EXHIBITION DESIGN EXPERIENCE
Question, evolve, excite, interpret, develop, delight
‘… it requires skill and imagination to stage an exhibition this absorbing and dramatic. Throughout, the mis-en-scene is deftly designed, without ever feeling naff…’
Alastair Sooke, Art Critic, The Daily Telegraph
My name is Clare Flynn and I am the Creative Director of 3 Legged Duck. My 2D and 3D design experience in the arts, museums and heritage sector spans over nearly two decades. I am passionate about presenting stories and art past and present. I aspire to push boundaries in how we interpret and present the narratives and objects whilst remaining mindful of project limitations, function, building/health and safety regulations. The skill of storytelling in arts and heritage sites requires interpretation of content. I readily contribute to this area as curatorial content and design interpretation need to fuse to create a stimulating, intelligible display. I aim to knit content seamlessly by being unfussy and consistent. When there is opportunity, I will introduce a bold and dramatic approach to heighten the visitor experience thus increasing the desire to explore the space.
3 Legged Duck is also an interior design shop selling antiques, vintage and handmade. See our quirky stock online and in Rhayader Mid-Wales.
Special Exhibition, 2D and 3D design:
Last Supper in Pompeii, Ashmolean museum, 2019
Permanent galleries redevelopment, lead designer (2D and 3D):
Egypt Galleries, Ashmolean Museum, 2011/12
Permanent gallery redisplay, 2D and 3D design:
The Ashmolean Story, Ashmolean Museum, 2017
Special exhibition, 2D and 3D design:
Stradivarius, Ashmolean Museum, 2013
Special Exhibition, 2D and 3D design:
Francis Bacon/Henry Moore, Ashmolean Museum, 2013/14
Permanent Gallery Redisplay, 2D and 3D design:
Greece Gallery, Ashmolean museum, 2014
Special exhibition, 2D and 3D design:
Andy Warhol, Ashmolean Museum, 2016
Special Exhibition, 2D and 3D design:
Storms, War and Shipwrecks, Ashmolean Museum, 2016
Special Exhibition, 2D and 3D design:
America’s Cool Modernism, Ashmolean Museum, 2018
EXHIBITION DESIGN CV
2003–2004 Volunteer Graphic Designer/Exhibition Assistant, Hove Museum and Art Gallery
2004–2008 Exhibitions Officer/Designer, Southampton City Council Heritage Services
2008–2019 Senior Exhibition Designer (promoted in July 2018), Ashmolean Museum of Art & Archaeology, University of Oxford.
From July 2019 Creative Director (freelance), interpretive design solutions in museum spaces- exhibitions, permanent displays and public spaces.
Redevelopment Projects Lead designer unless otherwise stated
2008/9 Museum redevelopment (£60m+), Ashmolean Museum, in-house Exhibition Designer
2011 Egypt galleries redevelopment (£5m+), Ashmolean Museum
2014 Redisplay of permanent Music and Tapestry gallery, Ashmolean Museum
2014 Redisplay of permanent Greece gallery, Ashmolean Museum
2015 Redevelopment of Welcome Space, Ashmolean Museum
2017 Redisplay of permanent Ashmolean Story gallery, Ashmolean Museum, Finalist Best Permanent Exhibition, M&H Awards 2018
Special Exhibitions Lead designer
2010 Pre-Raphaelites and Italy, Ashmolean Museum
2013 Xu Bing, Ashmolean Museum
2013 Stradivarius, Ashmolean Museum
2013/14 Francis Bacon/Henry Moore, Ashmolean Museum
2014 Cezanne and the Modern, Ashmolean Museum
2014 Discovering Tutankhamun, Ashmolean Museum
2016 Andy Warhol, Ashmolean Museum
2016 Storms, War and Shipwrecks, Ashmolean Museum
2018 America’s Cool Modernism, Ashmolean Museum
2019 Last Supper in Pompeii, Ashmolean Museum
‘… it requires skill and imagination to stage an exhibition this absorbing and dramatic. Throughout, the mis-en-scene is deftly designed, without ever feeling naff …’ Alastair Sooke, Art Critic, The Daily Telegraph
2019 Wall Displays, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford
2019/20 Owning the Past, Ashmolean Museum
Public Speaking, Awards, Published and Exhibited Work
Jan 2006 Talk to the Friends of Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum, ‘BC: Southampton’s Prehistoric Past’ exhibition
Jan–March 2008 Special exhibition displaying own artwork
‘Etch-a-sketch’ based artwork. Salisbury Museum and Art Gallery, Wiltshire
May 2017 Finalist Best Permanent Exhibition, M&H Awards 2018, ‘The Ashmolean Story’ gallery
Jun 2018 Design blog for the University of Oxford
America’s Cool Modernism exhibition. Read blog here
Oct 2018 Training day for Further Education students, Ashmolean Museum Short talk on America’s Cool Modernism Exhibition
Feb/March 2020 Two hour long talks to museum professionals for South East Museums Development Programme (SEMDP)
‘Keeping It Simple- Practical Tips for Producing Displays In-house and on a Limited Budget and the Benefits of Working with a Designer’.
Testimonials (SEMDP Training Day)
‘I really enjoyed your talk about exhibition design and implementation’
‘I have had quite a few people say to me that they enjoyed your talk and your creative passion’
- Creating inclusive and engaging museum design solutions. Developing interpretive content and design elements. Endeavouring to question everything and create the unexpected
- Working with project limitations, function whilst adhering to building/health and safety regulations
- Compile and manage design costings including value engineering and demonstrating cost savings when required
- Planning and managing concurrent project tasks ensuring the design is produced within the set budget
- Dealing with the exhibition production process with project management and acting on issues to ensure deadlines are met
- Carrying out research of the exhibition subject matter and an in-depth understanding of object environmental needs and mounting requirements
- Working with Education professionals ensuring displays are relevant to local communities and the National Curriculum
- Dealing with the tendering, appointment and briefing of design and production services
- Dealing with production and delivery of in-house and external design. Overseeing the quality of work and scheduling of contractors and freelancers- architects, build contractors, 2D and 3D designers and other specialist services bespoke to a project
- Working with a wide range of staffing resources and working closely with a variety of consultants and curators/artists/academics
- Producing scheme designs to presentation standard and creating detailed plans and technical drawings for build
- Knowledge of build structures. Sourcing appropriate finishes and materials.
- Expert in typography, graphic layouts, printing techniques and large format image production
- Understanding effective branding and the importance of consistent messaging
- Monitoring the production process. Supervising the installation of designs
- An influential and skilled communicator- able to communicate with both non-specialists and specialists in design and interpretation related topics
- Supplying information in a concise, coherent and organised manner. Presenting to executive team level in a board room environment
- Carrying out design review, documenting and sharing results and applying outcomes
- Fluent with Vectorworks 2D environment. Experience with Vectorworks 3D
- Competent with SketchUp
- Fluent with Indesign, Photoshop and Illustrator
- Conversant with Microsoft Office Suite
