Janet Petry Obituary

Petry, Janet "Jan" Sue

Janet (Jan) Petry passed peacefully on September 5, 2024, after a four-month challenge with cancer during which she continued to embrace life with her signature vitality, grit and grace. Born April 11, 1939, to John and Evelyn (Harshman) Petry, Jan grew up in a loving family in Richmond, Indiana, as the eldest of four siblings.

After graduating from Richmond High School in 1957, she found her calling in art at Ball State Teachers College (now Ball State University). In 1962, Jan moved to Chicago to pursue graduate studies at IIT Institute of Design. Several small design firms later, she happily landed in 1970 at Leo Burnett as Art Director. Her breakthrough television and print campaigns for clients such as Kellogg's propelled her career, notably becoming the giant ad agency's first woman Executive Art Director to rise to Associate Creative Director. During her successful 25-year career there, she created not only memorable advertising of the times but, also, friendships of a lifetime.

In 1991, Jan found her ultimate passion when she became an early and enthusiastic member of Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art. Jan's eye for collecting outsider, self-taught and folk art was exceptional, and she generously shared that visionary gift with Intuit. Curating a couple of early exhibits led to her joining the Board of Directors as its first Exhibitions Committee Chair, a position she held for 25 years, curating or overseeing more than 130 exhibits, ranging from an early retrospective of the work of artist Drossos P. Skyllas to dRAW, a group show highlighting the diversity of drawing approaches among the genre's most renowned artists.

A devoted advocate for Intuit, Jan ultimately served as Chair of the board from 2016-2019 and was most recently serving as Capital Campaign Co-Chair. Jan's years of service were recognized with the museum's top honor, the Visionary Award, marking extraordinary contributions to the field of outsider and self-taught art, in 2015. When the newly renovated Intuit Art Museum reopens in Spring 2025, the Jan Petry Gallery, the museum's largest gallery, will continue her legacy; works from the permanent collection and special exhibitions will be exhibited there.

In retirement, Jan pursued woodworking and was honored to have three of her sculptures acquired for the permanent collection of the Racine (Wisconsin) Art Museum. She was a member of Chicago Sculpture International and The Arts Club of Chicago. Other life passions included playing tennis and her Santa Fe casita, which for 12 years became a base for collecting Southwest art, ceramics and textiles.

Jan is survived by her sisters Nancy Petry and Jo Ellen Bivens, nieces Sarah Bivens Witt and Carrie Bivens, and her companion of 54 years, Mary Agnes "Angie" Mills. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Eddie Petry. Donations in Jan's honor can be made to Intuit at www.art.org or by calling 312.624.8000. A private celebration of life will be held in November, and all interested may attend a second celebration at Intuit in April in the Jan Petry Gallery when the renovated museum reopens.

Photo by Cheri Eisenberg.

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