Dr. Becky Bloom Named SUMA's Interim Director
Published: July 31, 2025 | Author: Kol Gibson | Read Time: 4 minutes
Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) at Southern Utah University is pleased to announce Dr. Rebecca “Becky” Bloom as the Interim Director, beginning August 1, 2025. Bloom steps into the role following the departure of Executive Director Jessica Kinsey, who recently accepted a faculty appointment at the University of Oklahoma.
A scholar and curator with expertise in Tibetan Buddhism, Buddhist material culture, and the intersection of religion and museums, Bloom joined SUMA in 2022 as the Diane P. Stewart Director of Curatorial Affairs. Since then, she has curated a dynamic slate of exhibitions that reflect both global and local perspectives, including The Space Between: Visions of the Southwest; A Dream Deferred: New Perspectives on Black Experience in the Work of Aïsha Lehmann and Vitus Shell; Harry Bertoia: Master Modernist; and most recently, Salt Lines: Exploring Climate, Environment, and the Saline Influx.
In addition to her curatorial role, Dr. Bloom has been actively involved in the classroom at SUU, teaching History of Non-Western Art for the Department of Filmmaking, Art, & Design since the spring of 2023. While her scholarly expertise centers on Buddhist art, she has also demonstrated a meaningful commitment to local art and history. At SUMA, she curated L. Robert Gardner: Cedar City Mid-Century Modern, an exhibition that highlighted the architectural legacy of a prominent local designer through original sketches and photography of his buildings. She also presented her research, “The Mystery of Dixon's Cedar City Works,” at the BYU Museum of Art Symposium Maynard Dixon: A MOA Symposium, reflecting her interest in regional art histories and their connection to broader cultural narratives.
“Becky brings a depth of knowledge, curiosity, and heart to everything she touches,” said Michael T. Schmidt, Dean of the SUU College of Performing & Visual Arts. “Her leadership will ensure continuity and innovation during this transitional period, and we’re thrilled to have her guiding the museum forward.”
Before joining SUMA, Bloom held curatorial positions at the Rubin Museum of Art and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art. She holds a PhD in Buddhist Studies from the University of Michigan, an MA in Religion from Yale Divinity School, and a BA in Religion and History of Art from Middlebury College.
As interim director, Bloom will lead SUMA through a period of transition while continuing to develop exhibitions and programs that reflect the museum’s mission to foster engagement and experiential learning, as shown by the upcoming Art for All: The Cedar City Art Exhibit, 1940-2008, and the 2025 Filmmaking, Art, & Design Faculty Exhibition.
“As we look to the future, we are confident that Becky will uphold the values that make SUMA a cultural treasure for our community,” added Dean Schmidt. “We invite our community to continue supporting the museum during this exciting next chapter.”
To stay involved with upcoming exhibitions and events, or to support SUMA’s mission, please visit www.suu.edu/suma.
About Southern Utah Museum of Art
Southern Utah Museum of Art, on the campus of Southern Utah University, features the artwork of regional artists known for their landscapes, faculty and student artists from the SUU Department of Filmmaking, Art, & Design, as well as emerging and distinguished artists from around the country and the world. Strengths of the nearly 2,000-object permanent collection include several works by famed Western artist Maynard Dixon, important regional women artists Eve Drewelowe and Edith Hamlin, and a comprehensive collection of work by Jimmie F. Jones that exemplifies his notable career in the region. Within SUMA’s holdings is an especially robust collection of prints that includes well-known artists such as Marc Chagall, James McNeill Whistler, Kawase Hasui, Thomas Hart Benton, and Käthe Kollwitz, among others. A number of gifts and acquisitions have focused on photography, such as Brett Weston, Gary Edward Adams, and a portfolio called DE | MARCATION: A Survey of Contemporary Photography in Utah. Named the best-designed museum in Utah by Architectural Digest, SUMA’s building, designed by Brooks + Scarpa and inspired by the region’s famed slot canyons, is an artwork in and of itself.
About the College of Performing and Visual Arts
The College of Performing and Visual Arts (CPVA) at Southern Utah University comprises 41 academic programs including liberal arts (BA/BS) and professional (BFA, BM, BMEd) degrees in art, design, dance, filmmaking, music, and theatre. It includes graduate programs in the fields of arts administration (MFA, MA), music education (MME), and music technology (MM). More than 60 full-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 900 majors in the College. CPVA presents over 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year which are complemented by the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) and Shakespeare Studies at SUU, and is affiliated with the Tony award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival (USF). Southern Utah University is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) making SUU the first public university in the state of Utah to be accredited by all four associations. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, visit www.suu.edu/pva.Tags: Staff Southern Utah Museum of Art Art Filmmaking Art and Design Community College of Performing and Visual Arts
Contact Information:
Emily Ronquillo
435-865-8765
emilyronquillo@suu.edu