Winter 2016

2016 Antiques & Fine Art 119 Aurora, unidentified artist, New England, ca. 1818-1822. Watercolor on silk, with applied gold foil and paper label, in original gilded wood frame, 24⅞ x 28⅜ x 2¼ inches, framed. American Folk Art Museum, New York; Gift of Ralph Esmerian (2005.8.46). Photo © 2000 John Bigelow Taylor. Be Engaged: Watch interviews, lectures and panels on Vimeo; create your own online exhibition through “My Collections”; look up artists on the “Artists” page; connect through social media; subscribe to AFAM’s YouTube channel; join AFAM’s Flickr group. of an active board and Radice’s fundraising skills. With goals of expanding the endowment and unrestricted funds (as well as estate planning and other gifting opportunities), the director is continually making connections and asks the same of the board and staff, reinforcing the value of maintaining a visible profile on the local and national scenes. “As ambassadors of the museum, we want to engage people in what we are doing and let them know that they will make a difference. The hard sell approach doesn’t work for me; I don’t want people to run when they see me,” she says. “Timing is important—you have to make your request special and relevant to their interests.” She adds, “It’s all about relationships.” AFAM has come a long way in four years. Radice and those involved with the museum are energized by how it has turned a corner, in large part due to AFAM’s loyal and growing community of supporters. Such trust would not be possible, however, without the progress made, in large part due to the director’s vision and ability to encourage teamwork and create a culture of support and success. As chairman of the board Monty Blanchard noted when hiring Radice, “We believe she is the ideal person to lead us.”