This innovative exhibition uses over 40 items recently given to the Museum in honor of the Centennial of the founding of the Lyme Art Colony to provide visitors the opportunity to explore the documentation, care and use of collections. Visitors can reflect upon how collections are formed and consider the issues involved in building a permanent collection. The exhibition is on view September 11 through November 28.
Museums constantly rely on generous gifts to add to their collections.
Artists' relatives, collectors, and artists themselves all play an important part in building a collection. They are concerned with keeping alive the artist's reputation and usually have historical information about their family member that is important for the archives. The painting was given to the Museum by the artist's daughter, Lenore O. Miller of Kent, Connecticut and two grandsons, Richard H. Miller of New York City and John L. Miller of Cornwall, Connecticut. John and Richard Miller have made it clear their desire not only to preserve their grandfather's work but to make it readily available to the public. They chose to offer Red-Headed Woman to the Museum because it is so representative of Olinsky's art.