Barbara Singer 1943-2000 Activist, Art Lover, Dealer, Patron, Wife, Mother, Friend, are all were Barbara Singer. Most of us knew her as the force behind Barbara Singer Fine Art. Although she represented such well known artists as Maud Morgan, Rob Moore, Todd McKee, she was one of the exceptionally few commercial dealers in Boston who also represented many artists who were just starting out. Marty Epp, Laura DiMeo, Hannah Burr, Sarah Williams, and Stephanie Chubbuck are just a few who got their start in the commercial gallery world via Barbara. Barbara worked hard for her artists, not only by selling their work, but also making sure they got into the collections, shows, residences, and guest lecture series that would help them in their careers and art making. She also worked to get them commissions. She felt strongly that her artists needed as much time in their studios as possible, and she worked ot make that possible. Her gallery and its artists had its lion share of regular reviews as well. By the dint of the same commitment, her gallery and its artists also have enjoyed a lion’s share of regular critical reviews. Never did Barbara interfere with the creative process of her artists. She would however be honest with the artists if she could sell the work in her “market”. She was, after all, running a commercial gallery with a nonprofit heart. Barbara was an overachiever. To feel that she did her job well, she needed to sell the majority of the work she was presenting. If she didn’t sell work, she felt that she let the artist down. Often times to her she needed dot sell the entire show or the majority of the work to feel she did her job. Never did she blame the work or the artist for the lack of sales. It was important to Barbara that she cared for the art she showed and the people who made it. She often spoke of how she loved living with the art she showed Her care of both Maud Morgan and Maud’s work is memorable. Barbara and her family, were in essence, Maud’s extended family, and they helped her with the demands of daily living. Barbara was instrumental in keeping Maud’s legacy alive thorough the establishing of the MFA’s Maud Morgan prize in 1993, an annual prize now given to a mid-career Massachusetts woman artist. But Barbara took care of her other artists much in the same way. I remember her buying food for one artist who was sick with the flu and driving them to the doctor. Barbara always made an effort to get out and see work- in the schools, at other galleries and alternative spaces, and at the museums. When she and I went to look at shows at nonprofit spaces, I remember her saying quite often, “I love this installation- I wish I could show it!” She would take the time to talk and encourage artists,even those whose work she couldn’t show or those artists who were already represented by other galleries. She especially made time for younger artists. At her receptions, which were always crowded, both her husband, Lenny and her daughter Jessica were always on hand. Once you became apart of Barbara Singer Fine art you became part of her family. Barbara believed that art should be in the public's hearts and minds. Through her work as a board member of the Cambridge Center for Adult Education, she helped to further strengthen their art programs and offerings. She was also a very active member of the Artists Foundation’s advisory board. To many the news that Barbara Singer had died in January came as a complete shock. Barbara didn’t tell many she was ill for not wanting to burden others with her illness. I hope she knew that people would never think of her as a burden. I also hope she knew how much she will be missed and that she will not be forgotten. Marty Epp recently told me that she didn’t know who she was going to paint for anymore and Lenny Singer said to her “ you are still going to be painting for Barbara”. -Kathleen Bitetti February 2000 Remembrances in her name may be made to the Barbara Singer Memorial Fund, Cambridge Center for Adult Education, 42 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. www.ccae.org The fund was used to establish the Barbara Singer Artist Award. This annual award, given by the Cambridge Center on the recommendation of the family, is intended to focus public and critical attention on a Massachusetts artist whose work should be more widely known. The Award ws first given to Laura Donaldson in 2001 and was recently given to Jeffrey Heyne in 2002.