How that tiny museum got all that art

Valparaiso University, in Valparaiso, Indiana, is a small college, less than 4,000 students small.  But inside that less-than-a-mile campus is the Brauer, a seven galleried museum located inside the Valparaiso University Center for the Arts, which is home to an impressive collection of over 3,300 works of art.  

Ranging from regional to famous artists, like Ansel Adams, Ivan Albright, Salvador Dali, Georgia O'Keefe and Pablo Picasso, to name a few, the Brauer Museum of Art is a small place that boasts big talent.

The Brauer specifies in 19th-20th century American art, world religious art and Midwestern/regional art, paintings, sculptures, drawings, print and photographs- from Asher B. Durand to Andy Warhol. The university was lucky at the start and received a donation from Percy Sloan in 1953, son of famed Midwestern artist, Junius Sloan, of over 200 of his father's paintings to be used as educational tools along with an endowment to purchase more art.  

That endowment is just one way the museum, which is run by only two people, Gloria Ruff, Registrar/Assistant Curator and Gregg Hertzlieb Director/Curator, acquires money for new art, exhibits, and events.

"We get the artwork either as gifts or we buy it. We have donors that give us money to buy something specific or they will just give us the artwork," Ruff said.

  

However, the process isn't as simple as that, and often times, gifts aren't pieces of desire.  "When something is given to us as a gift we have a collection committee it must go through, four professors, a person from the community, and Gregg and myself.  We look at things like will we use it and also storage and conservation issues.  A lot of times the things we get are clunkers.”  

The Brauer also gets grants, endowments and monetary donations to help purchase art at auctions, which are great places to obtain art.  "Our collection needs are many and varied, and much art exists in the market that appeals to us and suits our needs," Hertzlieb said.  These funds also go to help book traveling exhibits and artist appearances that are used for events like student coffee hours and gallery talks, where the public can also come in to hear from artists.

Much of what is displayed is on loan or borrowed from another museum to go along with an exhibit. "We have some paintings on extended loan and what we do is cover the insurance. For the short loans we do borrow pieces from here and there to go with an exhibit we’re having," Ruff said.  "Other places will borrow from us as well and that’s another great way to get word out about the museum."

But the most creative way of gaining exposure for the museum also gives back to students.

"We have exhibitions of regional high school art as well as Valparaiso University student work," Hertzlieb said.  "Both give campus and community members an idea of what young people are creating."  The student shows not only showcase young talent, but they also bring in exposure and awareness for the museum.  "The high school contest brings in a lot of families to see their kids' work and they find out about the museum," Ruff said.

Hertzlieb and Ruff are also working to try new marketing techniques with their advertising group. "The New Integrated Marketing and Communications Group wants to do more online things, like Facebook. We're also trying to get all our images in the collection digitalized," Ruff said. 

Running the Brauer Museum may at times be difficult and time consuming, however Hertzlieb and Ruff are happy to do it.  "Here, you can come in even if you only have 15 minutes and look at one thing, that's so valuable,” Ruff said.  "I hope students and faculty come in and wander."