I apologize for any cross-postings. This may be of interest to those on the Virginia History list who are also concerned about the situation at the Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College. Martha Katz-Hyman ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Janice Klein <[log in to unmask]> Date: Mon, Sep 15, 2008 at 1:25 AM Subject: [AASLH Hist House Mus] FW: [ACUMG-L] Maier Museum of Art To: Registrars Committee of the AAM <[log in to unmask]>, Historic House Group <[log in to unmask]>, Field Service list < [log in to unmask]>, Small Museums Listserv < [log in to unmask]> -----Original Message----- From: [log in to unmask] <ACUMG-L%40yahoogroups.com> [mailto: [log in to unmask] <ACUMG-L%40yahoogroups.com>] On Behalf Of [log in to unmask] <karolannlawson%40aol.com> Sent: Sunday, September 14, 2008 12:19 PM To: [log in to unmask] <ACUMG-L%40yahoogroups.com> Subject: [ACUMG-L] Maier Museum of Art September 2008 Friends and colleagues: Your help is needed now. An art collection was started at Randolph-Macon Woman's College (now Randolph College) over a century ago through the efforts of faculty, alumnae, students, and the greater Lynchburg community with the expressed purpose of serving as a permanent educational resource for the school and for the general public. It was the first publicly accessible art collection in the Commonwealth and, known since 1983 as the Maier Museum of Art, over the decades it grew to be one of the best small academic collections in the country. A year ago, the College sent four significant paintings from this collection to auction in order to raise funds for the school's operating endowment. One, Rufino Tamayo's Troubadour, has already been sold. Three others, including George Bellows' masterpiece, Men of the Docks, are still awaiting auction in New York. (The other two are Edward Hicks' Peaceable Kingdom and Ernest Martin Hennings' Through the Arroyo.) In early September 2008 The Chronicle of Higher Education published an op-ed arguing for the propriety of selling art from college collections. That piece, as well as the continuing struggle over the O'Keeffe gift of art at Fisk University and recen t news that the University of Iowa may be considering similar action with regard to a significant Pollock painting make it clear that the issue of removing objects from museum collections to support parent organizations' finances is not confined to the Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College. Quite apart from the specialized concerns of the museum field, such actions have a real impact on the communities these museums serve. There is reason to believe that the Attorney General of Virginia, Robert McDonnell, may take notice of the concerns of Virginia citizens regarding the dispersal of cultural resources if his office receives a substantial volume of letters. What you can do to help now: Write a letter to Virginia Attorney General Robert McDonnell. Please note: letters sent last year will not have an impact this year. Please write again. Also note, phone calls to the Attorney General's office will not be helpful. Written communication is crucial. Letters from Virginia residents that speak to the impact of this issue on their lives as citizens of the Commonwealth will be most pertinent to the Attorney General. Letters from interested persons or groups outside the state are welcome as well, though in their letters correspondents should direct attention to the welfare of Virginia residents and the long-term health of its cultural and educatio nal organizations. Please write to the Attorney General to express what the collection at the Maier Museum of Art means to you, and express your thoughts on its value to Virginia's cultural heritage, educational resources, economic base, and quality of life. Express your opinion on what the loss of the three major paintings awaiting auction will mean to the state's cultural, educational, quality of life, and tourism resources. A positive approach will be most effective. Focus on the long-term good that can come from his actions at this juncture. In the letter be sure to include your name, location, and contact information. It may be helpful to include some information about your personal and professional experiences with the Maier Museum in particular and with museums and museum-based education in general. Individual letters as well as letters from groups of people and families are welcome (please have all members sign the letter if possible). E-mails: [log in to unmask] <mailto:wkincaid%40oag.state.va.us<wkincaid%2540oag.state.va.us>> state.va.us (William Kincaid, Constituent Services, Office of the Attorney General) Letters: The Honorable Robert McDonnell Office of the Attorney General 900 East Main Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 Please send this e-mail at your discretion to others asking them to write to the Attorney General and to pass this request along to their friends and colleagues as well. Every voice counts. Participation from a wide variety of people, of all ages, from all localities, and from all walks of life is important. Please write today. Thank you. Karol Lawson Lynchburg, VA karolannlawson@ <mailto:karolannlawson%40aol.com<karolannlawson%2540aol.com>> aol.com ---------- __._,_.___ <[log in to unmask]> . __,_._,___ ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html