Lasting Images with Fred Greene

trevor.kenney — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 17:09:23 +0000

Fred Greene grew up in Calgary, Alta. and spent the first 20 years of his career as a conservator with organizations including the International Center for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), the Centro di Conservazione Archeologica (Italy) and the Conservation Department at the Glenbow Museum in Calgary.

Fred Greene will now have more time to devote to his many other passions, such as playing the guitar.

Greene travelled extensively, working on ancient sites and with collections of cultural objects throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East, Africa and the former Soviet Union. Upon settling in Lethbridge, Greene completed his Bachelor of Arts at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 1998, and began working as the administrative manager of the U of L Art Gallery the following year.

Greene’s focus, energy and vast conservation knowledge have increased the quality of care and management of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s art collection, and he was instrumental in the development of the online database that allows digital access to nearly 14,000 collection artworks. Greene is an enthusiastic ambassador for the Art Gallery and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as a whole, and has been dedicated to supporting students’ interdisciplinary education and interaction with works of art. When Greene retires on Sept. 18, people across campus will miss his cheerful greetings in the halls, stories of exotic locales and discussions of the best eateries in Rome.

Please join the staff of the Art Gallery for Coffee’s On Fred – a coffee break retirement celebration, 9 to 11 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 18 in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre Lobby (W500). A Salute to Fred begins at 9:45 a.m.

Fred's Art Collection Favourites:

John C. Forbes, Still Life with Melons, 1900. From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection; Purchased in 1984 with funds provided by the Alberta Endowment Fund.

Ronald J. Spickett, Horses in Motion (a), 1967. From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection; Gift of Canaccord Capital Corporation, 1995.

Giving creates access

trevor.kenney — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:57:43 +0000

When Fred Greene (BA '98) is asked to name a favourite work of art, he rhymes off not one, but a handful. With an impressive resumé that includes a four year fellowship at the International Center for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) in Rome and 10 years in the Conservation Department at the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, it's not surprising that Greene feels right at home in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Gallery.

He describes the U of L Art Collection with passion.

"Our collection is spectacular," he says simply.

Even more importantly, Greene is proud of the work going on behind the scenes. "Our reputation isn't based on what we have in the collection anymore. We're being recognized for what we're doing with it," explains Greene, whose training is in conservation. "Instead of commenting on the value or size, people now know we also have a well-housed, well-maintained, well-documented and well-utilized collection."

Fred Greene sees Supporting Our Students as a chance to create opportunities for students.

Moreover, access to artworks is incredible. Since Greene started work at the gallery in 1999, he's been involved in the development of an online database that allows much of the collection to be viewed electronically. This makes artworks more accessible, helping Greene to share what he loves with others.

"I'm the art guy," laughs Greene, referencing his unofficial title amongst the students he works with. "I am involved in our museum studies program, but I also work with students from disciplines outside of fine arts. We have very dynamic young people on this campus and I'm proud to say that I get to work with lots of them."

For Greene, supporting students extends beyond showing them works from the collection and helping them with conservation projects, he also shows his commitment as a regular contributor to Supporting Our Students (SOS).

"We talk a lot about access and equal opportunities but without proper funding, it's not possible," says Greene, who returned to university in his 40s and completed a bachelor of arts at the U of L. He took advantage of applied studies and was able to work overseas on archaeological sites between semesters to help pay for his education, but Greene recognizes many students are not as fortunate.

"I hope my gift helps someone who wouldn't be here otherwise," says Greene, who is proud to be part of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community.

"The U of L plays a significant role not only in my life, but in the life of my family," adds Greene, who notes his wife is a faculty member and his son is a current student. He's witnessed the impact the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has from all angles and wants to ensure more students benefit from what the U of L has to offer.

"I'm proud of this university and what we're building."

For more information on SOS, or to make a contribution, visit www.uleth.ca/giving/SupportingOurStudents or call 403-329-2582.

This story first appeared in the March 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - Conservation Department

Lasting Images with Fred Greene

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