Page 14 - Lachicotte 2020

The View From My Office

by Page Hayhurst Kiniry

A s the first woman President and CEO of Brookgreen

Gardens, I have a singular perspective on the history
of this amazing institution and its incredible founder,
Anna Hyatt Huntington. On a personal note, she is the
reason I found my way to the “Ever-Changing and Simply
Amazing” Brookgreen and her vision inspires me daily.
Anna and her husband and co-founder, Archer Huntington,
inspired millions with the creation of America’s first
sculpture garden here in South Carolina’s Lowcountry.
The Brookgreen Gardens legacy continues as a National
Historic Landmark that exceptionally blends nature, art
and history.
Prior to joining Brookgreen, I was the Executive
Director of the Virginia Living Museum, also on a
property owned by the Huntington family, specifically
Archer’s father Collis Huntington who founded Newport
News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company. The
Huntingtons were frequent visitors to Newport News and
myriad connections can be found at Brookgreen and their
local home, Atalaya. (Brookgreen even owns a bell created
for the shipbuilding company that made its way to the
tower at Atalaya!)
This Newport News connection led me to Brookgreen
through a letter from 1965 in which Anna offered to donate
some of her animal sculpture for the opening of the Virginia
Living Museum. The Museum did not acquire the sculpture at
the time, but when I learned about her offer, I began searching
for a sculpture to honor the Museum’s 50th anniversary in 2016.
Of course, I found the sculpture at Brookgreen Gardens and my
life was changed forever!
Working here, I learn daily from Robin Salmon, Vice President
of Art and Historical Collections and Curator of Sculpture, who
is the foremost expert on Anna Huntington’s art. In her 44 years at
Brookgreen, Robin has authored books, essays, lectures and other
publications on Anna’s work, life and philanthropy. She is the first
to point out that Brookgreen’s national landmark designation
is due to the number and significance of women artists in
the collection, including Anna Hyatt Huntington.

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