista Schlosser two and half years ago about the possibility of getting involved in the development and design of the exhibits for the Creative Kids Museum. It was Krista Schlosser's energy and commitment to the project that made them believe in Calgary's Creative Kids Museum. Although they are based in New York City, Tim and Carol have strong ties to Calgary. Tim studied Art Education at the University of Calgary and went on to graduate from the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD).

Carol and Tim are both artists with backgrounds in teaching. Their major works are interactive and interpretive exhibits for children's museums, artwork for public institutions and interpretive installations at art and other museums. Their work has also been exhibited in galleries across North America, including a permanent exhibit at Calgary's Glenbow Museum.

Before May & Watkins Design, LLC was established, Tim worked as a technician and an exhibit designer for the Children's Museum of Manhattan, where he 'cut his teeth' with interactive exhibits for kids. Carol's career began as an artist / educator. At the age of 22 she was already an instructor at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. By the time she was 26, Carol was the Head of the Art Department at Harriman College. She left teaching at 29 to become a full time painter and designer. Carol went on to work at Knoll International, and then at Doubleday where she was the Art Director of the Publicity Department.

With the Creative Kids Museum being a place for exploration and discovery through the arts, Carol and Tim are excited that kids can experiment without pressures of getting the right answer or being good or bad at something. “The Creative Kids Museum will be a unique space - and not only for Calgary; there is no other institution of this scale dedicated to the arts in North America.”

Carol and Tim believe the Creative Kids Museum is vital to Calgary because “Calgary is a city of oil, commerce and sports, but it is ripe to become a major art centre.” They are passionate about being involved in brining an arts based facility to life because “our society puts so little importance on the arts, but our world would be a very dreary place without them.”

For more information about May & Watkins Design, visit: www.maywatkinsdesign.com.

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