The American Folk Art Museum notes with profound sadness the loss of Jacqueline Loewe Fowler, a long-time and beloved Trustee. Jackie, as she was known, was a passionate collector and a generous patron. A sage board member, she helped to guide and support the museum over several decades of service and was honored by the museum in 2016.

Jackie had an exceptional eye and collected across a range of categories, including American historical folk art, 20th and 21st century self-taught art, and modern design. Her extraordinary gifts to the museum advanced the collection in important directions and included important artworks by Calvin and Ruby Black (Possum Trot), Mary Borkowski, Felipe Jesus Consalvos, Minnie Evans, Howard Finster, Melvin Edward Nelson, Ammi Phillips, Judith Scott, Eugene Von Bruenchenhein, Melvin Way, Helen Butler Wells, George Widener, Anna Zemánková, and significant works by unidentified artists. Some of these works are currently displayed in American Perspectives: Stories from the American Folk Art Museum Collection and will be on view in the museum’s upcoming 60th anniversary exhibition.

Through good times and challenging moments, Jackie maintained her characteristic cheer and spirit. A stylish force of a woman who often sported an Alexander Calder lapel pin, Jackie inspired younger generations of curators, patrons, and collectors. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered for her unyielding devotion to the American Folk Art Museum.