Meet a Suiter: Stan Parchin our "Renaissance" man and Feature Writer for Art Galleries and Museums

Posted by Marci Hotsenpiller Mar 31, 2009

When I want to visit the medieval past or take a stroll through a New York museum, I simply look for the latest article by Stan Parchin, our Art Galleries/Museums Feature Writer here at Suite101.com.

Stan is a true renaissance writer who happens to live in modern-day New York. The last time we spoke via e-mail, he mentioned he was helping to curate an exhibition on the Dutch Royal House of Orange. And next month, he's delivering two illustrated lectures on the definition of the word "masterpiece" and Leonardo da Vinci's Europe.

I shouldn’t be surprised! Stan has worked in various departments at the world-renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art, among them Educational Marketing and the Program for Art on Film, a joint venture with the J. Paul Getty Trust. As a writer, he was the Assistant Editor of The Village Press, The Village Moneysaver and Regis Alumni News and previously was the Contributing Editor and Senior Correspondent for Museums and Special Exhibitions for Art History at About.com of The New York Times Company. His specialties include Egypt's Old and New Kingdoms; the Italian and Northern Renaissances; Church history; and witchcraft, heresy and social dissent in late medieval and early modern Europe.

I recently spoke with Stan about his latest projects and asked for his perspective on how writing for Suite101 compares to writing for other online sites:

MH: Hi Stan, how are things in your world these days? What are you working on?

SP: I’m pretty excited about being contacted by a production company that's developing a documentary on Leonardo da Vinci for cable television. I'm still in shock! I'm happy to say they found me through my feature articles and blogs on Suite101.com. It's interesting to see who reads what you publish online.

MH: What are the most important things that experienced web writers look for when considering whether to write for a site or not? SP: The ability to write across disciplines; clear and easy-to-follow guidelines and style book/manuals; and positive and supportive interaction with editors, administrative staff, fellow writers and technical support staff.

MH: You've written for About.com and currently write for Suite. What are the main differences?

SP: The writer's ability to contribute to different categories is a stand-out feature of Suite101.com. My editor at Suite, Sarah B. Hood, interacts with me regularly and provides helpful suggestions. The sense of collegiality at Suite101 is remarkable. When I suggest a change or improvement to the site, it is seriously considered and usually implemented.

MH: What is your experience when you tell people you write for Suite101.com?

SP: When I tell people I am a Feature Writer at Suite101.com, they visit the site and then send me their reactions. All like what's offered, especially the variety of categories and subcategories. They find Suite101.com's pages very easy to read. The museums I deal with are all very pleased with the coverage they get at Suite101.com. That's due in large part to our experienced writers stationed all over the world. They're a great group with very diverse interests.

(I have to add too, that the Editor's Choice Awards that Suite editors use to recognize writers for excellence are an invaluable incentive. My award-winning articles are always pointed out to me by museum professionals when I'm in the field.)

MH: How is the weather in New York today? Has Spring arrived yet? (It’s grey here in Vancouver…)