The Making of a Museum, a Memoir by Judith Nasby

The Making of a Museum, a Memoir
by Judith Nasby

Judith Nasby, founding director and curator of the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, animates the story of the gallery from its humble beginnings in campus hallways in 1916 to its latest incarnation as the internationally recognized Art Gallery of Guelph. The book published by McGill - Queen’s University Press is beautifully illustrated with 80 images from the permanent collection. Nasby recounts her long career peppering the hundred – long history of cultural development on campus with humorous anecdotes and personal insights to reveal how arts institutions can be created through dedication, serendipity, and perseverance.

The book includes images of works by SOFAM faculty Susan Dobson, FASTWURMS, and Ron Shuebrook, former U of G chair of fine art. Nasby discusses the origins of the Bachinski-Chu Print Study Collection and AGG/SOFAM partnerships like the Boarding House Gallery and student mentoring. The Making of a Museum is available at the Bookshelf and the AGG gallery shop.

Judith Nasby is Curator Emerita of the Art Gallery of Guelph.