A Message

A MESSAGE FROM THE GOSNELL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

In this special issue of Historic Nantucket we explore two exhibitions currently on view in the new Fine Arts Wing at the Whaling Museum. The Nantucket Historical Association is excited to present Modern American Realism: Highlights from the Sara Roby Foundation Collection, on loan from the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), and Two Hundred Years of American Art on Nantucket, an exhibit comprised of important pieces from the NHA’s collections as well as many loaned from the collections of our supporters.

The new Fine Arts Wing is part of the ongoing work of the NHA to activate more of its space for public enjoyment and provide more exhibition space for the collections under our stewardship. The Board of Trustees decided to repurpose the first floor space in the Peter Foulger Building, which was originally erected as museum space in the 1970s, to provide substantial exhibition space to allow the NHA to illuminate the impact of art on the Island community and tell related stories. This new gallery, which is named the Williams Forsyth Gallery, pairs with the McCausland Gallery on the museum’s second floor to create a wing for rotating exhibits drawn from the NHA’s own collections as well those loaned to the NHA. Major upgrades to the space were required in order to prepare the museum to house collections of high caliber.

On display in the McCausland Gallery, Modern American Realism: Highlights from the Sara Roby Foundation Collection, was curated by Virginia Mecklenberg, Chief Curator at SAAM, and arranged by Edwin Rudd, Director of Facilities at the NHA. Major underwriting came from Bonnie and Peter McCausland and the Sara Roby Foundation. The outstanding collection was judiciously built over time by the late Nantucket resident and artist Sara Roby. Interestingly,

Ribbon cutting of the new Williams Forsyth Gallery in the Whaling Museum on June 14, 2019 at the Fine Arts Wing Dinner. Left to right: Kelly Williams, NHA Board President and her husband Andrew Forsyth. Janet Sherlund, Trustee Emerita, William J. Boardman, NHA Board Treasurer, Victoria McManus, NHA Board Vice President, and Jay Wilson, President of the Friends of the NHA.

a selection of her collection was first exhibited by the NHA at the Fair Street Museum in 1984. Reggie Levine, President of the Nantucket Arts Council for many years, remembered Sara Roby for her keen eye and passion for the arts. Reggie was honored to have part of her collection on view in his Main Street Gallery before she donated it to the Smithsonian. On reviewing the list of artists, Reggie confirmed that he knew many of them personally. Paul Cadmus, in particular, spent much time on the island and had many longtime connections with its residents.

Two Hundred Years of American Art on Nantucket was curated by Anne Knutson, Ph.D., and is on view in the new Williams Forsyth Gallery. This exhibit provides an overview of the rich history of artists who chose Nantucket as their subject. To assist her in identifying important artwork to include, Anne established an advisory committee comprised of Robert Frazier, Artistic Director of the Artists Association of Nantucket, Benjamin Simons, Director of the Academy Art Museum and former Robyn & John Davis Chief Curator at the NHA, John Sylvia of Sylvia Antiques, and Steve Langer,

Chair of the Friends of the NHA Acquisitions Committee. Appropriately for this inaugural exhibition, her inclusive approach of reaching out to collectors was received with much enthusiasm, allowing the museum to display significant works by important artists that are not often available to the public. These works, when coupled with the NHA’s holdings, many of which were purchased by the Friends of the NHA, make for an exhibition that is comprehensive, resonant, and compelling.

The Fine Arts Wing is anchored on the first floor and named in honor of Board President Kelly Williams and her husband, Andrew Forsyth, whose leadership gift spearheaded this initiative. Kelly and Andrew are passionate about supporting this critical initiative at the NHA to provide world-class gallery space for exhibits. They share a strong belief that the story of Nantucket’s art colony and its redemptive impact on the fortunes of the Island is an instructive one for any community looking to reposition its economy.

Architect Robert Miklos of designLAB and general contractor Scott Andersen did a masterful job creating a gallery that seamlessly flows into adjacent spaces.

In addition to the above, numerous smaller exhibits populate the NHA’s various galleries and properties. Dan Elias, guest curator and known by many from hosting the Antiques Road Show, created an encyclopedic exhibit titled Nantucket and the World in the Candle Factory. Major upgrades to installations in Gosnell Hall create a reimagined experience of Nantucket’s rich whaling history. In the Whitney Gallery at the Research Library, Esta-Lee Stone led a team in developing an exhibit examining Jewish life on Nantucket. At Hadwen House, we again tapped Dan Elias to reimagine both floors. Rather than recreating period rooms, he focused on highlighting the decorative arts within the NHA collection. Furniture, textiles, ceramics, and silver collections inhabit the first floor in new and creative

ways. Dan then focused his efforts on the second floor, where he and the team converted the five bedrooms into galleries that tell Nantucket stories, with one developed in partnership with the Nantucket Preservation Trust focusing on Nantucket’s distinctive architecture. In continuing our theme of collaboration, we were proud to work with the Artists Association of Nantucket to display public sculptures by noted artist Seward Johnson, which adorn the Hadwen House garden, the Research Library, and Broad Street and allow for engagement with art that is whimsical and fun.

The context for this expansive exhibition schedule stems from the new Strategic Plan recently adopted by the Board of Trustees. Key tenets of this include community building via storytelling, seeking the highest and best use of properties, and caring for our collection, all under the rubric of adhering to our fiduciary responsibility. We hope the updates provided in this issue of Historic Nantucket evidence the progress the NHA team has made in executing on the vision provided in the Strategic Plan. The NHA’s hardworking, enthusiastic, and dedicated staff deserve much credit for the major improvements we hope you will enjoy throughout the summer.

We want to thank all of those who have supported these ambitious undertakings to make our properties more accessible and more comprehensive in their ability to tell important Nantucket stories. We encourage everyone to provide feedback, and we welcome support as we continue to raise money for the capital campaign, which underpins this important work.

James Russell Gosnell Executive Director