I.

Calling of the Meeting to Order and Welcome New Trustees Jason M. Fish and Vanessa Getty– Diane B. Wilsey, President

A regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco was held on Thursday, October 21, 2010, in the Board Room of the Legion of Honor, Lincoln Park, San Francisco.  A quorum was present that being one-third of the number of Trustees in office.  The meeting was called to order at
3:15 p.m. by Diane B. Wilsey, President.  President Wilsey welcomed Jason M. Fish and Vanessa Getty, who were attending their first meeting, having been elected to the Board of Trustees on June 17, 2010.

President Wilsey presided; Mrs. Gough acted as Secretary.

II.

Calling of the Roll

The following Trustees were present:

Adolphus Andrews, Jr.
Carol N. Bonnie
Penny Coulter
Jason M. Fish
Elise Friedman
Vanessa Getty
Frankie Jacobs Gillette
Frederick M. Goltz
Wheeler S. Griffith
Cynthia Fry Gunn
Lauren Hall
Lucy Young Hamilton
Katherine Harbin
Gretchen Kimball
Kathryn Lasater
Lawrence B. Low
David Spencer
Jeana Toney
Robert T. Wall
Diane B. Wilsey, President
Lisa Zanze

On motion, duly seconded and carried, the following Trustees were excused:

Edward D. Baker III
Carol W. Casey
David H. S. Chung
Belva Davis
Juliet de Baubigny
Denise B. Fitch
Karen B. Francois
John A. Friede
Carlos A. Garcia
Laure Fullerton Headrick
Janet W. Lamkin
David Lamond
Monica Maduro
Nancy McFadden
Carl Pascarella
Louise H. Renne
Venetta S. Rohal
Lisa M. Sardegna
Arlene Schnitzer
Susan S. Swartz
Jim Tananbaum
Trevor D. Traina

The following ex-officio Trustees were unable to be present:

Mayor Gavin Newsom
Mark Buell, President, Recreation and Park Commission

Other Trustees in attendance were:

Cheryl Bancroft
George Hecksher, Vice President for Collections
Stephanie MacColl
Jack McDonald
Lorna F. Meyer
Monique Moyer
Marianne H. Peterson
Florence Sue Wong

III.

Report of the Nominating Committee – Juliet de Baubigny, Chair

A.  Consideration and Possible Action to Elect Zachary S. Bogue to the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco for an Initial Three Year Term

In the absence of Chair Juliet de Baubigny, Trustee Kathryn Lasater, a member of the Nominating Committee, presented the report of the Nominating Committee.  She introduced the nomination of Zachary S. Bogue for election to the Board of Trustees for an initial three year term.

On motion, duly seconded, there was no discussion among Trustees present.  There was no public testimony.  The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to elect Zachary S. Bogue to the Board of Trustees for an initial term of three years.

B.  Welcome New Trustee Zachary S. Bogue

Newly elected Trustee Zachary S. Bogue joined the meeting and was welcomed with a round of applause. 

C.  Consideration and Possible Action to Elect the Officers of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco to a Term of One Year[1]

Trustee Lasater presented the following slate of officers of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco for election to a term of one year:

David H. S. Chung, Vice President for Finance
Belva Davis, Vice President
Kathryn Lasater, Vice President for Development

A motion was made and duly seconded to elect the above officers of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums to a term of one year.  There was no discussion among Trustees.  There was no public testimony. The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to elect the above three Vice Presidents to a term of one year.

D.  Consideration and Possible Action to Elect the Members of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco to a Term of One Year

Trustee Lasater presented the slate of members for election to the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco for a term of one year:

Carol N. Bonnie
David H. S. Chung, Vice President for Finance
Penny Coulter
Juliet de Baubigny
Belva Davis, Vice President
Frederick M. Goltz
Cynthia Fry Gunn
Kathryn Lasater, Vice President for Development
Carl Pascarella
Louise H. Renne
Jeana Toney
Trevor D. Traina
Lisa Zanze

A motion was made and duly seconded to elect the above members of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees to a term of one year.  There was no discussion among Trustees.  There was no public testimony.  The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to elect the above members of the Executive Committee to a term of one year.

It was noted that the President and three Vice Presidents serve on the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of
San Francisco.

E. Consideration and Possible Action to Adopt a Resolution Setting the Number of Trustee Positions

The following resolution setting the number of Trustee positions was read by Trustee Lasater:

WHEREAS, The San Francisco Charter, Section 5.105, provides for a variable number of Trustees; and

WHEREAS, The Charter sets the number of Trustees at no more than sixty-two (62), with the exact number to be set by the Board of Trustees from time to time; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco does hereby set the number of Trustees at forty-six (46) until such number is changed by this Board.

