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Christopher Brownawell, a curator from Maryland, will take the reins of the Farnsworth in February.

By BOB KEYES, Staff Writer November 5, 2009

The Farnsworth Art Museum announced a new director on Wednesday.

Richard Aroneau, the museum's president, said Christopher J. Brownawell will join the Rockland museum on Feb. 1. He is currently the director of the Academy Art Museum in Easton, Md., a position he has held since 1993.

"Chris Brownawell is a nationally recognized art museum director," Aroneau said in a statement.

"The board is delighted that he has accepted our offer, and we look forward to working with Chris to help the Farnsworth realize its extraordinary potential.

"Under his leadership, the Academy Art Museum, which serves a community with many parallels to Rockland, significantly grew its collections, education programs, audiences, facilities and endowment. Chris directed two successful capital expansion programs adding 28,000 square feet of program space and raised over $25 million in support for the museum over his tenure."

Brownawell received a bachelor's degree in art with emphasis in art history from Wilkes College and a master's in museum education from George Washington University. Before joining the Academy Art Museum as curator in 1988, he held positions with the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, and the Commonwealth Conservation Center during undergraduate and graduate internships.

Brownawell said he was honored by the Farnsworth appointment.

He is moving to the midcoast with his wife, Carol, and their three children.

"As a child, some of my fondest moments were visits to the Philadelphia Museum of Art," Brownawell said in a statement. "And I want both children and adults to have similar memories from their time in the Farnsworth's galleries and education programs."

Brownawell succeeds Michael K. Komanecky, who has served as the museum's interim director since January 2009, when Lora Urbanelli, then the Farnsworth's director, became director of the Montclair Art Museum in New Jersey.