From Colby to Farnsworth: An alumna’s journey to redefining American art
From campus galleries to coastal museums, Francesca Soriano ’16 has shaped her path to curating to highlight overlooked artists
In May 2024, Francesca Soriano ’16 became associate curator of American art for the Farnsworth. Pictured is the opening of her first exhibition in Rockland. (Photo courtesy of Rafael Baeza)
By Katherine Morrison
Nestled in the heart of Rockland, the Farnsworth Art Museum is a landmark for art lovers drawn to the small coastal Maine community.
The museum celebrates Maine’s influence on American art and highlights three generations of the Wyeth art family, whose connection to the region is iconic and cherished. In recent years, Colby has established a relationship with the Wyeth legacy through its stewardship of the Island Campus, which includes two islands formerly owned by the Wyeths.
In May 2024, Francesca Soriano ’16 became associate curator of American art for the Farnsworth. Preparing her for the job at the Farnsworth, Soriano had experience working in a museum that featured the Wyeth family, thanks to her experience as a curatorial intern at the Colby College Museum of Art during her sophomore year.
“It was such an exciting time to be there,” Soriano recalled. “I had unparalleled behind-the-scenes access to the museum’s collection and operations, which gave me an incredible introduction to the art world.”
The experience ignited her passion for American art, and it was in her junior year that she realized curating could be her future. A seminar led by Tanya Sheehan, the Ellerton M. and Edith K. Jette Professor of Art, where students curated their own exhibition from Colby’s collection, proved transformative.
During her seminar, Soriano did a little of everything, including selecting artworks for exhibitions, writing labels, and contributing to the exhibition catalog. The hands-on experience solidified her interest in pursuing curatorial work as a career, she said.
Soriano enjoyed taking art history courses in the museum, which allowed her to engage directly with art. She made connections in real time as she studied the objects firsthand, deepening her understanding. Intimate experiences in the classroom and museum set Colby apart by offering students the unique opportunity to engage directly with original artworks, fostering an unparalleled learning experience.
Building expertise
After graduating, Soriano spent a year as a curatorial intern at the Dallas Museum of Art, where she contributed to the groundbreaking exhibition on Ida O’Keeffe, a lesser-known sister of Georgia O’Keeffe.
“It came with challenges—we had to dig deep into the archives and get creative with resources,” she said. “It taught me the importance of research and the power of bringing hidden stories to light.”
After her internship in Dallas, she returned to New York City, where she grew up, and worked at Di Donna Galleries. All the while, she actively applied to graduate school.
She earned admission to Boston University, where she pursued a dual M.A. and Ph.D. in 19th- and 20th-century American art. During her six years in Boston, she balanced academic work with internships at the Museum of Fine Arts and the Peabody Essex Museum.
Soriano concluded with a dissertation about the art and visual cultures related to the North American bird market in the 19th century. Her project explored the impact of the bird trade and artists’ role in the avian market.
Returning to Maine
After completing her dissertation, Soriano returned to Maine to join the Farnsworth. Her first major project, the exhibition Capturing Her Environment: Women Artists, 1870-1930, opened in January and will be on view through July 2025. The exhibition celebrates nine Maine women artists from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Recognition for previously dismissed or overshadowed artists is featured in the exhibition, primarily from Farnsworth’s permanent collection.
“I wanted my first exhibition to be about new perspectives, and this was a fun opportunity to hunt around in storage and our databases to feature female artists who haven’t had as much time on the wall,” said Soriano.
The exhibition includes works by artists once considered “hobby painters” who created stunning landscapes, miniatures, still lifes, and botanical illustrations.
Returning to Maine is a full-circle moment for Soriano. “The experiences I had at Colby shaped where I ended up today,” she said. “I didn’t know at the time what my path would look like, and there were times I thought I would not be a curator. But having all the resources at my fingertips initiated the passion for my career.”
As an early-career curator, Soriano is excited about her future at the Farnsworth and the broader art world. She’s eager to explore partnerships, elevate new voices, and find new ways to interpret the permanent collection. “For being at the beginning of my career, it’s exciting to have the opportunity at a small museum to observe a variety of different projects and go through new experiences.”
Soriano is living her dream of curating, which blends her love of research, storytelling, and community engagement.
“Art has the incredible ability to inspire and connect people,” she said. “I cherish being able to share different ways of telling a story so the audience can learn something new or just enjoy being around works of art.”