Museum leader, educator and ethicist Andrew Westover’s 11 good things

In this series, ArtsATL asks a member of the Atlanta arts community to share 11 things on their mind. We hope you enjoy getting to know these people better.

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Andrew Westover moved to Atlanta four years ago to join the High Museum of Art’s senior leadership team. Born and raised in the South, he spent nearly two decades living, learning and working across the country and abroad. Now, with a few graduate degrees and five museum posts under his belt, Westover is deeply invested in both the global art museum ecosystem and Atlanta’s creative communities. 

Here, in no particular order, are Westover’s 11 Good Things. 

1. Travel. It’s a joy to experience art and nature outside of the day-to-day. From Georgia favorites Pasaquan and Paradise Garden to spots further afield like Storm King Art Center, Inhotim and Naoshima, these places both ground and uplift.
2. High Museum of Art. Whether it’s the full party of Friday Jazz, mindfulness at Oasis, family fun during UPS Second Sunday or a solo weekday art stroll, Atlanta’s largest art museum really does have something for everyone.
3. Black, white and gray. Nearly two decades ago, I decided to wear these colors exclusively. The boundaries clarify and still bring me joy.
4. Morning workouts. Rolling out of bed and into the gym keeps me on track.
5. The outdoors. I started cycling in earnest last year, and trails like the Silver Comet have become a weekend sanctuary. Other nearby spots I cherish are the Cathedral of St. Philip’s outdoor labyrinth and Piedmont Park’s looping trails.
6. Spoken language. I love sharp conversation. In public or private, when someone uses language well, it’s a delight to think aloud together. 
7. Atlanta’s best. Larakin for coffee/wine (and patio vibes); Pisces for DJs and dancing; So So Fed for Laotian spice; Gigi’s for Italian with irony and soul; GULCH magazine’s calendar for ATL art events; Antidote for garments of dreams.
8. Dappled light. In moments when light is cast through branches or in shafts of fog or smoke, the boundaries between known and unknown feel more present.
9. The Welcome Table. This candle-lit, live jazz service on Sunday eve at All Saints Episcopal is a weekly touchstone (and the meal afterward is a second communion). 
10. Deleting Instagram from my phone. A New Year’s resolution that may be the best decision I’ve made all year.
11. Songs that transcend. Eric Whitacre’s setting of e.e. cummings “i thank You God for most this amazing day”; Pasquale’s “Horizon”; and The Flamingos’ “I Only Have Eyes for You.”