A motion was made and duly seconded to adopt the above resolution setting the number of Trustee positions at forty-six (46).  There was no discussion among Trustees.  There was no public testimony.  The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt the above resolution as Board Resolution 1698.

IV.

Report of the President – Diane B. Wilsey

A.  Consideration and Possible Action to Approve the Minutes of the June 17, 2010 Meeting of the Board of Trustees

There being no discussion among the Trustees or members of the public, the minutes of the June 17, 2010 meeting of the Board of Trustees, having been mailed in advance to all Trustees, were unanimously approved.

B.  Consideration and Possible Action to Approve the Minutes of the September 30, 2010 Special Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees in Joint Session with the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums Foundation and the Acquisitions Committee

There being no discussion among the Trustees or members of the public, the minutes of the September 30, 2010 special meeting of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, in joint session with the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums Foundation and the Acquisitions Committee, having been mailed in advance to all Trustees, were unanimously approved.

C.  Consideration and Possible Action to Approve the Report of the September 30, 2010 Acquisitions Committee Meeting – George Hecksher, Vice President for Collections and Chair of the Acquisitions Committee

Chair Hecksher provided the following report of the September 30, 2010 meeting of the Acquisitions Committee of the Fine Arts Museums Foundation, which immediately followed the special joint meeting noted above:

1.  Purchases

Chair Hecksher called on John E. Buchanan, Jr., Director of Museums, to present a major purchase, Secrétaire à abattant / Fall Front Writing Desk, 1763, by Bernard II Vanrisamburgh, known as B.V.R.B.[2]  Mr. Buchanan extended appreciation to Martin Chapman, Curator of European Decorative Arts and Sculpture, and Maria Santangelo, Assistant Curator, for their work in evaluating the Department holdings, recommending artworks for deaccessioning, and upgrading the European Decorative Arts collection.  He also recognized Trustee Adolphus Andrews and Chair Hecksher for their support of this deaccessioning effort.

The Secrétaire à abattant / Fall Front Writing Desk is a very fine example of craftsmanship and design.  It complements several pieces by B.V.R.B., who is regarded as the finest cabinet maker during the reign of King Louis XV.  The Secrétaire is an upright desk with a fall front, enclosing five drawers, elaborated with a flora marquetry which B.V.R.B. invented, and complemented with highly refined gilt bronze mounts.  It is one of two commissioned by King Louis XV for presentation to the King of Spain and to the Duchess of Parma.

There is a clear provenance for this work, from the time it was built to the time it came to the Museums.  It is stamped by the merchant who sold it, and it comes to the Museums with the bill of sale to the Earl of Coventry, dated September 9, 1763, who purchased it for the tapestry room of Croome Court.  Two of the tapestries are part of the holdings of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Chair Hecksher advised that the Acquisitions Committee also approved the purchase of Trial Proof for Keith, 1972, a mezzotint by Chuck Close, subject to the availability of funds at the end of six months, or March 31, 2011.  If funding is secured, this purchase will be presented at a future meeting of the Board of Trustees.

These two purchases are listed on page 1 of Appendix I of these minutes.

2.  Gifts

Chair Hecksher acknowledged a generous gift of three important objects to the Africa, Oceana and the Americas Collection:  Half-figure of a man on a prestige stool, 19^th-20^th century, Mbete people; Seated Male Figure with Missing Hands and Shanks Cut into Prongs, 20^th century, Probably Northern Yaunde-Fang people; andFace Mask, 20^th century, Galwa or Mpongwe people

In addition, the following gifts were noted:  a) Untitled, by William Theophilus Brown (American, b. 1919), a gift from two Trustees; b) Chief Garfield – Jicarilla, plate 21 from portfolio 1 of The North American Indian, 1904 – 1907, by Edward Sheriff Curtis, also a gift from a Trustee; c) a gift of 102 artworks by various artists from the Crown Point Press for the Crown Point Press Archive, which was acquired in 1991; as part of this major gift/purchase, the Museums acquire through donation by Crown Point Press an impression of every edition that the Press publishes; d) three works on paper gifted by a Fine Arts Museums curator, and another work on paper given in honor of Curator Karin Breuer; and e) a bequest of three 19^th century Chinese robes to the Textiles Department.

Chair Hecksher reported that the Acquisitions Committee recommends the acceptance of 126 works of art from 16 donors.  He expressed sincere appreciation to all the donors.  The gifts offered to the Museums by the Fine Arts Museums Foundation are listed on pages 2 - 4 of Appendix I of these minutes.

