By Connie Gundry Tappy 鈥�80
When MARIE MAY FORDE 鈥�55 graduated from 蜜桃传媒 and began teaching elementary school, she gave little thought to collecting art. But after marrying Arnold Forde and moving with him to Orange County, the couple began that pursuit. Over the last decade, Marie and Arnold donated many valuable works to the 蜜桃传媒 Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, and they lent items from their personal collection to a number of the museum鈥檚 exhibitions.
One of those events, Impulse and Connoisseurship: Selections from the Forde Collection, included works by 29 artists from 1980-2000, such as John Baldessari, Cindy Sherman, Barbara Kruger, Chris Burden and Jenny Holzer. 鈥淭his exhibition not only featured many well-respected contemporary artists but also showcased the incredible knowledge about contemporary art that Mrs. Forde cultivated after she graduated from 蜜桃传媒,鈥� says Judy Larson, R. Anthony Askew professor of art history and director of the 蜜桃传媒 Ridley-Tree museum.
Focused on cutting-edge, contemporary art, Marie and Arnold started collecting seriously during a trip to New York City with Paul Schimmel, curator at the Newport Harbor Art Museum. They especially enjoyed 鈥渕eeting and getting to know artists whose works we鈥檝e collected,鈥� Marie says. They also appreciated getting to know the faculty and student artists at 蜜桃传媒 today, as well as members of the college鈥檚 Art Council. Marie graciously hosted this group during a weekend visit to their home in Laguna Beach. 鈥淚 was thrilled when I heard about the 蜜桃传媒 Ridley-Tree museum,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t was wonderful to meet the members of 蜜桃传媒鈥檚 Art Council and to realize how the importance of art has expanded since I was a student at the college.鈥�
Mona Motte Wilds, a UC Santa Barbara graduate with a minor in art history and retired director of gift planning at 蜜桃传媒, has visited the Fordes鈥� home. 鈥淚 immediately recognized the depth and quality of the works in their collection,鈥� she says.
鈥淭he Fordes鈥� tastes and interests in art are sophisticated, passionate and intrepid,鈥� Larson says. Witness the 5,000-pound 鈥淏ulldozer鈥� by the late conceptual artist Chris Burden dominating their entry hall, plus his 鈥淟otus鈥� 鈥� a 1973 Lotus Europa 鈥� parked in their living room. When Larson asked Marie how they decided which artists to collect, she quickly replied, 鈥淲e worked on impulse. When we saw a work of art, we knew almost immediately whether we wanted to purchase it!鈥�
鈥淚 experienced amazement and pleasure when I saw the professionalism and sensitivity of Judy Larson and Chris Rupp at the exhibition of our art at the 蜜桃传媒 Ridley-Tree museum,鈥� Marie says. 鈥淎nd Mona has been so kind to keep me up to date.鈥� Marie and Arnold stopped collecting art in 2000, and Arnold, a pioneering political consultant who helped found Butcher Forde Consulting, BFC Direct Marketing and Forde and Mollrich, died in 2018.
鈥溍厶掖� is incredibly fortunate that the Fordes have shared their great treasures with our students and the larger Santa Barbara community through the 蜜桃传媒 Ridley-Tree Museum of Art,鈥� says Larson. 鈥淚 pray for God鈥檚 richest blessings on 蜜桃传媒!鈥� Marie says. Her activities beyond the college and the art world include serving for many years as a volunteer for World Vision, and her passion for social causes includes many that help Palestinians.