Catherine Underhill, the new executive director of the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, appeared on Beyond the Front Page with Guy Cosentino last week to discuss her first two months on the job, the center’s ongoing exhibits, and where she hopes to take the organization next.
Underhill, who took over at the end of August, is one of several new executive directors in the region. She praised the warm welcome she’s received and emphasized her focus on relationship-building early in her tenure. “Everyone’s been extremely helpful, very welcoming,” she said. “I’ve been trying to get out and connect with people.”
Learning the ropes and building on a strong foundation
Underhill comes to Auburn from the View Art Center in Old Forge and brings decades of experience in arts administration — including past roles at the Dairy Center for the Arts in Colorado, the Syracuse Orchestra (formerly Symphoria), and the Everson Museum. She succeeds Donna Lamb, who led Schweinfurth through a five-year, $4 million capital campaign and major building upgrades.
“She deserves all the credit,” Underhill said. “Now it’s like we’re taking a breath. We’re looking into strategic planning, charting the course forward.”
The Schweinfurth currently operates with a lean team of seven staff members — only four of them full time — and an eight-member board that is looking to expand.
Quilt show remains centerpiece of programming
The Schweinfurth’s flagship exhibition — its annual juried quilt show — is currently on display and runs through January 4. It features 69 artists from around the world, and is accompanied by a watercolor show in the Davis Family Gallery.
“It’s an incredible show… a visual delight,” Underhill said, adding that the quilt outside her office — titled Cleopatra’s Eyeshadow — is a personal favorite.
The quilt exhibition complements Quilting by the Lake, a two-week summer conference for fiber artists hosted by the Schweinfurth. That program has moved locations over the years — most recently to Hobart and William Smith Colleges — and remains a national draw. “It’s a critically important and unique opportunity,” Underhill said. “On a good year, it’s also a revenue generator.”
New ideas and community connections on the horizon
In 2025, the Schweinfurth will bring back two signature exhibits: Both Ends of the Rainbow and Made in New York. The former showcases art by both students and seniors, while the latter is a juried exhibition of artists from across New York State.
Looking ahead, Underhill hopes to introduce new types of shows — including a possible exhibit focused entirely on craft mediums like ceramics, wood, metal, and basketry. “There are incredible skills that don’t necessarily get shown in the gallery world,” she noted.
She’s also interested in expanding the center’s reach. “We want to engage community members we may not have connected with before,” she said, pointing to classes, school tours, and youth camps as entry points.
Operational snapshot and admission details
The Schweinfurth is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, with free access for members and children 12 and under. First Fridays, which offer free admission and open house-style programming, have become a growing success in downtown Auburn.
Memberships range from $40 to over $100 depending on benefits, and revenue comes from a mix of state grants (notably NYSCA), foundation support, program fees, donations, and art sales. “We’re a gallery, not a museum,” Underhill clarified. “We’re a platform for living artists — and people can take that art home.”
A personal passion for the arts
Underhill, a Syracuse native, holds degrees from the University of New Hampshire, University of Colorado, and Harvard’s Kennedy School. Her early exposure to the arts — including a life-changing exchange year in Peru — shaped her path. “It underscored the importance of all these cultural attributes that really help define us as people,” she said.
She now commutes from Manlius, and while she jokes she may have picked a closer home if she’d known she’d land the Schweinfurth job, she expressed deep admiration for Auburn’s vibrant arts scene. “Auburn is a little treasure,” she said. “It has so much going on.”
As she settles into her new role, Underhill’s focus remains clear: deepen community engagement, elevate diverse art forms, and grow the Schweinfurth’s reach — all while honoring the institution’s legacy and unique voice in the fiber arts world.
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