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Fund for Exhibitions Supporter Highlights

August 29, 2023
Woman sitting down at table

Eva Ellis
Eva Ellis and her late husband Lloyd H. Ellis Jr., MD, PhD, have been members and dedicated supporters of the CMA for more than 36 years.

What inspires your support of the CMA and giving to the Fund for Exhibitions?
Eva: Supporting the Cleveland Museum of Art comes naturally to me and to our entire family. My husband, Lloyd H. Ellis Jr. (known to friends and family as “Sandy”), was a physician who loved art and art history from his college days. Later in life, he attended Case Western Reserve University and received his PhD in art history, specializing in Renaissance art, while interested in art of all eras and types. 

The CMA was then, and is now, in many ways our second home. It seems fitting that our family’s Jeffery Wallace Ellis Trust would support the CMA’s exhibitions program in his honor, since we have spent much time visiting and reflecting on the artworks—those in special and permanent  collection exhibitions alike. The CMA’s shows serve many functions—education, study, reflection, entertainment—while covering a vast array of cultures and history. It is such a privilege for our family to participate in the CMA’s mission of ensuring that these exhibitions and their related programming are welcoming to all people.  

Richard and Dian Disantis Richard and Dian Disantis have been members of the CMA since the early 1960s. They joined the Print Club in 1968 and are currently among its longest-running members. 

How did you become involved with the museum? 
 Dian: I began my career at the CMA in the 1960s, working on extension exhibitions that went out to schools. I loved both the work and the camaraderie, and that led to a lifetime involvement with the museum.  

As members of the Leadership Circle, what makes your museum membership important to you?
We enjoy the affiliate groups and have traveled extensively with the Contemporary Art Society. Barbara Tannenbaum does such an amazing job with photography and is just a delight. You can get involved at the museum as deeply as suits you, but it’s also wonderful just to see the world through the art. 

What led you to support the Fund for Exhibitions? 
There have been so many exceptional exhibitions over the years; it was an easy decision to provide support in this area. The variety and quality of the curators’ work is simply outstanding. We’ve been to museums worldwide and are so lucky to have this treasure in our backyard.