Palm Springs Art Museum’s Irene N. Rodríguez

I’d Like to Be a Gray Horned Owl. Or Just Less Appropriate.

Irene N. Rodríguez is director of education at the Palm Springs Art Museum. Before participating in a discussion of why arts and music festivals matter, she talked about the Girl Scout badge she’d most like to earn, the desert animal she’d like to be, and her biggest pet peeve in the Zócalo green room.

Q:

What’s your worst habit?


A:

Oh my goodness. Clutter.


Q:

What’s your favorite museum (besides the Palm Springs Art Museum)?


A:

I really love the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose because of their involvement with the community, the different age groups, and the connection I was able to make when I worked there with the community and the museum.


Q:

How would you describe yourself in five words or less?


A:

Fun, adventurous, joyful. I think that’s it. (Laughs.)


Q:

What desert animal would you be?


A:

A gray horned owl.


Q:

What do you eat for breakfast?


A:

Lately I’ve been eating yogurt with oatmeal and my vitamin.


Q:

You sit on your local Girl Scout Council Board of Directors. What badge would you most like to earn?


A:

They have one that’s called the high adventure badge—you can do the mud run, and I’m a little nervous about it. They also have an archery badge. That’d be kind of nice to do.


Q:

What’s your biggest pet peeve?


A:

Not following through.


Q:

What’s the last thing that inspired you?


A:

I went to a conference at Claremont Graduate University called LA as LAB, and the keynote speaker was Steven J. Tepper. We were talking about excellence, accessibility, and the impact we can make on our community through the arts.


Q:

What would your theme song be?


A:

Any song by Juanes.


Q:

What do you wish you had the nerve to do?


A:

To speak what I’m thinking even when it’s not appropriate.