Marilyn Scott, Director of The Lightbox, a new gallery and museum based in Woking and due to open next year, lists five of the most inspirational figures in her professional life.
Professor Lawrence Gowing
My art history professor at Leeds University and himself a fantastic artist. He gave me a passion for art, and particularly that of the 20th century, that made me decide that whatever career I pursued, it would have to involve the arts in some way. I can still remember his lectures whenever I look at paintings anywhere in the world. He combined a highly intellectual and academic approach with such fantastic enthusiasm.
Sir Roy Strong
Sir Roy was Director of the V&A when I joined in the early 1980s, in the days when museums were not known for raising money or being entrepreneurial. He was so skilled in seeing opportunities for raising funds but in a very subtle and clever way. He changed the face of the V&A forever. It was such a fantastically buzzy place to work, fun, with always something happening. He is also a great intellectual and never lost his enthusiasm for art, architecture, gardens, and history even when bowed down by the weight of running such a great museum.
John Turner
John was my first boss. I joined Bedford Museum as a volunteer after University and John was kindness itself. He certainly taught me to value staff, however junior or temporary. His passion for history and archaeology was truly inspiring and even the most mundane of cataloguing jobs became interesting because he always took the time to tell you what everything was about and why you were doing it. The way I have managed volunteers throughout my career has a lot to do with the example set by John all those years ago.
Magdalene Odundo
Magdalene is an international ceramicist who also happens to be one of the Trustees on my current project. I visited her studio when I hadnt been Director for very long. Her passion for her work as an artist and her knowledge of what life is really like for artists who may be struggling for success made me realise what organisations like The Lightbox can really do for the artistic community. Although she is very successful, she never loses touch with young artists and her enthusiasm has kept me going through many dark days when we never thought the project would get off the ground.
Alfred Vice
Alfred is a lifelong enthusiast for history and the power of history to create something special for ordinary people. He lives in Woking and was one of the founders of our project. He represents for me all those amazing volunteers without whom projects like ours would never happen. He has lived through 13 years of the creation of The Lightbox but his enthusiasm has never wavered. Knowing someone has been supporting a project for that long is a very grounding experience when you are responsible for making it happen.