Bundys make giving a family affair

In a sense, the Bundy family’s legacy of giving to the Cleveland Institute of Art began in the fall of 1968. That’s when Brian Bundy met Florence Carbone after being seated near her—alphabetically—as first-year students. What began as a seating arrangement quickly blossomed into friendship, and eventually, a lifelong partnership built on their shared appreciation for the arts. 

“Art was our world, and the institution gave us a foundation of appreciation for the arts and design,” says Florence, who today is Florence Bundy. The couple married soon after graduation. 

Florence and Brian earned BFAs in Graphic Design and Industrial Design, respectively, in 1973—and relationships they built with CIA faculty along the way were impactful. Brian was hired by former Industrial Design faculty Hugh Greenlee ’49 and Roy Hess ’48 at Greenlee-Hess Industrial Design, while Florence made a career as a graphic designer. The newlyweds stayed engaged with CIA through Greenlee and Hess and frequent visits to the College to view student exhibitions. 

After Florence and Brian had two children, those visits to CIA became opportunities to introduce them to the world of creativity and expression provided by an art and design education. They shared the same wonder they once felt as students, nurturing in their children a deep appreciation for the arts. “We wanted them to learn and appreciate that everything they see—everything that’s produced—was designed by somebody,” Florence says. 

It worked. 

“I really take after both of them,” says Brian Bundy Jr., the couple’s oldest child. “I remember always going to Dad’s office and building things. Even our school projects, they would always start out small, like something a fourth grader would do, and then because our parents were artists and would get really invested, it would end up being a college-level project.”

Those early experiences inspired Brian Jr. to follow in his parents’ creative footsteps. He earned his BFA in Graphic Design at CIA in 2005.

“I use what I learned at CIA almost every day,” says Brian Jr., who works as a freelance graphic designer. “I’m always thinking about ‘at CIA, this is how they would approach it’ or thinking of a specific technique I learned there.”

Brian Sr. passed away in 2011. Florence is now retired, but she and Brian Jr. continue to reflect on how their family’s formative CIA experiences shaped their creative paths and left indelible marks on their lives. 

That profound impact has inspired them to give back over the years. The family’s first gift to CIA dates back to 1980, meaning what started as a simple seat assignment has grown into an extraordinary legacy of generosity that’s lasted 45 years. 

“It’s great to give back to something that gave us so much,” Florence says. “We appreciated everything we learned at CIA. What the school taught us shaped who we are, and we still use those lessons every day. 

“That’s why I think it’s so important to support the young artists coming up now, whether they’re designers, painters, commercial or fine artists,” she continued. “People should think back to their own time at CIA and remember what they gained. Even if you can’t give a lot, anything you contribute helps support the future of art.”

Photo caption: Mother and son Florence Bundy ’73 and Brian Bundy Jr. ’05 are inspired to give to the Cleveland Institute of Art in part because of how the College shaped their lives. Submitted photo.