Staff Highlights

Rachel Passannante Collections Manager

“This past year has seen a huge interest in Meta Fuller – from research and image requests, new ephemera donations, to working with her family and the new Fuller Middle School to dedicate a display case to her and her husband Dr. Solomon Fuller. I have so enjoyed learning and discovering more about her and her family, connecting with her grandchildren, hearing family stories, discovering pieces she made that we previously did not know about, getting glimpses of her personality, and seeing her determination and concurring struggles to succeed as an African-American artist.”

Laura Gayton

Membership

“Perhaps my favorite memory from the previous year was watching one of our members – also one of our most generous donors – win our online jigsaw puzzle week after week. Within an hour of receiving it, she would always email me the correct answer with perfect spelling of the artist’s name and work of art. Each enthusiastic response from her was like a ray of sunshine during a very dark period. It helped me realize how strong and wonderful our Danforth community really is. It’s impossible to explain how fulfilling it is to be part of this special place.”

Mary Erickson Visitor Services

“When we reopened with pandemic precautions, it was a joy to welcome people back! They felt safe in our space and were clearly happy to be here. During this time, I personally took solace in Rebecca Hutchinson’s Midnight Blooms exhibition. It called me to sit and meditate, a soulful respite in a crazy time.”

“Our success in meeting our 2021 goal was made possible through a generous $50,000 matching challenge initiated midyear which drew considerable support from donors new and established. Despite the interruptions of Covid, we continued to see support, benefiting from three new funds. A new Art Acquisitions Fund, and the two new endowed funds, The Joan E. Murtaugh ‘61 Art Conservation Fund and the Paul B. Rosenberg Fund for Museum Education. These funds were established in 2020, yielding their first distributions in 2021.”

Chandra Taylor

Art School Manager

“Remote learning had its challenges. However, we chose to look at opportunities presented rather than focus on setbacks. I particularly enjoyed implementing the monthly Faculty Spotlights to celebrate our instructors as well as concocting drink recipes to pair with artwork from the Museum’s Permanent Collection for our Virtual Drinks at the Danforth events. We shipped boxes of art supplies to participants for this event in order to curate a fun and creative experience for all.”

Barry Burlingham

Gifts and Stewardship