The Meadows Museum has named long-time curator Edmund”Ted” Pillsbury its new director. He began his dutiesat the beginning of this month.
Meadows School of the Arts Dean Carole Brandt said the two-yearsearch process focused on looking for someone with “vision,imagination, taste, savvy and expertise.
“We are joyous over the results of that search,” shesaid.
Pillsbury plans to make the museum more user-friendly byproviding a place for students to meet, to enjoy concerts and haveliterary discussions.
“It’s their own museum,” Pillsbury said.
Students are the first constituency of the museum, he said. Tohelp new students feel more comfortable using the museum, he wantsto host an event such as a jazz concert during July’s AAROsessions when first-year students are on campus to register forfall classes.
“The Meadows Museum is the home for the arts,”Pillsbury said. “I want to make it a tangible symbol of thenine muses.”
Pillsbury, the former director of the Kimball Art Museum in FortWorth, was a partner and chief executive of the Pillsbury PetersFine Art Gallery in Dallas. At age 30, he became the curator ofEuropean art at Yale University Art Gallery and later director ofthe Yale Center for British Art in London. He earned abachelor’s degree in art history from Yale and a doctorate inItalian Renaissance art from Courtauld Institute of Art at theUniversity of London.
Not only will Dr. Pillsbury direct the museum but he also willbe an adjunct professor of art history.
“I am excited about the opportunity to teach,”Pillsbury said. “Teaching is a wonderful way of sharing mypassion, insights and experience with a new generation.”
Exhibitions of renowned regional artists — such as therecent Meadows Museum exhibit of prints, drawings and sculpture ofTexan James Surls — will continue.
“SMU has made a commitment to show and interpret the bestof the living artists of the area, and I plan to continue thatcommitment,” Pillsbury said.
Another goal Pillsbury has is to broaden the scope of themuseum.
“We’re aiming to be more than a museum of Spanishart. I want this to be a serious university museum,” hesaid.
After being so long in the private sector, returning to theslower-paced environment of the university doesn’t phasehim.
“I feel I can surmount any challenges ahead,”Pillsbury said.
