Dear Mary Poerner
After reading a copy of your letter addressed to Tom Torak, I felt I had to write you.
I, too, am a Life Member and have been coming long before Joanne Kuebler’s time at the League. I don’t know if you were here when Rosina Florio, Executive Director was governing the League with a Board of Control for many years. Her sudden passing away threw a major wrench and loss into the workings that kept the League administratively viable. I knew Frank Mason who had begun to study at the League I believe when he was a young boy. Frank was devoted to the League and was one of the longtime, devoted Instructors.
The current Executive Director and team brought the League through many rough and challenging times. We have survived them pretty well considering. Things are not perfect and there are many things I personally don’t agree with but trust they wlll be addressed and worked through despite the 2025 Group’s distraction.
I’m sure you are fully aware that this 2025 Group has cost the League Members nearly one million dollars plus much manpower hours and unnecessary upset and distraction. To me this is not love or devotion for the League. Of course, we need to agree to disagree and work together which does not cost anything except our care and time all without going to lawyers, judges and endless paperwork.
The 2025 Group’s intentions appear to be extremely questionable, self-serving and destructive when you especially consider someone is benefiting from this attention and suit. There is a true ugliness in this situation. There have always been “politics” at the League but this group has really taken it way down to a low.
What’s happening has nothing to do with art or art education or bettering the League. If we all work together, the League will survive and have a future…..having to spend huge amounts of money from “our pockets” to “prove” in a court of law is absolutely outrageous, a very ordinary and common way when there’s disagreement and you know that. Nothing creative here.
I know you mean well. I wish you well.
Respectfully,
Phyllis Malinow Palumbo
Instructors, Students, Members and Friends of the Art Students League 