Robert Friedman

Robert Friedman, sculptor, lecturer and educator in the Education Dept. of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, died at home in Parksville NY on September 16. He was 89 years old. Born in Brooklyn, he lived in Greenwich Village, Tribeca, and for the last 20 years in the Catskills with Peggy, his wife of 55 years.

Surviving him are children Matthew Friedman & Susannah Vickers, granddaughters Rory Friedman & Cece Vickers, nephew David Friedman & cousin Arnold Weiner. He was a kind, smart, and funny man who loved art, music, food, family, and good friends. Robert’s work has been exhibited in museums and galleries in the United States and abroad, as well as in private collections. He graduated from Cooper Union Art School; Yale University School of Art - BFA; and New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts - MA in Art History.

After a productive career sculpting, exhibiting, lecturing, and running outreach programs for the Met Museum, he and Peggy sold their Tribeca loft on Manhattan’s Lower West Side, and moved upstate to their weekend house in the mountains. The move was almost a whim, but Robert said, “I never thought I would own a tree.” He had a studio to continue sculpting and was active with local arts groups, such as the Catskill Artists Gallery in Liberty (open for 15 years), of which he was a founding member.

Memorial Service is Saturday Sept. 28, 1 pm at Harris Funeral Home, West St. at Buckley, Liberty, NY.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Neversink Volunteer Fire Department EMS, PO Box 468, Neversink NY 12765.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Harris Funeral Home West St. at Buckley, Liberty, NY 845-292-0001 or www.Harris-FH.com