February
WOODMERE: Past, Present, and Future
Hosted by Evan Silverstein, Presented by Bill Valerio
Dr. Valerio will share the story of Woodmere’s history from its founding through the renovation of its exciting new building, Frances M. Maguire Hall for Art and Education. Much of the 17,000 square feet of the new building will be galleries and public spaces, and the new Love Kids Art Center will also be a wonderful arts center for children, expanding Woodmere’s capacity to serve Philadelphia’s schoolchildren and families.
Dedicated galleries in Frances M. Maguire Hall will present the collection’s strengths in 20th century art, including American Impressionism and Modernism as they evolved in Philadelphia, as well as the ongoing reinterpretations of figurative realism. The expansion enables Woodmere to exhibit great masterpieces that generally remain inaccessible and in storage, including many important works by Violet Oakley and the Red Rose Girls. Woodmere’s important collections of Hudson River paintings and 19th-century art, as well as special exhibitions, will remain in Woodmere’s main building.
Dr. Valerio will provide updates on the construction of this building that will open in fall 2025.
Presenter
Dr. William R. Valerio serves as the Director and CEO of Woodmere Art Museum, which is dedicated to the artists of Philadelphia. As a result of Dr. Valerio’s leadership, Woodmere has become an increasingly vital and diverse presence in the cultural life of the region with steady expansion of attendance, membership, and community involvement.
Dr. Valerio attended Williams College, graduating Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 1985. He earned his MA in Art History at the University of Pennsylvania in 1987 and his PhD in Art History at Yale University in 1996. After working as Curator at the Queens Museum of Art in New York, he attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, earning his MBA in 2004. Dr. Valerio has received numerous awards and fellowships, including the Rome Prize of the American Academy in Rome.