Wex Story: Danielle Poling

As we reflect on celebrating our 25th anniversary this year, we recognize that we wouldn't have made it here without the support of our members and patrons (that's you!). We’ve been asking people to share their Wex stories—what they were up to 25 years ago, their favorite Wexner Center moments, how the center has impacted them, what they see as the center's role in the community—and the responses have been rolling in.

Do you have a Wexner Center story? Share it here, and you just might see it featured here on our blog or in our print publications.

When I was an undergraduate student at OSU, I worked at the front desk of the Wexner Center. I wanted to learn more about contemporary artists, with the hope of someday calling myself an artist (which is now true). One day, I was working and internationally acclaimed artist, Ernesto Neto, was downstairs, putting the finishing touches on his gorgeous installation. He came up the stairs, with a giant smile, and gave me a thumbs-up. Then he walked out the door, and left for the day. For me, it was a transformative moment. He was a real person, and was visibly excited to see his work come to life after the long journey from Brazil. I was not learning about him from an art history class or seeing images of his work in a book. I could see his work for myself and he was right in front of me. You could feel that he was thrilled and proud of his work. It made me realize that so much of success is believing in yourself, being excited about good ideas, and doing the work to make your dreams happen. That interaction inspired me to work on my own art, and to listen to my own desire to be an artist.