Be ˈKyu̇r-ē-əs! — August

Best Birthday Gift Ever?

As alum Jerry West turns 90 this month (as did AMoCA Director Nancy Fleming's mother Jovita!), it reminds us of when RAiR Founder Donald B. Anderson turned 90 in 2009. What do you get a person who could not only buy what he needed or wanted but MAKE it with his engineering mind and craftsman skills? 

Well, it turned out he needed more ART! A group art project....and a puzzle perhaps! Nancy and RAiR alum Janell Wicht decided on the perfect shape to fit Don - a diamond. He was indeed a diamond! RAiR alum Michael Beitz was corralled into cutting hundreds of the 6.25"x11" diamonds out of MDF, and then they were mailed to RAiR alum, community members, family.... with the guideline to keep the sides and back flat so they would fit together but also be  rearrangeable...essentially be played with!  The postage to mail out the Don Diamonds was generously underwritten by RAiR Board Member and art collector Juanita Stiff (who was also a diamond, and who passed away the following year).

More than 180 of the diamonds were completed and delivered to Don via mail or hand... but definitely not all before his 90th birthday! They literally trickled in over the years! In fact, one was delivered just before his 100th birthday!!!  The display was constructed by RAiR alum Lucho Pozo in about 2010. 

...and for one last tidbit of "be kyureas" information, Don's diamonds are not his only birthday present to be on display at the Anderson Museum! There are at least four more! ....but you'll have to come in and ask us which ones!!!