Community Patronage: Works from the Freshley Collection

JENKINS COMMUNITY GALLERY, LOWER LEVEL

Community Patronage: Works from the Freshley Collection brings together artwork from the collection of Kathy and Jerry Freshley, longtime Arlingtonians whose art collection demonstrates their decades of commitment to supporting art and artists in Arlington and beyond.

From 1982 to 1985, Kathy Freshley served as a member, then president, of the board of directors of MoCA Arlington (then Arlington Arts Center). In September of 1986 she became Executive Director, a position she held until 1992. During her tenure, Kathy worked closely with the organization’s resident and exhibiting artists. The support she spearheaded was wide-ranging, from studio space and exhibition opportunities to professional networking, skill-building, and peer critique. After moving on from her position, Kathy continued to champion, befriend, and advocate for artists in Arlington, in the DC area, and across the country.

For Kathy and Jerry, building a collection was about building relationships with and supporting artists, rather than merely acquiring artwork. In some cases, the Freshleys have a single artwork by an artist in their collection. They still remember the exhibition or event where it was purchased, their interactions with the artist, and the direction of the artist’s life and practice in the years since. In other cases, their collection includes multiple artworks by a single artist, representing their development over many years, a depth that speaks to decades of friendship and support.

The Freshley’s collection includes figurative and abstract work in painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, and sculpture. The range of the work is a testament to their ethos as collectors. Work by young artists, in the early stages of their careers, sits alongside work by artists with a firm vision and decades of experience. Supporting an artist to move from the first stage, through to the next, was a central priority of Kathy’s work as Executive Director, as well as in the Freshley’s shared work as collectors. The collection speaks to their success and to the need for this type of crucial support in order for artists to thrive.

Community Patronage: Works from the Freshley Collection includes artwork by Shahla Arbabi, Judy Byron, Craig Cahoon, David Carlson, Patrick M. Craig, Robert Cwiok, Rob Evans, David Frye, James Gouldthorpe, Rebecca Kamen, Lise Metzger, Kathryn Polk, Foon Sham, Leslye Sherman, Andrea Uravitch, and Andrea Way.

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