Erin Grady
Year Graduated:
2013
Archivist
Gap Inc.
Job description
I manage the marketing and business records for Gap Inc. and its portfolio of brands at their San Francisco-based archive, The Heritage Lab. The collection primarily features physical records and materials, digital assets, and unique store objects for Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Athleta. My favorite is the Banana Republic 17-foot fiberglass giraffe, Ziggy.
My job can best be described as a combination of Reference Archivist, Collections Manager, Digital Asset Manager, and Historian. I wear many hats daily and enjoy the variety this position offers me. Collectively, our brands represent over 140 years of American retail history, so I really do learn something new every day.
My primary goal as the Gap Inc. Archivist is making archival information accessible to business partners, whether it's merely sharing an image from a certain marketing campaign to building out a product history for a re-issue. The Heritage Lab strives to engage and inspire our company and brands.
Why did you choose this program?
I chose Humboldt State University as I liked the range of courses offered, from Antiquity to Contemporary, which was very exciting to me. During my time there I tried to take every course offered as I loved learning about each period, artist, style, and methodology.
HSU was a total change of scenery for me as well since I am from Southern California, and going from the desert to the redwoods was like crossing the country but without having to pay out-of-state tuition.
How did this program prepare you for your job?
Researching, attention to detail, and memorization: these are three core traits that every art history major has drilled into them, and I use them daily as the Gap Inc. Archivist. The training I received as part of my Art History degree prepared me well for being an Archivist, even though I had no idea at the time that was where life would lead me.
What did you enjoy most about the program?
The professors! Heather Madar and Julia Alderson are phenomenal educators, and being able to take their courses and learn from them was an absolute pleasure.
I also participated in the gallery scene with First Street Gallery, Reese Bullen Gallery, and Student Access Galleries, which then inspired me to seek my Masters in Museum Studies.
What would you say to prospective students who are thinking about applying to this program?
You get out of the program what you put into it. Take all the courses you can, participate in the clubs and activities, and try to visit all the local galleries and museums. If you become an art history major just to major in something, you won't get much out of it.
This program launched me in my career in the GLAM sector (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) and I couldn't be more thankful for having attended HSU. I put everything I had into this degree. I took every course that would fit on my schedule, worked at the local galleries, and ran the art history club, HAHA (Humboldt Art History Association). Each of these experiences has proved invaluable as I progressed in my career. The more you get involved, the more rewarding the outcome.
Other comments?
After graduating from HSU, I moved to Texas to pursue my Masters in Museum Studies at Baylor University. I interned as a Collections Assistant at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Art, and then as a Curatorial Assistant at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. I moved back to California in 2015 and found employment as a Furniture and Decorative Arts Assistant at an auction house. In 2017, I was hired by Gap Inc. to be their San Francisco based Archivist and have been with the company since.