Words of Gratitude
“It was a pleasure for George Bolge to
allow me to guest curate the exhibition
Sequined Sentinels at your museum in the
summer of 2013. He is the consummate
museum professional who hung my collection of gorgeously embellished sacred
Vodou flags from Haiti and displayed the
other objects with great care. George
has nurtured a large, loyal following of
fans in the community who are appreciative of his academic approach and true
love of art.”
- Candice Russell
Author and Haitian Art Collector
“From the beginning, I simply wanted
people at the bottom of the mountain
to appreciate the creativity and talent
of the artists and people at the top of
the mountain… I am very particular to
whom I loan my collection. While visiting
the Museum with a friend from Canada
in 2012, and then later attending the
opening reception for the Duane Hanson exhibition, I saw passion and enthusiasm for the arts by the Curator of
Education (Pam Coffman), CEO and
others. I discovered the Museum had an
outreach program for children, for which I
have so much respect. Exposing children
to art at a young age molds them into
adults who appreciate art.”
- Ramona Lampell,
Artist and Appalachian Art Collector
“The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
has an interactive program (Playscape
Art Studio) using my art, some of which
are bunnies... I was thrilled to have a
(bunny-only) exhibition at the museum
in DeLand last Easter. It was a dream
come true.”
- Hunt Slonem
Bunnies by Hunt Slonem
“One of the happiest days of my life was
three years ago when George Bolge
agreed to join the Museum as its Chief
Executive Officer. George’s knowledge,
experience and his many and varied relationships with artists, collectors and museum executives all over the country and
beyond have accrued to the benefit
of our institution and to the communities
of DeLand and Central Florida in ways
I could never have dreamed. The exhibitions and educational programs are
of national caliber, and the recognition
we have received as a result is extremely
gratifying. The museum staff is superb,
each member committed to George’s vision of a small, but world-class Museum
here in the heart of Volusia County. It is
a great pleasure to be associated with
George and the Museum staff in this extraordinarily worthwhile effort.”
- Judy Thompson,
Museum of Art - DeLand
Board President
“What a wonderful experience to have
had such a beautiful show at this hidden
jewel of a museum here in Florida. Working with David Fithian (Curator of Art &
Exhibitions) and my dear friend George
Bolge was an enjoyable experience
from the first concept to the finished exhibition.”
- Wesla Hanson,
Widow of Duane Hanson
Duane Hanson: Sculptures &
Photographs 1978 - 1995
Artist, author and Appalachian art collector Ramona
Lampell surveys Duane Hanson’s Bodybuilder, 1989 - 1995,
autobody filler polychromed in oil and mixed media.
Artist Jill Cannady admires Chen Chi’s Boys Playing Ball,
1955, watercolor on rice paper, with husband Robert Sindelir (to her right) and artist Tim Ludwig.
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“As Karl Zerbe’s daughter, I grew up surrounded by his paintings. I remember, as
a small child, my parents painting a floorto-ceiling blackboard in my room so I
could be creative. Before I knew it, there
were life-sized chalk portraits of both of
them looking out at me. The ever-evolving images that appeared on our walls
always fascinated me and have given
me a lot of enjoyment over the years... I
was very happy to learn that my father’s
paintings were going to be part of the
summer art program at the Museum of Art.
- DeLand. It’s always interesting to see
what a curator will select for an exhibit,
and how it will be presented to the public. The gallery chosen for the exhibition
Karl Zerbe: Works on Paper was perfect.
The reception was wonderful, and I enjoyed ‘talking Zerbe’ with everyone. A
heartfelt thank you to Marty Karlin and
to George Bolge, David Fithian and the
rest of the staff and volunteers at the
Museum for helping me to share Father’s
work and for a job well done!”
- Maria Zerbe Norton
Karl Zerbe: Works on Paper
“I want to thank George and his staff for
the great work they did on exhibiting
my paintings. I have heard many good
things about the show.”
“After privately expressing my feelings
through art, finished pieces are stored
away and become nothing more than
a memory as I concentrate on a new art
piece. So I enjoy reminiscing when I see
bodies of my finished artwork in gallery
and museum exhibitions. As I viewed my
work in the three expansive adjoining
galleries at the downtown Museum of
Art - DeLand, I was hit with the sensations that I felt at the time of creating
each piece. The placement and groupings of the artwork were so intelligently
organized that the curators must have
somehow gotten into my mind... More
so than with any other exhibition of my
work, the Museum has deftly curated a
synergetic exhibition, which for me has
created more power than the sum of the
individual pieces.”
- Stephen Althouse
“George Bolge is a man with a great
deal of experience building museums,
and even more important to me as an
artist, he has a true sensitivity to art. With
the challenge of 40 years of work to
present, I was nervous at how my exhibition would be executed, but George
and all the museum staff were reassuring,
and when the show opened, I could not
have been more pleased. The museum
also produced a beautiful catalogue,
which I am proud to have represent my
work. Thank you, George Bolge, and
thank you to everyone at the museum.”
- Jill Cannady
Jill Cannady: Idea & Medium
Stephen Althouse: Personal Symbols,
Private Symbols
“This is the first time ever my collection has
been exhibited in its entirety (Collector’s
Choice: Samuel Blatt Collection.) I’m
proud to share my mid-19th-to-20th century art with museum members and members of your community. I thank George
for the opportunity to share this art.”
- Sandy Blatt
Collector’s Choice: Samuel Blatt Collection
- John Mellencamp
The Paintings of John Mellencamp
Inspired by Karl Zerbe’s Memento from Belem, 1965,
stencil and collage, a Camp Create student envisions his
next masterpiece with art teacher Tiffany Blushiy.
Museum CEO George Bolge (left) with art collector Sandy Blatt
and his wife, Donna, in front of Lucie Cousturier’s Still Life With
Chrysanthemums, c1900, from the Samuel Blatt Collection
What 2014 Museum of Art - DeLand exhibition,
educational program or special event impacted you most?
Tell us at Facebook.com/MoArtDeLand, at Twitter.com/MoArtDeLand (#MoArtDeLand) or email [email protected]
MoArtDeLand.org Museum of Art - DeLand
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