3.  Funded Purchase 

The artwork listed on page 5 of Appendix I of these minutes, Suite for Mount Washington #19, 2007, by Patrick Wilson, was recommended to the Board of Trustees for purchase approval.

The following resolution was then introduced:

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco does hereby approve the appended September 30, 2010 report of the Acquisitions Committee of the Fine Arts Museums Foundation, including approving the works of art acquired through purchase, donation, and bequest as gifts to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco from the Fine Arts Museums Foundation.

On motion, duly seconded, there was no discussion among Trustees.  There was no public testimony.  The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt the above resolution as Board Resolution 1699.

D.  Consideration and Possible Action to Approve a Leave of Absence for a Period of One Year for Trustee Monica Maduro

President Wilsey reported that Monica Maduro has temporarily relocated to Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, and has requested a one year leave of absence as Trustee of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.  On motion, duly seconded, there was no discussion among Trustees.  There was no public testimony. The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve a leave of absence for a period of one year for Trustee Monica Maduro.

E.  Consideration and Possible Action to Adopt a Resolution Setting the Dates of the 2011 Meetings of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

President Wilsey presented the subsequent resolution setting the dates of the 2011 meetings of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco:

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco does hereby set the following dates, times, and locations for its 2011 regular meetings:

Date TimeLocation
Thursday, January 27               3 p.m.      Piazzoni Murals Room, de Young
Thursday, April 28                     3 p.m.      Board Room, Legion of Honor
Thursday, June 23                     3 p.m.      Board Room, Legion of Honor
Thursday, October 27               3 p.m.      Piazzoni Murals Room, de Young

On motion, duly seconded, there was no discussion among the Trustees.  There was no public testimony.  The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt the above resolution as Board Resolution 1700.

F.  Consideration and Possible Action to Adopt a Resolution Setting the Dates of the 2011 Meetings of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

President Wilsey presented the subsequent resolution setting the dates of the 2011 meetings of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco:

RESOLVED, That the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco does hereby set the following dates, times, and locations for its 2011 regular meetings:

Date TimeLocation
Tuesday, March 22                    3 p.m.      Piazzoni Murals Room, de Young
Thursday, May 26                      3 p.m.      Board Room, Legion of Honor
Thursday, September 22           3 p.m.      Board Room, Legion of Honor
Tuesday, December 13             3 p.m.      Piazzoni Murals Room, de Young

On motion, duly seconded, there was no discussion among the Trustees.  There was no public testimony.  The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt the above resolution as Board Resolution 1701.

V.

Report of the Director – John E. Buchanan, Jr.

A.  Consideration and Possible Action to Approve a Loan Request

Mr. Buchanan presented the following loan request

From:    Cincinnati Museum of Art, Cincinnati, Ohio

For:        Thomas Gainsborough and the Modern Woman
                Cincinnati Museum of Art, Cincinnati, OH: 9/18/10 - 1/2/11
                San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, CA: 1/29/11 - 5/1/11

                Thomas Gainsborough (British, 1727 - 1788)
                Mrs. Maria Anne Fitzherbert, 1784
                Oil on canvas, 29 7/8 x 25 in.  (75.9 x 63.5 cm)
                Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Museum

                Purchase,Mildred Anna Williams Collection
                1941.9

                Stipulations:

                Approval of the addition of a second venue is now required. The painting

                must be accompanied by a FAMSF courier to Cincinnati and return from

                San Diego, and must be part of a couriered shipment between the

                venues.  All related expenses will be paid by the requesting

                organization.

A motion was made and seconded to approve the loan request noted above. There was no discussion among Trustees.  There was no public testimony. The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the loan, subject to the conditions stated.

B.   Consideration and Possible Action to Adopt a Resolution Acknowledging Funding Expended by the Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums During the Period April 1 through June 30, 2010

The city’s Sunshine Ordinance requires the Fine Arts Museums to disclose the amount and source of all gifts received.  Mr. Buchanan presented the following resolution, which acknowledges funding expended by the Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums for the period April 1 through June 30, 2010.

WHEREAS, The Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation that exists to support the activities of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco does hereby acknowledge with gratitude funding in the amount of $8,420,283 expended by the Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums for operations during the period April 1 through June 30, 2010.

On motion, duly seconded, there was no discussion among the Trustees.  There was no public testimony.  The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt the above resolution as Board Resolution 1702.

