Testimonials...
"As an artist and instructor, I have worked with art centers and artist organizations throughout the United States. It is important to me that the organizer prepares well and is able to market my workshop and provide students. David easily translated his goals and my position within those goals. The information was clear which eliminated any confusion and every experience working with him has always been very successful. As an artist, I could not ask for a better art professional to work with." Elio Camacho Painter, Workshop Instructor San Francisco, Calif. "I have known Mr. Shankweiler in various capacities over the past twenty-four years and regard him as a consummate museum professional. His organizational abilities, curatorial expertise, writing skills and amicable personality are among his greatest strengths. I regard Mr. Shankweiler as both a colleague and a friend and offer my highest recommendation of him." R. Lynn Whitelaw Founding Director, Current Chief Curator Leepa –Rattner Museum of Art Tarpon Springs, FL "It is my great pleasure to recommend David Shankweiler of Dunedin, Florida as a Marketing and Public Relations professional in the arts. I have known David for many years and had the opportunity of working with him before he left the Dunedin Fine Art Center (DFAC) after nineteen (19) years of service. I was very sorry to lose David as his institutional memory, his quality skills as a curator, marketer and writer were greatly missed. His name is synonymous with cutting edge curating, keeping top quality galleries and forward thinking skills in marketing and fundraising." George Ann Bissett, CFRE Executive Director Dunedin Fine Art Center Dunedin, FL "I have known David for over 18 years and have had the privilege of working on several museum projects with him. When I was hired as the new director of the Dunedin Historical Museum, David was committee chairperson on our capital building project. To say the least, his input and suggestions helped make the project a success. When the City of Dunedin was planning its Centennial celebration, David was instrumental in bringing many individuals together from various departments and organizations and making the event a huge success. David has no problem taking on the daunting task of something new and exciting, and bringing success to the project. He has the benefit of having curatorial and administrative experience in the museum profession, which gives him a great perspective and respect for working with others in the field. Vincent Luisi, Director Dunedin Historical Museum Dunedin, FL “…Shankweiler’s rationale for the wide range of art and time periods reflects the 3,000 member, family-oriented art center, in operation since 1974 and typically luring more than 50,000 visitors a year.” “…along with some hand-picked literary wall text, Shankweiler (with an English lit background), offers some compelling juxtapositions that include emotional and psychological journeys…” - From "Excursions Into the Mind", Art Critic Adrienne M. Golub Weekly Planet Tampa, FL “The top 10 art shows of 2002 were of local vintage, cultivated intelligently by daring museum directors and hard-working curators.” “The tiny, but mighty Dunedin Fine Art Center rolled out a passionate, engaging show for kids and adults, Wheels: Artists and Automobiles. The exhibition, sporting a vintage speedster and a vintage motorcycle as well as super-real paintings of cars and sculptures made from car parts, raised the question: Where do you cross the line between what’s beautiful and what’s a machine?” - From "Show Stoppers", top ten exhibitions of west central Florida, Art Critic Joanne Milani Tampa Tribune Tampa, FL “For years, the driving force inside David Shankweiler’s mind has been a show on America’s love of vehicles. As curator of “Wheels”, an exhibit now at the Dunedin Fine Art Center, he conceived the idea long before he ever learned that the Guggenheim Museum in New York was presenting 1998’s “The Art of the Motorcycle”. “But this show is essentially about vehicles, not of them, and it is done from the perspective of fine art. “Adjacent to the show is a related interactive exhibition in the David L. Mason Children’s Art Museum. I took two boys, ages 7 and 10, and a 7 year old girl who thoroughly immersed themselves. I had to drag them away.” - From “Kings of the Road”, Art Critic Mary Ann Marger St. Petersburg Times (Tampa Bay Times) St. Petersburg, FL “Curator David Shankweiler describes the Dunedin Fine Art Center’s “Journeys” as ‘a very large version of a kid’s room, a high level toy box.’ The mix of genres, some more artifact than art, is packed into the Entel Family Gallery as if waiting to be discovered in the attic of a very organized and discerning grandmother.” “The Dunedin Fine Art Center has installed an exceptional children’s component to “Journeys” in the adjacent David L. Mason Children’s Art Museum, with computer stations and interactive games and activities…” -From "Artistic Journeys Into Night", Art Critic Lennie Bennett St. Petersburg Times (Tampa Bay Times) St. Petersburg, FL |