We are honored to recognize Kendra Angle (Kendy) for her generous $25,000 gift to LUX Center for the Arts in memory of her parents, Mark Allen and Phyllis Hasselbrack of Barre, MA. This meaningful gift will support education programs and scholarships—especially for children with special needs. 

Mark and Phyllis met on the first day of art school in the Jewelry and Silversmithing department at the Museum of Fine Arts School in Boston in 1948—and eloped just months later. Their love for each other and for art became the foundation of a creative, joyful life. 

Mark built a remarkable career as a silversmith and hand engraver—a rare craft, even then. From their basement workshop, he created jewelry for icons like Elizabeth Taylor and Wilson Pickett, and engraving work for Presidents Johnson, Nixon, Ford, and Carter, and even the Stanley Cup. 

Phyllis, a talented painter and textile artist, turned their kitchen into a Saturday art haven for neighborhood kids—offering easels, finger paints, pastels, clay, soap carving, and more. Together, they raised their three children in a home filled with art, learning, and hands-on creativity. 

Kendra chose LUX because she knows firsthand the power of early encouragement in the arts—and wants to ensure young people, especially those with special needs, have the same chance to explore, express, and thrive through art. Studies show that art reduces anxiety, boosts happiness, and gives children a voice when words fall short. 

This gift is a beautiful tribute to two lives well-lived and a new chapter in inspiring future artists. 
Thank you, Kendra, for honoring your parents’ legacy by helping LUX spark creativity in the next generation. 

If you would like to learn more about making a memorial gift in honor of someone special and support creativity at the same time, please contact Michele Peón Casanova at 402.466.8692 or michele@luxcenter.org. Your gift celebrates a life, a milestone, or a memory while helping art thrive in our community.