Hello everyone,

• Saundra Dobroski, Director, Visitor Experience, is retiring from the Gallery on August 3^rd. We have known that this day would come for about a year (but I think we were all hoping she would change her mind!). I salute Saundra’s extraordinary leadership, her amazing staff, and her great ability to communicate with members in a way that creates a look and feel that reinforces our values. Please take a moment to say good-bye to her before she leaves. She has done an incredible job at the AGO.

• There is a most magical work on the fifth floor. Wilfredo Prieto’s One is simply thousands of glass crystals on the floor with one real diamond. I like to visit this work and when I do there are almost always guests captured by its sparkling beauty. While the work can provoke a lot of questions (why do we love things that sparkle? why do we pay huge sums of money for a diamond that is almost identical to a piece of glass? why do humans dig gigantic mines to find such diamonds? who finances these mines? who works at them? how many Canadians will get married this weekend and wear a diamond ring? why do guests find a need to touch this work?), I usually just look at the work and am seduced by its splendour.

• Art Bash, this year’s big fundraising gala to be held on Saturday, November 18 – 4 months way – is already sold out! That’s a fantastic message of support of the work we are all doing. Many thanks to Development staff and keen volunteers for setting the gala up for success.

Have a great weekend,

Stephan