Donald Bear

American, (1905–1952)

Donald Jeffries Bear, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art's founding director from 1940 to 1952, was born on February 5, 1905, in Terre Haute, Indiana. He previously served as the Director of the Denver Art Museum (1935-1940), regional advisor for the Federal Art Project (1935-38), and as principal of the World's Fair in New York (1938-39). While director of the SBMA, Bear served as president of the Western Association of Art Directors from 1943 to 1946. On March 16, 1952, Bear died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 47.