ST. LOUIS — Craft Alliance, Laumeier Sculpture Park and St. Louis Artists’ Guild will equally share a nearly $3 million bequest from a longtime St. Louis-area resident and artist.
The three nonprofit arts organizations said Monday that the gift is from the estate trust of Louetta Buechler, a Manchester resident who died Dec. 20, 2020. The donation, which officials said was one of the largest individual gifts that each of the organizations has ever received, will be distributed in several installments this year, according to a press release. Each organization will plan its own use of the funds.
While Buechler had been a member and supporter of all three organizations for over a decade, the gift was "unexpected," officials said.
Buechler, a painter who participated in Artists’ Guild shows and classes, made colorful abstract paintings in her home studio, surrounded by plants, Kathryn Nahorski, executive director of St. Louis Artists’ Guild, said in the release.
“We are thankful for her extraordinary gift and that she found meaningful opportunities for regional artists at the St. Louis Artists’ Guild," Nahorski stated. "Her generosity ensures our vibrant programming for future generations."
“We are sincerely grateful to Ms. Buechler, a long-time Craft Alliance member, for this wonderful commitment to artistic excellence in the St. Louis arts community,” Mark Witzling, executive director of Craft Alliance, said in a statement. “We feel deeply fortunate that this gift allows us to further educate and enrich our community through contemporary craft."
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