Friends of the Thorne Marks 50 Years
Keene State College and Friends of the Thorne Mark Nearly 50 Years Together
Friends of the Thorne Presents Keene State College with Gift of Three Paintings During Farewell Reception
Keene State College, and volunteer group Friends of the Thorne recently marked nearly 50 years together, during a farewell reception hosted by Keene State College for the Friends on October 28. Friends of the Thorne members had volunteered their time and talents at Keene State’s Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery to bring the College and community together through the arts. During the reception, Keene State College accepted a gift of three paintings from the Friends of the Thorne.
“My hope is that going forward, the next generation will build upon Beatrix Sagendorph’s and the Friends’ fine examples, and continue to bring the students and community together. The arts are a platform by which all generations can relate and reflect, evoking thought, discussion and ultimately social connection and social responsibility,” said Martha Mills, former president of the Friends. “I would especially like to thank Maureen Ahern and the administrative staff at the Thorne – Colleen Johnson, Paul Knowlton and Sally Urso-Profera – for their many years of service and support.”
The Friends’ reflection of the past, present and future of the Thorne became the basis for their gifts. The painting chosen to represent the past, “Old Man of the Mountain” (1892) by Edward Hill, was made possible with the help of Jason Hackler of the New England Antique Co-op. To represent the present and future, the Friends selected works by Richard Whitney, “Spring Along the Ashuelot” (2013) and Kyle Stuckey’s “White Mountain Trail” (2013).
“I am grateful for the decades of support and service that Friends of the Thorne gave to the gallery. We are sincerely appreciative of their generous gifts, and hope that we will continue to work together. It’s been an honor,” said Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery Director, Maureen Ahern.
About Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery
Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery began its collaboration with Keene, surrounding communities and Keene State College when it opened in 1965. The Thorne’s mission is to equally serve all constituencies by presenting high quality exhibits for education and appreciation. The Thorne collection has two focuses: One focus is collecting and preserving artwork by artists from the 19th century Dublin Art Colony as a heritage for the people of the Monadnock region. The second focus is collecting work of high aesthetic and educational value to enhance the teaching of Keene State College faculty, and for the enjoyment of students and all visitors to the Thorne. More information about the Thorne can be found online at http://www.keene.edu/tsag/.
