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    Art Museum's New Director a Veteran Manager, Educator


    Bonnie Kelm, director of the Muscarelle Museum of Art at the College of William & Mary, will take the helm of the University Art Museum on July 1.
    UCSB has named an accomplished museum administrator and arts educator to serve as director of the University Art Museum.
    Bonnie Kelm has, since 1996, directed the Muscarelle Museum of Art at the College of William & Mary, where she also has served as associate professor of art and art history. Earlier, she served as director of the Miami University Art Museum and the William Holmes McGuffey Museum in Oxford, Ohio.
    "Bonnie is an experienced administrator and strong leader with an energetic and charismatic style that will undoubtedly contribute to the continued growth and excellence of our museum," said Aaron Ettenberg, acting provost, in announcing the appointment. "I was particularly pleased to see that she immediately recognized the importance of the art museum not only as a means of enriching the lives of students and faculty, but also as a unique and invaluable resource for the world outside the campus."
    Calling Kelm "an accomplished and experienced museum professional," David Marshall, dean of humanities and fine arts and chair of the search committee, said its members were "very impressed by her record of dynamic and dedicated leadership."
    Kelm, who will take up her new duties at UCSB in July, is a respected member of the American Association of Museums, the International Council of Museums, and the Association of College and University Museums and Galleries. The Muscarelle museum's permanent collection spans the 300-year history of the College of William & Mary and consists of 3,500 art objects. The collection is particularly noted for its European and colonial portraiture, American painting, old master drawings, and a strong historical survey of other works on paper.
    UCSB's University Art Museum, which is accredited by the American Association of Museums, was established in 1959, beginning as a gallery dedicated to arts education. Today, the museum is considered a national leader among university art museums, with an ambitious program of exhibitions, publications, and educational activities. Its permanent collections include more than 7,000 works of art and 400,000 architectural drawings and related materials.
    "It is my fondness for the vibrant cultural life of the Santa Barbara community, together with the strong academic presence of the University of California, that prompted my interest in the director's position," said Kelm. "I'm excited about my new position and the rich potential for the University Art Museum in the Santa Barbara region."
    Kelm has published widely on art history as well as museum administration. Among her many notable publications was last year's exhibition catalogue "Georgia O'Keefe in Williamsburg: A Re-creation of the Artist's First Public Exhibition in the South."
    She also has written and spoken widely on issues of stolen art and the repatriation of art looted in the Nazi era. She is among the contributors to "Museum Policy and Procedure for Holocaust-Era Issues," published by the American Association of Museums. She recently wrote a museum journal article on "Recent Museum Ethical Policies and Their Implications for University Museums."
    "The issue of Nazi-era looted art and assets is very intriguing to me, and I am involved in efforts to get museums to become more aware of the issue of the provenance of donated art works," said Kelm.