Artists & Administrators
Helen Frankenthaler "Nature Abhors a Vacuum" 1973.
Over the years, as a museum director, I have presented the work of many artists. Whether men or women, I have tried to show the best of art today. I have been privileged to meet and work with these artists; I have written of these individuals under ‘Artists’; included are Ray Eames, Helen Frankenthaler and Loiuse Nevelson. Many more names come to mind and, eventually, more will be written.
At the Corcoran, under ‘My Five Years’, I wrote about the fact that women artists and minorities had been neglected. No women artists were included in the 1970 Biennial, resulting in a protest by feminists on the steps of the Corcoran. Women artists became militant and feared feminists; ‘The Guerilla Girls’ came in to being. Their outrage was justified and I was made aware of the need to include women artists in exhibitions; I did so.
In ‘My Five Years’, I mentioned curator Jane Livingstone; assistant Frances Fralin and registrar Susan Grady; staff members who played a critical role during my time as director of the Corcoran. Other women were invaluable: Dorothy Phillips, curator of collections; Donna Ari, curator of education; and my many assistants. Worthy of mention is Marti Mayo; she worked at the Jefferson Place Gallery and, when that gallery closed in 1974, I invited her to work in the curatorial office. Marti became director (1986-1994) of the Blaffer Gallery, the art museum of the University of Houston, and then director (1994-2007) of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. I am proud of her achievements and wish her well. Mary Ann Igna worked with me as a curator at the Corcoran and Cranbrook; she is now a director.
Within the Cranbrook’s founding and history, women had played an important and critical role. The wife of the founder, Ellen Scripps Booth, was most instrumental in the founding of Cranbrook. She proposed and supported Kingswood School for Girls. In their home, designed by Albert Kahn in 1908, was to be seen furniture, weaving, crafts and art. The Booths patronized the Arts and Crafts movement; tapestries designed by William Morris and his daughter were in their bedroom. At the Academy, founded in 1932, there were artists that were pioneers and leaders; weaver Loja Saarinen; designer Pipsan Swanson Saarinen; weaver Maja Wirde; ceramicist Maija Grotell; weaver Marianne Strengell; designer Ray Eames; ceramicist Toshiko Takazeu; and designer Florence Knoll.
When I arrived at Cranbrook, in 1977, Kathy McCoy was co chair of Design; later, I did appoint sculptor Heather McGill and painter Beverly Fishman to be artists in residence. The Academy Office was led by Lucy Harper, Registrar, who was a comfort to the students and to me! Lucy was a devoted and able administrator, knowledgeable and dependable. Words can not express my gratitude; Lucy, quiet and dependable, knew everyone and everything! Her successor, Kathy Willman, has served the Academy well; she has befriended and helped countless students over the years. Many other names come to mind, Margaret, Dianne, Barbara, Al and many more; thanks!
In 1978, Barbara Price was appointed Dean; she had worked with me at the Corcoran and did a great job at the Academy before becoming Vice President at Maryland Institute of Art. Beatrice Sanchez was her successor and later became President of Kansas City Art Institute. The faculty did not like the feeling that they did not have direct access to me, so no more appointments as dean were made. However, in those early days, to have a dean was necessary as I was getting established and had much to do from raising funds to developing long range plans. In addition, as well as being President, I was Director of the Museum. Within the Museum, to assist with the daily and ongoing administration, I appointed Linda Dunne as Museum Administrator; later she became deputy director at the Cooper Hewitt; a position she now holds at the American Folk Art Museum. Her successor was Michele Rowe Shields; both Linda and Michele were invaluable in their work at the Museum; as were the staff members of the Academy.
For my tenure at Cranbrook, I was faithfully served, from 1979 on, by Roberta Stewart, Administrative Assistant. After I left, she became Administrative Officer for the Academy. In all, she served Cranbrook for 28 years; in 2007, Roberta became Director of Administration at Boca Raton Museum of Art. Words can not express my gratitude to Roberta and all who worked with me at Cranbrook; without them, I could not have fulfilled my responsibilities and role within the Academy and Museum.
As I started on a personal note, writing of my mother, so I will end by writing of my wife Agnes. She and I have been together for twenty five years; from the time, in 1983, I appointed her Director of Development for the Academy. For a quarter of a century, each day has been blessed by her presence. To honor her wish for privacy, all I will say is thank you.
(07/01/08)