Esprit de Corps is the Burchfield-Penney Art Center's annual event which honors individuals and organizations for their commitment, outstanding leadership, and support. Honored at a reception on Wednesday, June 20 at the Burchfield-Penney Art Center were:

Sylvia L. Rosen: Sylvia L. Rosen – artist, educator, patron, friend. At the Burchfield-Penney, it is difficult to identify one thing that makes Sylvia Rosen the person whom she is. Her celadon porcelain works are found in the collection of the Burchfield-Penney Art Center, The Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art and many other public and private collections. Her love and respect for Craft Art led to the establishment of the Sylvia L. Rosen Endowment for Fine Arts in the Craft Media more than two decades ago. Sylvia’s name not only adorns the Burchfield-Penney craft gallery, but it made possible the biennial Western New York craft exhibition, the only exhibition of its kind in our region.

Chuck Mancuso: A professor at Buffalo State College for decades, Chuck Mancuso’s History of Rock n’ Roll class is legendary – as is his position in Western New York’s music community. Chuck has lent his love of music to the Burchfield-Penney Art Center’s Happy Hours, coordinating the entertainment and adding his unique charm and genuine good nature to the events. As “Champagne Charlie,” Chuck has supported the Burchfield-Penney throughout the years, hosting legendary Artful Table events annually. Chuck’s support of the museum comes in all forms – as a member, donor, supporter – as an artist, educator, producer and great friend.

Monica Angle: Monica Angle was elected to the Burchfield-Penney’s Board of Trustees in 2005. An artist and educator, Monica has shared her expertise both as a board member as well as leading the education committee for the new museum. Monica not only supports the Burchfield-Penney with her time and talent; she is a true believer in the museum, its unique mission and place in Western New York arts. Monica is not a native Western New Yorker, although her husband Sam Magavern is from Buffalo; both she and Sam are advocates for the arts and the importance of art as part of a larger cultural fabric. The Burchfield-Penney is extremely fortunate to have Monica is part of its family.

Buffalo Spree: Buffalo Spree magazine showcases the best of Buffalo and Western New York. Through its extensive coverage of what makes this community a wonderful place to live, the magazine is a wonderful ambassador – and its support of the arts provides culturals a forum to showcase exhibitions for a large audience. The Burchfield-Penney is very pleased to have an ongoing relationship with Buffalo Spree as the museum’s official media sponsor. The exposure that this relationship provides the museum is extremely valuable, especially at this time as the Burchfield-Penney prepares to move to its new museum building in 2008.

Buffalo State College Campus Services: The Burchfield-Penney Art Center is grateful to Buffalo State College Campus Services team for its support of the museum. Whether it is transporting artwork, moving furniture, cleaning the galleries or maintaining mechanical infrastructure, the campus services team always lends a helping hand. Professional, courteous, responsive and friendly, members of this department consistently rise to any occasion to assist museum staff.

J. Warren Perry and Charles Donald Perry Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo: Charles E. Burchfield hand wrote more than 10,000 pages of journals, a priceless glimpse into the mind, heart and soul of the artist. The J. Warren Perry and Charles Donald Perry Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo provided a critical grant to begin the laborious process of transcribing Burchfield’s words. Once completed, this project will make these treasures available to art historians and Burchfield enthusiasts around the world via the Internet. Warren Perry’s personal support of the Burchfield-Penney Art Center is not limited to the support of the memorial fund. In 1992, he donated ten prints by Amos W. Sangster entitled Niagara Fall to Lake Ontario (1882 – 1886), adding this historic record to the museum’s collections.

About the Burchfield-Penney Art Center

The Burchfield-Penney Art Center is a museum dedicated to the art and vision of Charles E. Burchfield and distinguished artists of Buffalo Niagara and Western New York State. Through its affiliation with Buffalo State College, the museum encourages learning and celebrates our richly creative and diverse community. For more information, contact the Burchfield-Penney Art Center at 716 878 6011 or visit www.burchfield-penney.org.

The new 75,000 square foot Burchfield-Penney, designed by Gwathmey Siegel and Associates Architects, is scheduled to open in the spring of 2008. The two-story building will be the Burchfield-Penney’s first free-standing home and have a major presence on Elmwood Avenue in the heart of Buffalo’s Museum District.

The Burchfield-Penney Art Center is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is supported in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts and Erie County. Additional operating support is provided by Buffalo State College, the Elizabeth Elser Doolittle Trust, the James Carey Evans Endowment, the Mary A. H. Rumsey Foundation and charitable contributions by museum members and visitors. Media sponsor: Buffalo Spree.