TACOMA, WA.- Tacoma Art Museum announces with sadness the passing of Anne Gould Hauberg, a longtime trustee, supporter, patron, and friend of the museum. A Seattle native, Hauberg was an engaging, multitalented and intrepid civic activist, philanthropist, and patron of the arts. She served as a trustee on TAM’s board of directors from 1994–2000, and further as an emeritus trustee and honorary member of the Collection Committee. Hauberg passed away on Monday, April 11, 2016, at the age of 98.

Among her many notable cultural contributions, Anne and John Hauberg along with Tacoma native artist Dale Chihuly co-founded the Pilchuck Glass School, an international center for glass arts innovation. The Pilchuck Glass School has not only been formative in the development of the Northwestern regional arts identity but has also elevated and encouraged creativity in the practice of studio art glass worldwide. The Public Broadcast Service show Craft in America produced a short with Hauberg about the studio craft movement and Pilchuck Glass School.

“Anne Gould Hauberg was a Northwest original. She had an original eye, an original vision, and an original style,” said Tacoma Art Museum Executive Director Stephanie Stebich. “Hauberg was a patron saint for artists, and an advocate for beauty.”

Stebich fondly recalled that Hauberg often said “If you don’t support artists, there won’t be any,” and that’s what she always did: support artists. Her legacy will continue through the Anne Gould Hauberg Collection at Tacoma Art Museum, including 159 works of art: 148 pieces of studio art glass that chart the progress and growth of the early years of the Pilchuck Glass School, along with paintings, sculpture, drawings, and studio art jewelry. Among the paintings is an iconic work by Northwest mystic Mark Tobey.

Stebich added, “We are truly grateful for all Anne has shared with our museum and our community. We have treasured her giving spirit, her inclusive vision, and her philanthropic drive to make the art of our region accessible for everyone. She will be deeply missed.”

Hauberg’s father was architect Carl F. Gould, who designed a number of notable buildings in the Seattle region, and founded the University of Washington’s architecture department. Gould designed 46 buildings or additions on the University of Washington campus; significant campus buildings including the Suzzallo Library, Anderson Hall, the Penthouse Theater, and the Henry Art Gallery. As a young woman, Hauberg studied architecture at the University of Washington prior to attending Vassar College and University of Cambridge. One of her early philanthropic ventures was providing funds to create the Pilot School for Neurologically Impaired Children at University of Washington, which opened in 1960 and still operates today as the Experimental Education Unit.

Hauberg continued to play a pivotal role in many civic and cultural projects with public benefit. Beginning in the 1950s, she supported emerging Northwest artists and arts institutions. Hauberg’s participation and support were integral preservation efforts for Seattle’s Pioneer Square and Pike Place Market and the creation of Freeway Park. She co-founded Friends of the Crafts and Committee 33 among other cultural institutions and groups. Throughout her adult life she was active in civic organizations in addition to museums and other Northwest arts organizations, including many board roles.

A celebration of Anne Gould Hauberg’s life is being planned for May 2016.