Danforth Art to Celebrate the Life and Legacy of Founder Paul Marks on February 12

FRAMINGHAM – Framingham State University’s Danforth Art Museum is holding a special event on Saturday, February 12 to celebrate the life and legacy of founder Paul Marks, who passed away on April 20, 2020.

A variety of speakers will highlight the indelible and lasting contributions Marks made to the arts and community life of MetroWest and to his friends and family, including most notably, through his founding 47 years ago of the Danforth Art Museum and School.

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Speakers will include: Dr. F. Javier Cevallos, President, Framingham State University, Jessica Roscio, Director and Curator, Danforth Museum of Art, his daughters Robbin and Tracey Marks, his grandson, Sam Zabronsky, his cousin, Jerry Hirschberg, and his friend, Peter Mitchell.

The Danforth Art Museum and School was established in 1975, bringing to fruition the dream of Paul Marks, a Framingham businessman, to establish an art museum in MetroWest, which had few such assets at that time. Marks brought together and drove the efforts of a committed group of community members to establish art exhibitions, museum programs, and studio art classes.

Essential to the Danforth’s founding was a unique collaboration with Framingham State College, led by Justin McCarthy, President of Framingham State College. This partnership continued over the years, culminating in 2018 with a merger with Framingham State University to become the Danforth Art
Museum at Framingham State University and the Danforth Art School at Framingham State University.

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Though Marks created a lasting legacy with the creation of the museum, he also had many other accomplishments as a successful businessman, Chancellor of Higher Education for the state of Massachusetts, as a published scholar and lecturer on the artist James McNeal Whistler, and as president of Montserrat College of Art.

He was also a member of Framingham’s town meeting and served as a trustee and President of the University of Massachusetts Foundation. He received honorary doctorates from Framingham State University and the University of Massachusetts for his contributions.

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In full transparency, above is a press release submitted to SOURCE media.

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