Avis de décès de Kathryn-Anne Davis - Nécrologie - MesAieux.com

KATHRYN ANNE (KATE) DAVIS Regina has lost a cultural icon and the Canadian art and museum worlds have lost a beloved leader with the death of Kate Davis on October 21, 2010. Kate confronted a sudden aggressive cancer with courage and with her customary grace, comforted by the support of her adoring husband John Noestheden and surrounded by the love of family and friends from across the continent. Born in Chicago in 1951, Kate moved to Canada in 1981 following graduate studies in art history, contemporary art, and photography at the University of Chicago and the University of New Mexico. In 1982 she joined the Edmonton Art Gallery, subsequently moving to senior management positions at Glenbow Museum and then the Winnipeg Art Gallery. In 1997 she became Director of the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina, and for the next twelve years she transformed a traditional art museum into a beacon of excellence, accessibility, and sustainability. She brought national attention to the MacKenzie for the quality of its programs, bringing the first exhibition of the Impressionists to Saskatchewan and hiring the first chief curator of First Nations origin. Beyond relevant and provocative exhibitions, the MacKenzie undertook urban outreach that brought artist-led programs for youth into the inner city and on to reserves. Under Kate's leadership, art became a catalyst for individual engagement and for building community. In September 2009 with great anticipation Kate took a special assignment at the Art Gallery of Ontario which she believed would enable a new personal focus in strategic organizational development; however, her sudden illness removed that opportunity. Throughout the course of her exceptional career Kate was committed to serving the broader community through volunteering and mentoring. Beyond service on the boards of the Canadian Museums Association and the International Council of Museums (Canada), she was President of the Canadian Art Museum Directors Organization (CAMDO) from 2000 2004. She also chaired the Transformations Working Group for the Museums Associations of Saskatchewan, who were mandated to move forward and inform ongoing discussions about audience engagement, program and collection relevance, and the sustainability of museums, particularly in small communities. In addition to contributing to innumerable juries and professional committees, Kate was an unfailing source of advice and inspiration to her colleagues, always ready to listen, to analyze, to challenge, and to support. She believed in art, in artists, in community, and above all, in people. Her openness, warmth, humour, and generosity touched all who knew her. Kate's numerous honours include The Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal (2002), the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal (2005), the Mayor's Award (Regina) for Business and the Arts in the category of excellence in arts management, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Museums Association of Saskatchewan (2010). In 2009 Kate was inducted as a Fellow of the Canadian Museums Association, the highest form of recognition bestowed by the museum community. Despite distance, Kate remained close to her family in the U.S., and once her illness was diagnosed she and John made a trip to Chicago "while I can." Her sister Karen was a loving support during the final weeks. Kate's marriage to artist John Noestheden in 2003 brought a new family whom Kate cherished, particularly her new role as Barbie playing step-grandmother. Kate is survived by her beloved husband John Noestheden; by John's children: Jan Noestheden and Tania Reilly of Toronto; Lisa and Kiley Moulton, with Lilah Rose, Addy Lynn, and Beatrice Ann, all of Sturgeon Falls, Ontario; Matthew Noestheden and Ang Tanner of Calgary; by John's siblings: Marly and Frank Lang of Toronto, Andy and Irene Noestheden of Windsor, Henry Noestheden of Galisteo, New Mexico, and their families; by her sister Karen and husband Bob Dirmish of Elmhurst, Illinois, and their family: Laura and Dave Danielson with Eric and Lee of Chicago; David and Jean Dirmish with Mackenzie, Mike, and Bob of Elmhurst; Josh and Melissa Dirmish with Justin of Denver. Special love is expressed to the Skoki Broads; Museums Anonymous; current and past Loveballs at the MacKenzie (Regina) and the AGO (Toronto); the Usual Suspects in Regina; her medical team and the healthcare workers at the Palliative Care Ward of Princess Margaret Hospital. Special thanks to composers Ramses Calderon, Jason Dodge and David Sereda, and to all the arts professionals who deliver the joys that museums provide to enrich our lives. A private memorial service will be held in Chicago. Public memorial services will be held in Regina at the MacKenzie Art Gallery and in Toronto at the Art Gallery of Ontario at dates to be announced later. Donations in memory of Kate may be made to the MacKenzie Art Gallery Contemporary Art Acquisitions Fund and to the University of Regina Kate Davis Scholarship in Curatorial Studies. Good night, sweet Kate.