I moved to Chicago…in 1981…and got a job at the Field Museum [Of Natural History]. I was in Exhibit Production, and it was the 80s. The 80s was a little different…We had a little more freedom, and we knew how to use it…Michael Spock [came] there to change the museum from its old ways to a more accessible, interactive museum… when it was time for me to leave, my husband at the time got commissioned to do some paintings at the Denver Museum of Natural History. So, I resigned, and…they threw a big party. As a departing gift, my creative colleagues –you all know from looking at the back of this what it is, right? Statue of the Virgin Mary with a slot, she’s a bank, from a savings account, but look at her face. So, 1993 –it’s a few years ago, but when I was 30 something years old, this looked very like me. And the woman who was in charge of the replica shop…saw this in a thrift store, and she said “Oh my God, it’s Tamara!” So she put the little wig and glasses on, and then everybody signed it for me. And they actually filled it with coins so we could make it to Denver…

This belongs in the Museum of Museum People

Exhibited by Tamara Biggs

Transcript edited by Eric Bartholomew