Executive Summary
Marla Pietrowski
Her passion for French decorative art and her desire to share the wealth of knowledge gleaned from more than two decades of experience traveling abroad has lead to the inspiration and formation of Art Masters in the School. Through her numerous years of travel Ms. Pietrowski became increasingly aware of the difficulty that many museums are having in attracting minorities and especially children, to see their vast collections. She found this aspect disturbing, not just because of the economic impact for museums, but more importantly, because of the impact this had on minorities. Museums are cultural institutions which have in their power the opportunity to bridge the barriers which separate us as human beings. Through their collection of art, inherently museums are able to exhibit creativity and compassion. Through perceived reflections in paintings, they are able to instill self-confidence and cultural appreciation. However, this is an impossible task if they cannot get people to these institutions. With this concept in mind, Art Masters was formed.
Portrait, Ralph Wolfe Cowan, 2006
Ms. Pietrowski is an avid collector of French decorative art and currently holds a substantial collection of fine items representative of the period. In addition, she has written a book that is both entertaining and extremely informative, titled “The Beginner’s Guide to 18th Century French Decorative Art,” which will be published later this year. Originally from a small town in the United States, she did not have exposure to fine art. However, early on she was given an opportunity to travel as a Pan Am flight attendant and visit many of the world’s greatest museums. Through this experience her passion for 18th century French art was developed. She has lived in London for a number of years and while there studied art history at Sotheby’s Institute of Art. More recently, she lived in Geneva where she worked for Christie’s auction house. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education, and a Master’s of Science in Organization Development. Her professional qualifications and expertise have been forged through experience in different sectors including education, the services industry, national and international business and decorative arts. She has worked in Washington, D.C. at the Hillwood Museum and at the Washington National Cathedral. More recently, and in connection with this project, Ms. Pietrowski has returned to the United States and presently resides in New Jersey.