ARCADIA, Wis. – Winona arts aficionados Mary Burrichter and Bob Kierlin and will be recognized with a Patron of the Arts award at the Ashley for the Arts festival. The couple is known mostly for the world-class Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona. Their collection, on loan to the museum, includes the 1851 oil painting “Washington Crossing the Delaware” by Emanuel Leutze, Burrichter has served on several non-profit boards and currently on the Minnesota Beethoven Festival board. The award will be presented August 13 on the Ashley main outdoor stage in Arcadia, immediately ahead of the evening’s performance by Nashville singer-songwriter Kip Moore.
Burrichter and Kierlin. The engraved announcement.
Burrichter profile
Burrichter, former Winona city finance director, has served various non-profit boards. Currently she’s on the board of Minnesota Beethoven Festival, held annually in Winona. This classical music event has featured musicians such as violist Joshua Bell, flutist Sir James Galway and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. How did the Minnesota Museum Marine Art Museum come to be? “We had a house with a large, white wall. We purchased a marine painting for that space and we were hooked. We have loved the hunt and discovery of fine art ever since.” Every painting at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum has an element of water that ties back to the the museum’s theme.
Kierlin profile
Kierlin, a Winona natve, attended Winona Cotter High School and graduated from the University of Minnesota. He and four friends founded the Fastenal Company in Winona, an organization they built from a small-town fastener retailer into a multibillion-dollar global business. Kierlin also served as a Minnesota state senator from 1999 to 2006. He has served on the board of multiple businesses and numerous community and educational boards and organizations.
Ashley for the Arts
Ashley for the arts is a non-profit initiative that sponsors the annual family-oriented entertainment and arts festival at Ashley Furniture’s hometown of Arcadia, Wisconsin. The festival is one of Wisconsin’s largest charity events. Donations exceeded $590,000 in 2019 for more than 60re than schools, children’s charities, and medical research. Admission: A family-oriented $30.