Collections Winter 2012 Volume 90 | Page 2

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.