Member Spotlight

KAY LEHR: A PASSION FOR MUSEUMS

For Kay Lehr, visiting museums has been a lifelong pursuit. At the age of fi ve, an architect neighbor introduced Kay and her sister to the Art Institute of Chicago, where they would go on visits with his children. Th e neighbor would bring a blanket and they would pretend they were on a picnic, and he would guide them in looking at the paintings. Kay was “hooked”!

Since then, Kay has visited museums all over the world, collected art, and served as a docent and board member at several museums. Currently a docent at the Farnsworth, Kay especially enjoys attending lectures by staff , artists, and curators, which allow her to learn even more about the museum’s collection. She values the “beautifully curated” exhibitions the museum brings to the midcoast, and the Farnsworth’s importance as an economic engine for the community. It does “so much for so many!”

Originally from Chicago, Kay now resides in Rockland, Maine and Incline Village, Nevada. She is an inaugural member of the Patrons and the Lucy Farnsworth Circle.

Turn your passion for art into cultural exploration. Get involved! Contact Ann Holton: aholton@ farnsworthmuseum.org or 207.596.6256 for information about additional giving opportunities. KIRSTEN SURBEY: CHAMPIONING THE MAKERS OF MAINE

When Kirsten Surbey came to Maine in the winter of 2012, she knew she wanted to settle here. For Kirsten, Maine’s natural beauty and the creative, hardworking community in which she lives is life-affi rming. “Everyone is a maker,” she says, “whether painting, knitting, throwing pots, or building boats—everyone is industrious.” She loves the way the Farnsworth champions Maine’s history of art and artists.

“I want to have fun visiting galleries and museums with my kids,” she says, noting they loved the Ashley Bryan exhibit this summer. “Visiting a museum can give you a mental reset, just as you get in nature. It can shift your perspective, make you feel connected, and inspire. I think it is important as a community to show we value these spaces.”

Born in Washington, DC, Kirsten Surbey is the manager of Page Gallery, in Camden, Maine. Kirsten is a driving force behind the reimagined Collective, the next generation of Farnsworth supporters aiming to broaden their connection to the arts.

The Collective sponsors events and programs designed to bring artists together with their peers and patrons. To join, contact Anna Sideris: asideris@farnsworthmuseum.org or 207.596.6457.