Chairman's Statement (1994)
Master of Fine Arts Exhibition, Lowe Art Museum, March 30 - April 17, 1994.
The 1994 show of Master of Fine Arts graduates is extraordinary in several ways.
This is the first generation of graduates who came in under our new expanded graduate program and it is most gratifying to see how fully their art as represented in this show, justifies that expansion. Stylistically they are about as diverse as any group can be; personally they have been a marvelous crew of hard-working, fun-loving artists who have made this a better department by their positive energy and their readiness to pitch in and help out in every kind of situation. I wish there could be some way to keep them here forever.
It is also remarkable that a group with this degree of dynamic cohesion has produced art which is at once so individualistic and of such high quality. I wish I had the space to describe some of the highly imaginative technical innovations many of them came up with to improve their art. I think many of us, as instructors, have been surprised to learn so much from some of these students, but this is how it should be in any real creative family. Each one has found a highly original way to make excellent art. I think we had something to do with it, but I have to give them the credit. It's a wonderful show and we present it with the highest pleasure and pride.
Darby Bannard
Chairman