Claremont Lewis Museum of Art Fall Gala to Honor Longtime Art Supporters
For Immediate Release
September 2, 2025
Press Contact: Catherine McIntosh
909 626-1386, cell 713 829-9338
September 20, 2025
Claremont Lewis Museum of Art, 200 W. First St., Claremont
The Claremont Lewis Museum of Art Fall Gala will be held on the lawn of the Claremont Depot on Saturday, September 20. The gala will feature the exhibition Complications in Color marking the 100th birthday of Karl Benjamin. Guests will enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres on the Depot Plaza, while perusing art and experiences offered in the Live Auction. Dinner al fresco will follow on the lawn catered by Chef Henry of Spaggi’s.
This year’s Gala honorees, Barbara Brown and Dr. Janet Myhre, share a bond of friendship built on a deep appreciation of local artists. Both were early supporters of the Claremont Museum of Art, founded by their friend Marguerite McIntosh, serving on the Board for many years and continuing to participate as emeritae. They each have an amazing art collection and have donated works to the Museum’s collection. They are celebrated at this year’s gala for their quiet leadership and long-standing support.
At the Gala live auction, guests may bid on a private tour of Karl Benjamin’s historic home studio with cocktail hour, a Karl Benjamin serigraph, Gino Hollander painting, San Francisco condo with private Palmaz Vineyards tasting, Spaggi’s dinner for 6, and an all-inclusive Mexican resort vacation. A paddle auction will benefit Museum education programs, including Project ARTstART celebrating its fifteenth year in the Claremont Unified School District.
Special thanks to Gala Platinum Sponsor Patricia A. Lobello, Lobello Lamb Lewis & Riley LLP; Gold Sponsors, Ruth & Joseph C. Reed Foundation for the Arts, VMA Communications Inc., Valerie Martinez-Bencomo; and Silver Sponsors Sheri Nagel, Rae Rottman, and Catherine McIntosh and Charles Tuggle.
Individual tickets to the Fall Gala are $175. Make your reservations online at clmoa.org. To request more information email info@clmoa.org or call 909 621-3200. The Claremont Lewis Museum of Art is located in the historic Claremont Depot at 200 W. First Street.
ABOUT THE HONOREES
Barbara Brown was raised in Saskatchewan, Canada, educated at the University of Manitoba, and earned her license as a registered dietician. She and her husband David, a neurosurgeon, came to Claremont in 1973 with their four young sons. Here, she pursued her interest in the arts by collecting paintings by Phil Dike, Millard Sheets, Milford Zornes, and others. As a board member of the Fine Arts Foundation, she raised funds by producing two popular series of notecards.
Barbara was a major supporter of the newly formed Claremont Museum of Art and sponsored a set of notecards featuring paintings by Karl Benjamin in 2007. She joined the Museum’s Board of Directors in 2010 and served on the gala committee for many years in addition to contributing ideas and support for other events to engage members. She partnered with her friend Janet Myhre to co-host several Santa Lucia celebrations.
Dr. Janet M. Myhre is an award-winning statistician and professor emerita of mathematics at Claremont McKenna College, where she dedicated more than four decades to teaching and research with an emphasis on real-world applications. She is best-known for her work in data analysis and risk assessment, including contracts with the United States Navy and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Since moving to Padua Hills in 1961, Janet gradually expanded her elegant modern home and collected some of the finest examples of work by Claremont artists. She joined her close friend Marguerite McIntosh as a major supporter and board member of the newly formed Claremont Museum of Art in 2006. She continued to serve on the CLMA Board of Directors through 2018 and is currently a member of the Acquisitions Committee. She has graciously invited Museum members into her home for many memorable Santa Lucia celebrations through the years.