Art Lies, Volume 34, Spring 2002 Page: 4
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the oval office to come for a reception
there and he spoke from his heart about
why he'd chosen the pieces he had picked.
RSC: Including art by Texans?
AM: Tom Lea [a painting borrowed from
the El Paso Museum] and Julian
Onderdonk [from the San Antonio
Museum of Art]. He definitely has an
appreciation.
RSC: Do you talk with the Bushes about the
government's role in the arts.
AM: One thing they made very clear the
minute I met them was that they thought
there was a clear role for government to
play in funding for the arts. That was just
never a question. Of course the state did
well under them. I think the Bushes talk
less and act more. She certainly traveled
around the state for the (TCA "State of the
Arts") license plate program. I know the
funding went up from them. Plus the NEA
has been a jump from what it was. They
feel there's a real role there.
RSC: Was that role depleted or mitigated
by 9-11?
AM: That's what I think is so significant.
They have raised the budget for the NEA.
I had gotten some calls of concern from
the Smithsonian American Art Museum
when they tossed out the idea of delaying
their renovation, but Mrs. Bush let them
know how important the arts were to
them. She's been great, and I think with
his encouragement.
RSC: So are you the person to call now, if we
have a message to send to the Bushes?
AM: [She laughs.] Of course I'm inter-
ested... they're interested... in what peo-
ple have to say. They're good listeners.
And they've continued to integrate the
arts even at this time when most of the
focus is on security. I don't know if you
saw where right after 9-11 Laura went
with her mother to the National Gallery
and encouraged people to participate in
the arts.
RSC: An article in the El Paso newspaper
asked if your appointment will be good forEl Paso. Let's expand on that. Will it be good
for the arts in Texas?
AM: I hope it'll be good for everyone.
I don't think there's been anyone in
this position from the border before...
I bring a new perspective, not a provincial
perspective.
RSC: Of all of your various roles in the arts,
which is most special?
AM: I found this quote by Leonardo [she
paraphrases]-"Every part seeks the
whole so it can overcome its own incom-
pleteness." Everything has informed my
life so much. I feel very grateful for hav-
ing been in a business where I'm sur-
rounded by artists because I do think that
being around artists and being involved
with objects of art has helped me pay
more attention.
RSC: Are you paying enough attention to
the gallery?
AM: Patricia Johnson mentioned in a col-
umn that some people are grousing that
I'm not around very much. But I really am
developing new clients. People I've met
who come to visit the gallery. And Isaac
(Isaac Lopez, ten-year gallery assistant)
loves it when I'm gone. He's been taking
on more and more responsibility.
RSC: There are a lot of artists doing work
exploring those boundaries, is your commit-
tee looking at that work?
AM: That's yet to be determined whether
we'll do specific exhibitions, help sponsor
them, or whether we'll be more engaged
in educational exchange.
RSC: What innovative things will your com-
mittee do beyond what prior committees
have done?
AM: It has done good things in the past
and we're building on that. I think it will
be significant work. What we're doing
is strengthening the committee and help-
ing it grow. They were never involved in
preserving America's treasures before or
with Mexico.
RSC: If Henry Moran or someone else from
the committee came to Texas and asked you4 ARTL!ES Spring 2002
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Bryant, John. Art Lies, Volume 34, Spring 2002, periodical, 2002; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth228063/m1/6/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .