Individuals collect within the atrium of the Paul J. Schupf Artwork Middle in downtown Waterville on Thursday. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
I believe Paul J. Schupf could be happy with the brand new arts middle that bears his identify in downtown Waterville.
Let me rephrase that: I do know he would.
On Sunday, a dismal, grey, slushy January day in central Maine as my husband and I contemplated what to do with our free time, we determined it was time he had a tour of the brand new middle.
We had been greeted inside by a cheerful younger girl on the field workplace after which checked out Bixby Chocolate Cafe which affords the whole lot from chocolate croissants to chocolate sweet — even chocolate puffins in a field. We stood by the large glass wall overlooking Castonguay Sq. and a wintry downtown.
Paul J. Schupf
We visited the artwork galleries, climbed the large staircase to the second flooring and ducked inside Studio 1902 the place a Waterville Opera Home rehearsal was to start out. We wandered up the glass skywalk resulting in the Opera Home foyer.
We perused the cinemas and chatted briefly with an affable attendant on the concession stand whereas inhaling the aroma of freshly popped corn. We regarded out onto Major Avenue by means of a wall of home windows.
That is what Schupf needed when he determined to assist fund the middle: a welcoming, inclusive, vibrant and accessible artwork middle within the coronary heart of downtown to which everyone seems to be invited, freed from cost.
Schupf, of Hamilton, New York, died of most cancers within the winter of 2019 at 82. He was an artwork collector, a longtime Colby Faculty benefactor and an emeritus trustee of the school.
After I spoke with Schupf in April that yr, he had simply dedicated what Colby President David Greene described as a “outstanding reward” to the long run $18 million arts middle that might be named for Schupf and to which many different donors contributed. Schupf advised me on the time that he didn’t need to disclose the precise quantity he gave, as he didn’t need to slight different schools he gifted.
He was a captivating man and an enticing conversationalist. We spoke for about two hours by telephone as he sat in one in every of his side-by-side homes constructed within the 1830s. They had been stuffed with artwork and 25,000 artwork books, he mentioned. He consumed the whole lot art-related and it was essential to him that individuals of all walks of life and experiences additionally find out about and have entry to artwork, a ardour that fed his determination to donate to the humanities middle in Waterville.
His relationship with Waterville began in 1985 when he visited town as a complete stranger, not figuring out anybody and by no means having set foot contained in the Colby Museum of Artwork. That modified shortly when he met then-Colby President William Cotter, who embraced Schupf’s concepts about up to date artwork — concepts faculty presidents elsewhere had dismissed, Schupf advised me.
A local of Belgium, Schupf lived in Singapore earlier than his household settled in New Rochelle, New York. He had developed a love for artwork and attended Colgate College, graduating in 1958, and later turned a trustee and trustee emeritus and main donor to that college.
Colby Faculty college students Tori Fischer, left, and Fiona Vail full homework on the second flooring of the Paul J. Schupf Artwork Middle in downtown Waterville on Thursday. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
“I’m keen about artwork, and in 1985 I had an excellent assortment of Alex Katz,” he mentioned. “Any person instructed Colby and Bowdoin may do a joint summer season exhibition completely of my works of Alex Katz. The director of Bowdoin Faculty’s museum had little interest in Alex Katz. (Former Colby Museum director) Hugh Gourley III was very thinking about his work. I went as much as Mayflower Hill for the primary time, and I used to be very taken by Colby Museum.”
Schupf confirmed a few of his art work at Colby and ultimately donated a fund to call a wing on the museum for Katz and present his works there. Whereas different schools had been “scared of progressive and disruptive concepts,” Cotter beloved them and inspired Schupf in his efforts, he mentioned. Schupf donated quite a few Katz and different artists’ works to Colby, developed many friendships in Waterville and visited the campus three or 4 occasions a yr.
In 2017, he met Greene, with whom he mentioned he developed a rare skilled relationship and friendship. Having stage 4 most cancers on the time, Schupf needed to, and did, create a summer season internship for Colby science and pre-med college students involving Memorial Sloan Kettering Most cancers Middle in New York Metropolis. Thus, the Paul J. Schupf Colby Faculty/Sloan Kettering Internship was created. He additionally additionally created the Paul J. Schupf Scientific Computing Middle and Lorey Schupf Handbell Choir.
Schupf mentioned that, throughout one in every of his lengthy talks with Greene, Greene requested what he considered having a museum presence in downtown Waterville. Schupf was delighted with the thought.
Imane Joumaa, going through digital camera, talks with Tricia Yang whereas sitting within the Paul J. Schupf Artwork Middle in downtown Waterville on Thursday. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
“I mentioned, ‘terrific,’ and that might be completely good as a result of some Waterville persons are slightly bit intimidated about going as much as Mayflower Hill,” Schupf advised me. “Having a presence downtown could be extraordinary for town of Waterville, and that led to a dialogue concerning the artwork constructing.”
Although he would by no means get to see the manifestation of his imaginative and prescient for the Paul J. Schupf Artwork Middle which opened final month, Schupf was excited to know it will turn into actuality and profit everybody, no matter standing.
“The response to this has been actually outstanding and I absolutely perceive how impactful that is to the neighborhood, to Colby, to Colby college students and to Mid-Maine and Maine usually,” Schupf mentioned throughout our interview.
At any time when I cross by or go to the middle now, I consider him and our speak — and marvel on the priceless legacy he left to all of us.
Amy Calder has been a Morning Sentinel reporter 34 years. Her columns seem right here weekly. She could also be reached at [email protected]. For earlier Reporting Apart columns, go to centralmaine.com.
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