William R. Valerio, Ph.D., The Patricia Van Burgh Allison Director and CEO at Woodmere discussed its buildings and galleries, its world-class collection of American art and its vast holdings of Philadelphia works. After telling us its history and founding by Charles Knox Smith, he described the improvements of the past few years; the purchase and renovation of their new Frances M. McGuire building and the plantings and art on its ten acres in Chestnut Hill.

We discussed Philadelphia artists, including sculptor Harriet Frishmuth and muralist Violet Oakley and the Woodmere’s holdings of their work, and he described their upcoming semiquincentennial exhibition, The Arc of Progress, inspired by Germantown born artist Jerry Pinkney, featuring different artists views of what shapes this nation.

Visit woodmereartmuseum.org to learn more about art programming for children and adults, music and dance performances and lectures and tours.