It all started with an ad in a historic preservation journal: A scholar from Dartmouth was studying the art in the Vermont Statehouse and needed an assistant. David Schütz, fresh out of grad school, applied.
Forty-two years later, he’s still here. He now serves as the state curator, responsible for Vermont’s collection of thousands of pieces of art and furniture, and of course, the Statehouse itself.
The first 20 years of Schütz’s career were dedicated to restoring the people’s house. When Schütz arrived it was “pretty ’70s-ish,” he said, with lower ceilings and fluorescent lighting. Now restored to its former glory, it still requires cyclical maintenance, Schütz said, since sunshine and time take their toll on the furnishings. Part of his job is determining what needs attention when.
But the main task ahead, Schütz said, is about storytelling.
“What are the stories that need to be told, and how do we use the collection to advantage?” Schütz asked. “How do we change the collection to reflect the reality of 21st century Vermont and its government?”
The Statehouse portraits mostly depict former governors, which means they’re mostly white men.
Sidebar: Gubernatorial portraits are paid for with private money and commissioned just before a subject leaves office. A good portrait can cost about $40,000, Schütz said. The curator suggests a few artists to each outgoing governor, who then chooses whom to commission. Part of the reason the curatorial role was created in the first place, Schütz said, is that some of the mugs on the walls were aesthetically — in his diplomatic description — “not good.”
Schütz plans to keep some gubernatorial portraits on the walls, “but do we have to have all of them?” he asked.
“We have an obligation to make sure that every Vermonter feels comfortable here and feels that it is, in fact, their Statehouse,” he said.
About five years ago, Schütz formed a task force to evaluate the state’s collection, which prompted two lobby displays: one on the state’s recognition of the Abenaki people and one on women political leaders in Vermont. (Sen. Ruth Hardy, D-Addison, also introduced legislation in 2020 to broaden the diversity of Statehouse art.) Because the pandemic canceled Statehouse tours for more than a year, there was more time to dedicate to this work, Schütz said. He expects that by July, the team will have completed an “interpretive plan” to diversify the collection.
In December 2020, the nonprofit Friends of the Vermont Statehouse raised funds to commission a portrait of Alexander Twilight, the first person of African descent to serve in a state legislature. Twilight was elected to the Vermont General Assembly in 1836. The portrait, which Schütz said will hang in the lobby, is now finished and awaiting a frame. Schütz’s team wanted to organize an in-person unveiling celebration this month, he said, but that is on hold for now due to the pandemic.
— Riley Robinson
IN THE KNOW
Before the House moved on to the orders of the day — namely, sending a $360 million spending package on to the Senate — Rep. Jim McCullough, D-Williston, asked his colleagues to take a moment to mark the death of legendary rock star Meat Loaf.
The 74-year-old singer’s passing may not be of much note to the chamber’s younger members, McCullough said, but Meat Loaf’s 1977 album “Bat Out of Hell” remains one of the best-selling albums of all time and sold some 40 million copies worldwide.
“Many rockers here in this house remember him and regret his passing,” McCullough said.
Separately, this reporter woke up to a 6 a.m. text from a certain Statehouse source, who claimed that Meat Loaf’s “Bat out of Hell” is also much cherished by Sen. Jane Kitchel, D-Caledonia, who chairs the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.
The senator confirmed that “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” is indeed one of her favorite songs — as well as a very useful way to think about the compromises one must make while crafting the state’s multibillion-dollar budget.
— Lola Duffort
There’s going to be a fresh face in Montpelier. Gov. Phil Scott on Friday announced that Matthew Walker of Swanton, a Republican, will fill a vacancy in the Vermont House.
Walker and his wife, PattiJo, own and operate Vermont Clothing Company & JC Image, a small graphic design, screen printing and embroidery business, according to a release from Scott’s office. Walker has also been a youth baseball and basketball coach for more than a decade, and is now head coach of Missisquoi Valley Union High School’s boys varsity basketball team.
Walker takes the place of former Rep. Brian Savage, R-Swanton, who resigned from his seat in December. While not required by law, Scott kept with state tradition of appointing a person of the same political party as the legislator exiting office, chosen from a list of suggestions provided by the local party chapter.
“As a small business owner and someone who has spent a lot of time volunteering in his community, Matt will bring valuable experience to this new role,” Scott said in Friday’s release. “When interviewing him, I was impressed by his enthusiasm for service, his pragmatism and commonsense approach, and I’m confident he will be an impactful legislator.”
— Sarah Mearhoff
ELECTION SECTION
Former Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman is thinking seriously about reprising his old role. The progressive Democrat, who tried unsuccessfully to unseat Republican Gov. Phil Scott in 2020, now says he’s “more likely than not” to throw his hat in the ring in the open lieutenant governor’s race.
“A number of people have reached out to me and encouraged me,” Zuckerman said. “I’ve then reached out to other folks in all corners of the state, trying to gauge if there’s interest, and there does seem to be quite a bit of interest and excitement.”
He said he’ll make a final decision and announcement within the next few weeks.
Zuckerman isn’t the only former LG thinking about asking voters for his old job back. Doug Racine, who held the post from 1997 to 2003, tells VTDigger he’s also “moving more in that direction than not.”
— Lola Duffort
IN CONGRESS
Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., drew scrutiny last month when an investigation revealed that his wife, Margaret Cheney, had sold stock in ExxonMobil weeks before Welch questioned the company’s CEO in a high-profile House hearing on “Big Oil.”
The disclosure, first reported by Insider, was notable not only because of the Exxon connection, but also because Welch himself had pledged to VTDigger in 2020 that he would no longer purchase individual stocks. He has since become a vocal critic of the practice within the halls of Congress, and has signed onto legislation banning the practice altogether.
Cheney’s divestment came just months before Welch launched a campaign for the U.S. Senate on a platform that includes support for the Green New Deal.
Now, Welch spokesperson Emily Becker says Cheney has pledged to avoid owning individual stocks. She and Welch have not bought new shares since 2020, according to financial disclosures.
And, according to Welch’s office, he is close to selling the last individual stocks in his portfolio acquired prior to his 2020 pledge — at which point, Welch’s staff says, he will no longer hold any individual shares.
— Sarah Mearhoff
FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE
Please enjoy this cartoonish interruption from Sarah’s cat on Thursday’s Vermont Edition. Audio clip is courtesy of Vermont Public Radio. The lamp is fine, thank you for asking.
WHAT’S FOR LUNCH
While legislators won’t be back until Tuesday, the Statehouse cafeteria will be open on Monday, and will be serving lasagna — probably both carnivorous and veggie versions.
But also! We have more information on Chef Manager Bryant Palmer, the man who will likely feed many Final Readers over the next few months. Before assuming his current role in the Statehouse cafeteria this month, Palmer was the director of culinary operations at Skinny Pancake, where he oversaw about a dozen kitchens.
By comparison, “this is kind of a relaxing job,” Palmer said.
Watch this space: Palmer said he enjoys the process of smoking meat, cheeses and vegetables, and might bust out a smoker once the weather warms.
— Riley Robinson
WHAT WE’RE READING (AND LISTENING TO)
After decades of failed attempts, Champlain Parkway gets green light from federal government (VTDigger)
Rapid tests slated for general public may be diverted to schools (VTDigger)
Jeremy Jones on the fight to save winter (Vermont Conversation)
