SAVE THE DATE | OCTOBER 20, 2023
Honoring Dr. Martha "Missy" Hutson-Saxton

Dinner, drinks, and celebration at Lehigh Country Club
Tickets: $200

The Board of Trustees of The Baum School of Art invites you to celebrate our Fall Gala at the Lehigh Country Club on Friday, October 20, 2023. We are delighted to honor a remarkable individual who has played an instrumental role in defining the legacy and shaping the future of the arts community in the Lehigh Valley: Dr. Martha “Missy” Hutson-Saxton, a dedicated trustee, esteemed author, and visionary advocate for the arts.

As a passionate trustee, Missy has championed The Baum School of Art during her tenure; first in 1987 for a decade when the school first opened its new building at 5th and Linden Streets, and currently as she rejoined the board in 2020. In the 1980s, Missy supported fellow Baum School board member, Charles C. Dent, to help realize the dream of bringing DaVinci’s horse to life. She was President of the DaVinci Horse Association Board when the 12-foot bronze sculpture was dedicated at The Baum School of Art in 2002. Her unwavering commitment has helped to shape the school into the vibrant artistic community resource that it is today.

As an art historian specializing in American Art with a PhD from Harvard University, Missy has published numerous articles, exhibition catalogs, and books. Her profound dedication to preserving our school's rich history led her to write a book on the life and work of Walter Emerson Baum, the founder of The Baum School of Art and the Allentown Art Museum. The school has nurtured creativity in thousands of students for nearly a century. The Baum School’s ten classrooms host over 300 classes for children, teens, and adults each year. Last year, we proudly served over 3,200 students through our tuition and community outreach programs. Of those students, over 1,200 were able to attend classes through scholarship, outreach, or financial assistance programs.

Missy’s advocacy and philanthropy has had a lasting impact on many organizations in the arts community. Her commitment to preserving the past, nurturing the present, and uplifting the future of The Baum School of Art has helped to inspire generations of artists, educators, and art collectors. We hope you will join us for this festive evening at the Lehigh Country Club as we raise a glass for one of the school’s most ardent supporters.