Kim Alexis Adversario, Associate Director of Membership & Circles of Giving
The more than 6,000 Members who support the Heard every year represent the museum’s single largest source of unrestricted income. On top of that, Heard Members compose the Heard Museum Guild volunteer corps, they are the Shop’s best customers, and they are our most loyal museum visitors. Many Members also make donations to support special programs and projects at the Heard, whether that’s our Year-End Artist Fund, the Grand Gallery Exhibition Fund, Moondance or other initiatives that align museum needs with their interests.
Stan and Judy Getch are two of those remarkable individuals. They have been steadfast Heard Museum Members for more than 25 years. Over that time—in addition to their membership in Circles of Giving—they have supported Heard exhibitions and important initiatives. In 2023, they made a special contribution to sponsor new shelving systems to house baskets from the Basha Family Collection of American Indian Art, which was recently donated to the Heard. In our first Member Spotlight, we asked Judy to share some thoughts about what the Heard Museum means to her.
How would you describe the Heard Museum to someone who has never been here before?
Always Welcoming! The Heard is a dynamic and most wonderful museum that provides a balanced approach to the art and culture of Native Americans. The exhibitions are enticing, stunningly beautiful and always accompanied by enriching information. There is something for everyone at the museum, including spots to engage, reflect, or relax and enjoy.
You have been a member since 1998. Why did you decide to join?
I have long admired the Heard Museum for its approach to Native cultures and its commitment to supporting Native American creativity in all of its forms. The Heard provides a way of looking into the art, the craft and the culture, not at it.
What motivated you to become even more involved with the museum by supporting special projects, like funding the needed storage systems for collections?
The collections and the curators who manage them are the essence of an innovative and visionary museum. There is no greater reward than supporting a special project, like storage, that in turn supports the vibrancy of the museum as a whole.
Why do you live in Arizona? What about our state and community appeals to you?
I moved to Arizona for family reasons. The science and beauty of the Sonoran Desert and its proximity to the ponderosa pine forests of the north have kept me here. Art, culture and desert plants keep me engaged.
What role does the Heard Museum play in making Arizona a great place to live?
The Heard Museum is a shining star in Arizona’s constellation of natural, historical and cultural wonders. In addition to its considerable collections, outstanding exhibitions, and expansive library and archive resources, the Heard has annual events and programs that draw people from across the state and nation. Authenticity is the middle name of the Heard Museum Shop. It represents and makes available Native American art in traditional as well as innovative forms and styles. Additionally, there is the chef-inspired Courtyard Café, the Coffee Cantina and a well-stocked bookstore. All in all, the Heard is an art venue, an educational institution, a cultural and historical repository, an innovative place to shop and a great place to have lunch. It broadens our personal horizons and enriches our lives.
Do you have any special memories of the Heard Museum?
My first visit to the Heard was a momentous occasion. I was awed by the differences and similarities between the Native Americans of the Southwest and the Midwest, where I grew up. At the time, I was a university student with a very small discretionary budget. In the gift shop, then located within the museum, I swallowed hard at the price tags in front of each artful piece of pottery. Then, there it was: a pot I could afford! It was beautifully proportioned, mottled brown in color, with a pie-crust pinched rim. I gladly spent every cent of my $38 budget to purchase it. Today, the museum and that Diné pot are cherished as much as they were on the first day I saw them.
Photograph courtesy of Judy and Stan Getch.
