FROM THE EXECUTIVE
Director
Major Exhibitions
Nature and the Grand American Vision:
Masterpieces of the Hudson River School Painters
November 19, 2011 - April 1, 2012
Karen Brosius, Executive Director
Thomas Cole, American, 1801-1848, Catskill Creek, N.Y., 1845,
Oil on canvas, 26 1/2 x 36 in. (67.3 x 91.4 cm) Frame 37 5/8 x
47 5/8 x 4 ½ in., The Robert L. Stuart Collection, S-157
Gallery 15
Our Time, Our Place: Photographs of the Black
South by Richard Samuel Roberts
December 13, 2011 – April 29, 2012
Unidentified Portrait,
probably 1920s, CMA,
1993.12.124, gelatin silver
print, posthumously printed
from the original glass plate
negative, Gift of Gerald E.
Roberts, Beverly Roberts,
Cornelius C. Roberts and
Wilhelmina R. Wynn
Upcoming Major Exhibitions
The Art of Seating:
200 Years of American Design
April 29 – August 26, 2012
Designed and manufactured by
Vivian Beer (born 1977), Penland,
North Carolina. Current, 2004.
Welded steel, automobile paint.
24” x 16” x 36”
Front Cover: Unidentified Portrait, probably 1920s, CMA,
1993.12.124, gelatin silver print, posthumously printed from
the original glass plate negative, Gift of Gerald E. Roberts,
Beverly Roberts, Cornelius C. Roberts and Wilhelmina R. Wynn
2
columbiamuseum.org
Greetings to you as we celebrate the new year in 2012. As the year
unfolds, we are looking forward to exploring new horizons in order
to make the Columbia Museum of Art ever more vibrant. An
important part of our museum’s spirit comes from our dedicated
group of staff and volunteers who make the museum come alive
each and every day. Together, we have been following a strategic
plan that has taken us far and brought many new audiences to the
Museum—we have accomplished a great deal with it as our guide.
And we have taken stock of our achievements and looked at where
we can bolster our efforts to achieve our mission more robustly.
In setting out this past year to map the future direction, we assembled a team of about 20
staff members from various levels and departments. We undertook a strategic assessment
of our current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and the board of trustees
did the same. We held a number of stakeholder sessions to find out what they wanted to
museum to be and become. We took visitor surveys and reached hundreds of people who
provided their input. We spent time looking at our current mission and vision and at our
core values. We married them all together, which gave us a round picture of where we are
in the current climate. All in all, this was a highly collaborative process.
We are clearly moving in the direction that you have encouraged us. We are building on
our strong base of arts programming and are combining that with breakthrough ideas. And
voilà – our new strategic plan has taken shape. The plan charts an exciting and expansive
future for the institution and builds on past successes. It also embraces creative ways of
thinking to present and interpret our collection, exhibitions and programs. It has clear
sightlines for the near term and serves as the framework for the long-term.
The major difference between this plan and our most recent plan is we have put the visitor
in the center of this one. It’s now Plan 2.0 – it’s not just about visitation numbers, it’s
about creating a new rapport with the visitor, both onsite and offsite. It’s about enhancing
their experience in a variety of meaningful and engaging ways. We are committed to being
a central and essential art resource in today’s world and making a difference in the cultural
life of our community, in the state, and in people’s lives. We look forward to sharing it with
you, and thank you so much for all of your support.
Board Member Highlight: Helen Hill
I have always had a passion for art and I am thrilled to be
a part of the CMA Board. We have a wonderful collection,
great music, and educational classes for all ages. During
my term, I would like to see us continue to bring great
exhibitions to Columbia and to focus more on southern art.
I also serve on the Collections Committee and have been
involved in all of the galas. However, the most rewarding
thing about being a part of the CMA board is the people I
meet.