About

About The Carmen L. Pettersen Foundation

The Carmen L. Pettersen Foundation (FCLP by its acronym in Spanish) is a non-profit foundation established in 2015 to promote, study and conserve the artwork of Carmen L. Pettersen and other Guatemalan artists.

One of the most significant artists in Guatemala in the 20th Century, Carmen L. Pettersen (1900-1991) was devoted to creating imagery that expressed her love and wonder of the land she lived in. Pettersen´s portfolio, instantly recognizable as her own, includes landscapes and flora of Guatemala and other countries she visited; portraits; and detailed depictions of Mayan Indians in their traditional and distinctive garb.

FCLP is made up of Guatemalan, German, Canadian and North American volunteers who share an interest in Pettersen, in Guatemalan art and in Mayan textile art, and seek to increase appreciation and study of these arts.

Mission

The mission of the Carmen L. Pettersen Foundation is to inspire curiosity about, and enjoyment and understanding of, the art created by Pettersen and other Guatemalan authors. In furtherance of its mission, the Foundation promotes the appreciation of these arts through the preservation, presentation, and interpretation of works of art of outstanding quality and historical importance.

OFFICERS OF THE CARMEN L. PETTERSEN FOUNDATION

Ms. Nikki Bahr Rogers, President
Ms. Lucia Bahr Murga, Vice President
Ms. Jennifer Leonowens, Treasurer
Ms. Sarah Leonowens Guillen, Secretary
Ms. Maria del Carmen Rademann Blasberg, Protector
Ms. Catherine Leonowens Rodriguez
Ms. Carmen Herold Sanchez
Ms. Sofia Rodriguez Leonowens
Ms. Lucy Leonowens

Conservation

Preservation is at the heart of our mission. Our conservation program seeks to preserve the Maya de Guatemala Collection using the most advanced conservation practices and innovative technologies.

Conservation is an essential aspect of managing our collection and preparing exhibitions and loans. All artworks are carefully documented and their condition assessed prior to display. During travelling exhibitions, works are closely examined before and after presentation at each venue to identify any changes in condition and provide remedial treatment when necessary. At home, the conservator works closely with curators and staff at the Museo Ixchel to formulate long-term plans for the care and storage of our collection.

In 2014 and 2015, the Foundation worked with the Museo Ixchel on the conservation of the 61 watercolors of the Maya de Guatemala Collection. View the final report on the conservation HERE.

A fact sheet for home preservation and conservation tips can be viewed HERE.

Donations

The Carmen L. Pettersen Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose main objective is to promote, study and conserve the artwork of Carmen L. Pettersen and other Guatemalan artists. We depend on contributions from individuals, museums, corporations and other institutions. Your contributions allow us to preserve this artistic patrimony and to promote and exhibit it both within Guatemala and abroad.

If you wish to make a cash donation, you can send a check in US Dollars to our office in Guatemala:

Fundación Carmen L. Pettersen

7a avenida 14-84 zona 13, La Aurora 1

Guatemala, Guatemala 01013

If you would like to support our work in other ways, please contact us at fclpettersen@gmail.com to find out how you can do so.

Donate now!