About the Crary Art Gallery
A distinguished legacy of art, culture, and community engagement spanning nearly five decades
Our Mission
Crary Art Gallery was established in 1977 as a nonprofit art museum by painter Genevieve Alden Walker Crary in memory of her husband, industrialist, philanthropist, and accomplished photographer Clare Crary. The Crary Art Gallery is dedicated to enriching the region's cultural offerings through noteworthy temporary exhibitions, and the display of historical works both collected and produced by the Crarys.
Permanent Collection
The Permanent Collection includes early and mid 20th-century paintings and prints, and photographs by Edward S. Curtis. There is an extensive inventory of Gene and Clare's own paintings and photographs, some of which are always on display at the gallery.
Works on long-term loan include the Marion Sanford Sculpture Collection and 19th century Japanese silk screen prints. The Crary Art Gallery also hosts changing temporary exhibitions, lectures and events.
Clare J. Crary
(1879 - 1975)
Clare was born in Sheffield, Pennsylvania, one of four children of Jerry and Laura Dunham Crary. Following education at Worcester Academy, Clare graduated from Amherst College in 1901.
An accomplished amateur photographer, Clare "CJ" Crary was experimental with his darkroom techniques. His world travels seemed designed to explore and photograph the different "families" of mankind around the globe, in the inquisitive manner of an anthropologist or documentarian.
He founded the Pictorial Society of America and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain. At the time of his death in 1975, CJ was Chairman of the Board of Warren National Bank and Vice President of the Pennsylvania Furnace and Iron Company.
Gene Alden Walker Crary
(1898 - 1988)
Born in New Albany, Indiana, the elder daughter of Herbert Graham and Clara Perry Walker, Gene was a direct descendant of John and Priscilla Alden, "America's First Couple".
She studied art and graduated from the Pratt Institute, followed by study at the National Academy of Design with Charles Hawthorne, N.A. and the studio of Jerry Farnsworth, N.A. She exhibited widely, received many awards, and is represented in the National Academy of Design's permanent collection.
Gene Walker Crary is best remembered for her portraits in oil which garnered most acclaim. When Gene and Clare Crary married, the loft over the Crary family's carriage house became her studio.
The Building & Grounds
From 1900 to 1937, the residence of Jerry and Laura Dunham Crary stood on the site where the Crary Art Gallery now stands. It was one of the largest homes in Warren and was built in the Italian Renaissance style. The only remaining artifact of that residence is the carriage house to the west of the gallery on Sixth Avenue.
The current structure was built in 1962 as the Stuart J. Myers family home, following the general plan of a Roman villa. The Myers home was purchased in the early 1970s by photographer Clare J. Crary and his painter wife Genevieve. They intended this interesting structure to be an art gallery.
Unfortunately Clare passed away in 1975 before the dream could be realized, but his wife opened The Crary Art Gallery two years later with a memorial exhibition of works by her photographer husband. After Gene's death in 1988, the Board of Directors opened further galleries in the building: the Oriental room, the Crary-Dunham Room and the Fountain Room.
In 1997, the northeast walled garden was transformed into the Sculpture Court with the installation of a glass ceiling. The grand re-opening in 2000 featured works by sculptor Marion Sanford.
Current Operations
Now the Crary Art Gallery boasts a year-round schedule of changing art exhibitions. The gallery has an endowment which helps maintain the building and grounds, but the help of volunteers and financial gifts is what keeps the gallery moving into the future.
The facility may be rented for weddings and private meetings or functions. Your help is greatly appreciated. Contact the gallery or any board member if you wish to know more.