[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 9079]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   WOLF KAHN AND EMILY MASON GALLERY

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, it is a delight to call the attention of 
the Senate to the generosity and vision of Wolf Kahn and Emily Mason, 
whose longstanding commitment to the communities of southern Vermont is 
being commemorated with the dedication of the Wolf Kahn and Emily Mason 
Gallery at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center. While nationally and 
internationally recognized as accomplished artists, it is Wolf's and 
Emily's selfless contributions to their neighbors and their community 
that makes me the most proud to call them Vermonters.
  The works of local painters, sculptors, musicians, photographers, and 
authors enrich Vermont's culture throughout the beautiful Green 
Mountain State. Displaying their creations in community venues, from 
libraries to coffee shops, artists working in all mediums enrich our 
lives, deepen our pride in our communities and strengthen our bond with 
Vermont, its landscape, its beauty and its cultural heritage. Anyone 
who has contemplated a painting in a museum or examined an original 
manuscript or composition, and has gained a greater understanding of 
both the artist and the subject as a result, knows the power and 
importance of these works in our lives.
  Since 1968, Wolf and Emily have spent the summers and autumns in West 
Brattleboro, VT, where the landscape provides them inspiration for 
countless paintings and drawings. Wolf and Emily's love of Vermont, 
however, does not end with the environment our State offers to create 
their work. They carry their passion into the community, to create 
equally rich experiences for other artists and the general public. 
Forty years ago, Wolf and Emily were instrumental in the formation of 
the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center. Over the ensuing decades, they 
have offered invaluable guidance and advice, and helped the Museum and 
Art Center establish important connections with the broader art world. 
They have also played a crucial role and offered the same unwavering 
support in the creation of the Vermont Studio Center--a working studio 
space where artists and writers from across the country and the world 
descend upon Johnson, VT, to immerse themselves in their work. Today 
these two organizations are not only flourishing, but they are also 
firmly embedded in Vermont's rich participation in the arts. The 
success of these programs is a true credit to Wolf and Emily's 
continued support throughout the years. They truly are energy givers, 
infusing all around them with their enthusiasm and sense of 
possibility.
  Wolf and Emily have lived in Vermont, but they also have enriched the 
quality of life for all Vermonters by generously lending their hands 
and their talent to a number of institutions in Vermont--from cultural 
experiences, to supporting the basic needs of our most vulnerable 
community members. Their positive impact will be felt in Vermont for 
generations to come.

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