Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art welcomes new director

NEW PALTZ – Sara Pasti was named the Neil C. Trager Director of the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at the State University of New York at New Paltz this month.

As interim deputy director of the museum since January 2008, Pasti worked with Neil Trager, founding director of the museum, who retired in August 2008, to ensure a smooth transition in leadership.

Pasti said she looks forward to facilitating the ongoing efforts of the museum in connection with other Hudson Valley arts institutions and enhancing its presence. “The Hudson Valley region, which has historically been a destination for artists, is now brimming with arts and cultural activities,” she said. “The museum and SUNY New Paltz are poised to become the center for an artistic renaissance.”

As a former arts administrator and a community development consultant, Pasti has worked on start-up projects, institutional and capital project management and capital and annual fund development. She has worked with such organizations as the Newburgh Institute for the Arts and Ideas, LandAir Project Resources, the Dutchess County Arts Council, the Bearsville Theater and the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art.

Pasti earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn., and a Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Printmaking from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick.

College President Steven Poskanzer said, “We are excited to have selected an energetic and passionate advocate for the arts as our new director. Sara has broad links to, and an admirable reputation within, the local arts community. This hire advances the goal of making the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art and the college a cultural hub for the region. I have been impressed with her work as interim director and expect even more great things to come.”

The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art – with six galleries, offices and research facilities – has worked to amplify the college’s academic programs and served as a cultural resource to the region since 2001. The museum’s permanent collection spans almost 4,000 years and includes works from such artistic categories as 20th century prints and paintings; Asian art; Pre-Columbian art and artifacts; decorative arts (metals); and photographs. The museum is also dedicated to showcasing works of SUNY New Paltz art faculty, alumni and students, as well as regional artists.