Rockwell Museum kicks-off “Perspective Series” with Collectors’ Nancy & Alan Cameros

Crafted to Perfection: The Nancy & Alan Cameros Collection of Southwestern Pottery

CORNING, NY – On Wednesday evening, the Rockwell Museum of Western Art in Corning hosted the first of four programs in a “Perspective Series.” In connection with current special exhibition, Crafted to Perfection: The Nancy and Alan Cameros Collection of Southwestern Pottery, collectors’ Nancy and Alan Cameros engaged an audience with stories of their pottery and the relationships they have developed with many fine artists of the Southwest along the way.

“We can’t look at a piece without having a story about it – where we found it, who we bought it from, what it represents,” remarked Nancy. “It isn’t just buying a pot – it’s what we’ve learned along the way.”

The presentation began with a brief history of how the couple began collecting. In the early 1980s, Alan’s position as chairman of the Museum Trustee Association took he and Nancy to Santa Fe to scout the location for the association’s national conference. Already glass enthusiasts and collectors, they eagerly purchased what Nancy calls “a pretty souvenir.” Though this initial pot was mass-produced for tourists, it inspired an enduring interest in the craft and culture of the Southwest.

For the last 25 years, Nancy and Alan have researched and collected some of the most exceptional Native American pottery. Acquiring pottery by the finest contemporary and historical artists of the Southwest, their collection has grown to over 200 works of art. It is the Rockwell Museum of Western Art’s distinct honor to host more than 100 of these pieces in a never-before-seen public exhibition. Crafted to Perfection: The Nancy & Alan Cameros Collection of Southwestern Pottery is on display at the Museum now through May 18, 2008.

Look for other programs in the Perspective Series
February 20, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. The Curator’s Perspective: Sheila K. Hoffman
April 1 & 8 The Potter’s Perspective: Pottery Class with Linda Huey
TBD The Gallery Perspective: Charles King, King Galleries of Scottsdale
Exhibition Catalog

With the support of Nancy and Alan Cameros, the Rockwell Museum of Western Art’s Curator of Collections, Sheila K. Hoffman developed an exhibition catalogue to accompany the collection and public exhibition. The nearly 200 page hard-bound exhibition catalogue is available for purchase in the Rockwell Museum of Western Art Trading Post.

About the Rockwell Museum of Western Art
Accredited by the American Association of Museums, the Rockwell Museum of Western Art is located in the center of the Finger Lakes Wine Country of New York Sate and in the heart of Corning’s Gaffer District. The Museum is open to the public seven days a week; hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Membership to the Museum includes yearlong free admission. For more information, please visit us online at www.rockwellmuseum.org.