Blank canvas: Suzanne
Deal Booth's career has
spanned the globe and art
world alike. An art histo-
rian, conservationist, and
philanthropist, the native
Texan serves on a number
of museum boards and is
co-founder of the Friends of
Heritage Preservation.
Mentor musings: She
tributes her longtime
mentor, art collector and
philanthropist Dominique
de Menil of Houston's
Menil Collection, for her
love of classic and eclectic
culture. "There were objects
from all different centuries
that she would pull together,
like a puzzle, and tell a story
in a room," says Booth.
Magnum opus: Since
settling here nine years ago,
Booth has been investing in
Austin's visual art scene.
Her latest endowment, in
association with The
SUZ A NNE DE AL BOOTH
The Philanthropist
Contemporary Austin, is
the Suzanne Deal Booth Art
Prize: a biennial award of
$100,000 and a solo exhibit
to an artist of any age. "The
arts are a critical part of
what determines who we
are and how we address our
history," she says. "There's
room in Austin to encour-
age the next step: an
enlightened cultural
environment."
website: sdbooth.com
