About the Foundation
The Wolfgang Wolff Foundation (WWF) is a 501c3 organization whose purpose is to preserve and promote the artwork and life story of Wolfgang Wolff. The collection includes paintings, drawings, woodcuts / prints, jewelry, book illustrations and textile designs and has been exhibited internationally. The goal of the WWF is to display the work of Wolff as an independent museum as well as to integrate parts of the collection within other museums, most likely located in Western Europe, the U.S. and the Pacific Islands.
Staff and Board
Paula Sirola – Executive Director
p.sirola@wolfgangwolff.org
Paula has led the development of several nonprofit organizations and community projects in Los Angeles and Latin America. As an advocate for Wolfgang Wolff’s artwork, she assisted in curating his art exhibits later in his life. Paula spearheaded the creation of the Wolfgang Wolff Foundation.
Jenna Haggett – Research Intern
Jenna is a student at UNCA at Asheville where she is pursuing degrees in art history and ancient Mediterranean studies. Through the internship with the Foundation, Jenna wants to develop valuable skills for a career in curating or art conservation.
Blake Kennemer – Marketing Intern
Blake is a recent UNCA graduate in New Media with a passion for marketing and visual production. Blake is committed to gaining practical experience through an internship with the Wolfgang Wolff Foundation, channeling creativity into real-world projects.
Lee Robinson – Research Intern
Lee is a UNCA senior majoring in Fine Arts with a concentration in Printmaking. Her familiarity with the art of woodcuts makes her particularly interested in Wolfgang Wolff’s work. She would love to contribute to the preservation of his woodcuts for future eyes.
Louisa Roche – Research Intern
Louisa is a student currently attending UNCA. She is majoring in Arts Management and Entrepreneurship with a focus in music. In her free time she enjoys drawing and playing the guitar.
Former interns are listed here.
Members of the Board
Björn Buxbaum-Conradi
Björn, a grandnephew of Wolfgang, comes from Kassel in Germany. He is interested in the art of his great-uncle since his youth. Björn has a master’s degree in literary studies and works as specialist for digital asset management. He has also been active as a writer and has published several travel stories and a novel.
Inga Funck
Originally from Hamburg, Germany, Inga earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of Southern California and has worked at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, at the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego and as a Managing Director of a local orchestra. She is a lifelong professional Early Music performer and teacher. Inga brings her passion and knowledge for art, her experience as non-profit administrator, as well as her fluent German language skills to the Foundation.
Stephen G. Harding
Steve is an instructor of European and U.S. political history with the Osher Lifelong Institute at the University of California, Riverside. He is a post career 70+ re-imaginer serving on the Boards of the Rivers and Land Conservancy and the Riverside Philharmonic. In his past professional life he served as a policy, planning and management advisor to multiple municipalities and as an instructor of globalization and public policy at Northwestern University. As a student of history with German heritage, Steve has long since held a keen interest in the life and times of Wolfgang Wolff.
Dale Hope
Dale has spent his life in the garment industry in Hawaii. He inherited his parents’ clothing business, then bought and served as creative director of the legendary Kahala label. He has also worked with Patagonia on the Pataloha label. Dale is an avid waterman and lives in Honolulu, HI.
Patty Kestin
Patty Kestin has over 20 years experience as a community activist, volunteer, board member and fundraiser with the objective to secure equal access to health, education, food and the courts for low-income individuals and families in Los Angeles. Patty holds an M.B.A. from U.S.C. and a J.D. from New York Law. She is fascinated by the life journey and work of Wolfgang Wolff and its historical and artistic significance.
Gary Phillips
Son of a mechanic and a librarian, Gary Phillips is a fiction writer. Violent Spring his debut mystery almost thirty years ago was named in 2020 one of the essential crime novels of Los Angeles. Phillips is a writer / co-producer on FX’s Snowfall, a cable show streaming on Hulu about crack and the CIA in 1980s South Central where he grew up. He remains captivated not only with the breadth of technique Wolfgang Wolff employed, but his fascinating life story as well.
Andy Smyser Belorgey
Andy received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Franklin College and a Juris Doctorate from the University of San Diego School of Law. In Los Angeles, she practiced public interest law, litigation and entertainment law and served as an arbitrator and mediator for the Los Angeles Courts as well as private conflict resolution. She has been involved with The Arts in numerous aspects, providing legal, promotional and practical counsel to artists and art entities: organizing events, managing artists and performing a variety of other activities to promote art. She is fluent in English and conversational in French.
Goetz Wolff
g.wolff@wolfgangwolff.org
As the son of Wolfgang Wolff, and born in Tahiti, Goetz has always appreciated his father’s artistic talent and ability to capture the images of the Tahiti of Goetz’s youth. Many of Wolfgang’s later themes resonate with Goetz’s work for social justice. Goetz organized several exhibits for his father later in Wolfgang’s life. Now as a retired university professor from UCLA, Goetz wants to devote his time to sharing Wolfgang’s art with the world.