Ann Harlow earned a B.A. in art history and sociology at Stanford and an M.A. in art history at Berkeley. Having first volunteered in a local history museum in Evanston, Illinois, as a teenager and at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art before starting graduate work, she gained additional museum experience while studying at Berkeley. She then worked at The Oakland Museum, Mills College Art Museum, and for sixteen years as the director of the Hearst Art Gallery, Saint Mary’s College of California. Each of these positions helped develop her knowledge of early California art. After retiring from St. Mary’s, she guest curated a traveling exhibition, California Paintings 1910-1940: Selections from Mills College Art Museum. Her interest in Anne Bremer and Albert Bender stemmed from that experience.
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Ann Harlow, Independent Scholar 
Dear Ann: I was thrilled to get your email regarding Anne Bremer and Alfred Bender. I will make the changes shortly. I just did this today so am surprised to see any kind of response, especially one so quickly, and certainly not from you. But I am glad. I never know who looks at the memorials I create, most never leave a ‘flower’. I wish Find a Grave would have a counter on each memorial to keep track. I intended to add photos of Alfred Bender as well. Can I use one or two from your article? Do you have any of Anne? I didn’t know how much information to put in. There are a few different sources. I discovered them when reading The Cosmopolitans and they seemed very interesting-and that’s how I track down these people and make memorials for them. They are people who interest me in one way or another. Are you the one who maintains their grave? I was so surprised to find the lovely cyclamens inside the hedge. The hedge needed trimming I thought. I could have got down into Alfred’s name better if so. You didn’t say you were displeased with anything I wrote about either with the exception of the modifications I’m going to make, so I guess you are satisfied. This gives me an opportunity to ask about the book you are writing on them. How is that going and when do you think it will be released? Thank you.
(Bernard was responding to an email I sent him through findagrave.com.) I was also thrilled to find the information and photos you had posted. I’ve been using Find a Grave for my own family genealogy, but also entering the Bender-Bremer names occasionally. I have not been to the cemetery. Did it look like Albert’s name was added years after Anne’s, or do you suppose the monument was created for both after he died? I’m afraid I’m very slow about writing the book; I’ve drafted 9 chapters out of about 15. I still have boxes of Bender Papers at Mills I feel like I should go through. Maybe someone out there would like to help? I will also want to line up some exhibitions of Anne Bremer’s work, ideally to coincide with publication of the book.
I’d say it all matches quite nicely leading me to believe that it may have been erected following his death, but she was given ‘top billing’. I thought you were maintaining the grave as it is so lovely with the fresh plantings, but perhaps he arranged for perpetual plantings as extra, as the cemetery is permanently endowed. The book (the subsequent exhibition) sounds great and I sure hope you get some assistance.
Dear Ann: I have some questions for you regarding Anne Bremer’s participation in the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Could you please email me with your contact information? Many thanks, Jim Ganz.
(This I did, and I’ve been invited to speak as part of a panel on Jews and the PPIE at Temple Emanu-El in November.)
Ann: My grandfather was a good friend of Albert Bender. There was a lot of artwork around our family house that came from Bender. Contact me if you want and I can share what I know.
Ann: Enjoying this website, and your research. My way of finding you was researching Albert Bender via his friendship with writer Bertha Damon. Bertha accompanied Albert and Ansel Adams on their trip in 1927, I believe. I would love to know any more about this trip, and if there are any photos of Bertha. She sounds like a very interesting woman in her own right. Thank you! Best wishes.
Hi genusrosa, I’m a big fan of Bertha Damon and will write to you offline. I guess I’ll say here to anyone who makes it this far into my site that you can email me directly at ann (at) annharlow.com.