Rydell Visual Arts Fellowship
Honor the legacy of Roy and Frances Rydell and the creativity of Santa Cruz County in an exhibition featuring the 2020-2021 Rydell Visual Arts Fund recipients, Ann Altstatt, Marc D'Estout, Cid Pearlman, and Edward Ramirez.
In 1985, Roy and Frances Rydell established the Roy and Frances Rydell Visual Arts Fund to promote local visual artists and arts organizations. Following their passing, their estate was bequeathed to the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County, with the proceeds of the sale helping to grow the fund to its current level of over $2 million.
Now in its 14th year, the fellowship program continues to honor the wishes and intent of the Rydells and has awarded $600,000 directly to local artists.
Opening at the MAH, we're proud to be showcasing the 2020-2021 Rydell Visual Arts Fund recipients Ann Altstatt, Marc D'Estout, Cid Pearlman, and Edward Ramirez. The exhibition looks to showcase and celebrates the creativity of Santa Cruz County while honoring the legacy of Roy and Frances Rydell.
To learn more about the Rydell fellows, please view the exhibition catalogue. Hard copies are available for purchase at the museum.
"Beauty in the home, in the garden, and in the community." -Roy & Frances Rydell
About the Rydells
Roy and Frances Rydell arrived in Santa Cruz in 1947 from Hollywood, California, drawn by its rural beauty. Roy, an architect and artist, and Frances, an animal lover bought the old Oceanview School in Bonny Doon, which they restored, expanded, and filled with their varied creative interests. They became active in the community, supporting organizations such as the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History where Roy was a key fundraiser in the mid-1980s. The Rydells were also early advocates of the Community Foundation and in 1985, started our first donor-advised fund. Understanding the importance of a permanent resource for visual artists, they established the Roy and Frances Visual Arts Fund through which they facilitated grants to a variety of local arts organizations.
Friends of the Rydells always comment on their personal style and attention to detail. Nowhere is this more evident than in the bequest of their entire estate to the Community Foundation for the Rydell Visual Arts Fund. Predeceased by Frances (1998), Roy passed away in 2000 leaving an indelible impression on the people who knew them, a charitable gift to the Foundation, and an enduring benefit to the arts and artists of our community.
Presented by The Rydell Visual Arts Fund at the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County
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