Curator Carie Collver Leaves 35 Years at Schack Art Center

Carie Collver spent 35 years at the Schack Art Center in Everett, a tenure that began with a simple act of volunteering to keep a shop open. She will retire from her role as gallery director and chief curator, a position she held for decades.

Collver first encountered the nonprofit, then known as the Arts Council of Snohomish County, in her early 20s. At the time, the organization operated out of a small space with only two employees. Collver, who lived in Stanwood and worked as a glass artist at the Pilchuck Glass School, often drove into Everett to purchase supplies. She frequently stopped by the center to buy gifts and would sometimes find the doors closed. When that happened, she stayed to help with sales. After about six months of this informal arrangement, an employee asked if she wanted to take the job. The employee quit the next day, and Collver became the new hire.

Since then, the organization has moved to four different buildings and adopted its current name in honor of philanthropists John and Idamae Schack. The center now occupies a multipurpose building in downtown Everett that opened in 2011. That facility includes a hot shop equipped with a kiln, torches, and pottery and glass tools. Collver helped advocate for the investment in this space, noting it was the only hot shop between Seattle and Stanwood. She described the hot shop as the star attraction of the building since its opening.

In a September press release, Schack Art Center Executive Director Raedle Alburn credited Collver with building the foundation of the institution. Alburn wrote that Collver opened doors for thousands of artists and curated exhibitions that inspired the community for decades. The release stated that Collver's legacy lies in the relationships she built and the artists she supported.

During her career, Collver curated hundreds of exhibitions featuring artists such as Guy Anderson, Alden Mason, and Chuck Close. She said the process often involves matching artwork to an exhibit theme while ensuring the pieces fit the physical space. She described the work as sometimes being like herding cats. Collver noted that her personal favorite shows were those featuring glass art, a medium she has worked in since childhood.

Collver’s interest in glass began when she was a child. Her father, an engineer who owned a construction company, installed stained glass in their family home. Collver said she would lie in the living room and watch the light filter through the glass two stories above, casting colors across the carpet. That experience led her to pursue glass blowing as an artist.

Retirement allows Collver to tend to her garden and complete household cleaning projects. She described leaving the center as feeling like leaving a child, though she believes the organization will be fine after her departure. She plans to become involved with the Meyer Art Center in Stanwood, a new venue set to open in a retrofitted furniture store. Collver said she remains willing to return to the Schack Art Center for volunteer work or to help curate a show if needed.

Collver confirmed her retirement plans in an interview on Oct. 13. The Schack Art Center has not announced a date for her final day or the timeline for searching for a replacement.