Jasmine Lezema, an art history major and museum intern at the Janet Turner Print Museum, has organized a peer-led exhibition tour titled "Through an Art Historian’s Lens," scheduled for Wednesday from 5 to 5:30 p.m. The tour focuses on printmaking at Chico State and encourages students to engage deeply with artworks. Lezema selected three pieces from the current exhibition that personally resonated with her, drawing on her art history training to interpret symbolism, materials, and context. The museum’s director, Rachel Skowoski, and education assistant, Dylan Charlton, emphasize that student interns are empowered to shape programming around their interests, making this tour a product of that philosophy.
This initiative matters because it positions students not merely as learners but as active interpreters and educators within the museum space, fostering a more inclusive and accessible art scene in Northern California. By giving students the authority to lead tours and shape narratives, the Janet Turner Print Museum models a collaborative approach to art education that can inspire other institutions. The tour also highlights the museum’s broader mission to expand access to printmaking and to help young audiences see art as a potential professional pathway, addressing a gap in early career exposure.