C.  Consideration and Possible Action to Adopt a Resolution Acknowledging Bequests of Funds Received During the Period April 1 through June 30, 2010

In accordance with the city’s Sunshine Ordinance, bequests received by the Fine Arts Museums must also be disclosed.  Mr. Buchanan introduced the following resolution acknowledging the subsequent bequests of funds received by the Museums during the period April 1 through June 30, 2010:

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco does hereby acknowledge the following bequests of funds received during the period April 1 through June 30, 2010:

William E. Wynn, Jr., Charitable Remainder Trust, $3,185.71
William E. Winn, Jr., Living Trust, $4,395.40

On motion, duly seconded, there was no discussion among Trustees. There was no public testimony. The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt the above resolution as Board Resolution 1703.

D.  Presentation of the Annual Report on the Education Programs at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010 – Sheila Pressley, Director of Education

Mr. Buchanan extended praise and appreciation to Sheila Pressley, Director of Education, and her staff for their efforts in planning and organizing the high quality programs the Museums offer to the public.  He introduced Ms. Pressley, who presented the appended Annual Report on the Education Programs at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010. 

Ms. Pressley provided an overview of the Fiscal Year 2009-2010 education program, which served 361,592 visitors, ranging from children as young as 3 ½ years old, to students from kindergarten through college, seasoned arts enthusiasts, educators, community members, and scholars.  This represents an increase of 129,078 participants from the previous year. 

K-12 school visitation increased from 51,000 to slightly over 131,000 students.  The increase is directly related to the 86,000 students who visited the King Tut exhibition.  Program staff and docents worked diligently to meet this demand, creating curriculum and tours connecting the exhibition to classroom social studies standards. Adult public program attendance grew from 171,000 to 204,000, largely due to the free Tut weekend sponsored by Target and increased public programming at the Legion of Honor.

Cultural Encounters programming at the de Young (Friday Nights and the Artists’ Studio) is designed to present different approaches through which visitors can view art and to encourage connections with new audiences.  Last year, the Education Department produced 45 different Friday Night at the de Young programs.  Each was a celebration of the permanent collections and special exhibitions, complete with live music, lectures, demonstrations, tours, and hands on art-making. 

The Cultural Encounters Program has been funded for the past three years by both a Wallace Excellence Award and an Irvine Artistic Innovation Award.  These grants recognize the pioneering nature of the Museums’ public programming.  This past year the Museums received a second Irvine Artistic Innovation Award to continue work engaging new audiences through the establishment of an Artist Fellows Program, which will provide year long residencies to local artists.

The Irvine Foundation, which has granted the Museums $800,000 in funding over the next 3 ½ years, retained EMCArts, an arts evaluation organization, to document the education effort at the Fine Arts Museums.  Ms. Pressley read a quote from Richard Evans, President of EMCArts:

“The bar for second grants is very high.  To date, only 6 grantees (out of 17 awarded innovation grants) have received a second grant.  …  Clearly, the de Young's track record of working hard to learn real lessons from the Cultural Encounters program, and of using those lessons to inform changes and new directions for the program, is seen as exemplary, and of great value to the field. The Irvine Artistic Innovation Fund program aims to support field leaders in innovation, so that their achievements - and their struggles - can inform "next practices" in the rapidly changing arts sector.  There's no doubt that the de Young's work is at the leading edge in this regard.”

Ms. Pressley acknowledged Renée Baldocchi, Director of Public Programs, as being instrumental to the success of the Museums’ public programs.  She concluded her remarks with thanks to the Development Department for their fundraising assistance, to the curators for their artistic vision and guidance, and to the Board of Trustees and Director of Museums for their continued support.

VI.

Public Comment

Members of the public may address the Board of Trustees on items within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.  Speakers may address the Board for up to three minutes; the President or the Board of Trustees may limit the total comment to thirty minutes.  There was no public comment.

VII.

Meeting Schedule, Future Events and Current and Future Exhibits

A.  2011 Board of Trustees Meetings

B.  2010 Executive Committee Meeting

C.  2011 Executive Committee Meetings

D.  Future Events

E.  Current and Future Exhibitions[3]

Legion of Honor - Major Special Exhibitions

de Young Museum -  Major Special Exhibitions

VIII.

Adjournment in Memory of Former Trustee George Saxe - Diane B. Wilsey, President

There being no further business, President Wilsey adjourned the meeting at 3:55 p.m. in memory of former Trustee George Saxe.

Respectfully submitted,

Judy Gough
Executive Secretary, Museums

Note:  These minutes set forth all actions taken up by the Board of Trustees on matters stated, but not necessarily in the order in which they were considered.