Donor Testimonials

Dawn Neff Makes Planned Gift to Support the CMA’s Conservation Department

Dawn Neff's love for art museums began in childhood, exploring the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) and the Toledo Museum of Art with her parents. Cherished memories of visits, especially to exhibitions like Artistic Luxury of Fabergé, Tiffany, and Lalique, were shaped by her father's wrought iron business and her mother's passion for these exquisite displays. This early exposure sparked Dawn's interest in the arts, leading her to focus on metalsmithing and enameling—particularly drawn to Art Nouveau jewelry.

After moving to Cleveland, Dawn dedicated 31 years as a visual arts teacher at Westlake City Schools, where she initiated annual field trips to the CMA. Each year, she introduced around 100 first graders to the museum's Egyptian, Asian, and Native American galleries, using her imaginative teaching style to ignite curiosity and global perspectives among her students.

Dawn’s planned gift to the CMA’s Conservation Department reflects her incredible generosity, ensuring the museum can maintain and present its encyclopedic collection for future generations—continuing to inspire joy and wonder in audiences of all ages.

“I personally find the CMA a beautiful jewel that I like to share with friends, relatives, and past students. With these memories, I knew I wanted to make a permanent legacy to the museum—so I chose to establish an endowment for conservation. I know that conservation is the cornerstone in maintaining the wonderful objects, paintings, and artifacts that I have enjoyed for years. Through conservation, these objects will remain in the same pristine condition for upcoming generations. This named legacy makes my heart happy, and it is a true comfort knowing the CMA will continue to be the most engaging museum to visit for many generations to come.” —Dawn Neff