Arlene Schnitzer

Arlene Schnitzer died Saturday after a long illness. She was 91 years old. Schnitzer transformed the Northwest art scene in the 1960s and 1970s and championed the work of local artists. Schnitzer and her husband, the late Harold Schnitzer, were among Oregon’s most generous philanthropists. They donated more than $80 million to various causes. Arlene Schnitzer spent her life in the Northwest. She was born in Salem and raised in Portland. Her parents, Simon and Helen Director, owned a high-end furniture store. In 1961, Schnitzer opened the Fountain Gallery, along with her mother, Helen Director, and her friend Edna Brigham. As Arlene Schnitzer built the Fountain Gallery, her husband, Harold, built the company Harsch Investment Properties and made a fortune in the real estate business. Together Harold and Arlene Schnitzer collected more than 2,000 pieces of art. The work they loved included early Chinese sculpture, Native American baskets, and the work of contemporary Northwest painters and ceramic artists. Much of their collection has been donated to the Portland Art Museum. Harold Schnitzer died in 2011. The Schnitzers are survived by their son, Jordan. He’s now the CEO of Harsch Investments, the family real estate business.