Chairman's Catalog Statement (1995)
Student Exhibition, Lowe Museum, Apr. 12-30, 1995.
Competing for a place in a museum exhibition selected by a highly qualified outside judge is an invaluable part of a sound education. This ultimate "final exam" supplements our intensive undergraduate studio course work pushing these young artists to select, prepare and submit work, to endure the tension of the wait, to cope with the high of selection and the low of rejection, to come to terms with the abrupt, often puzzling, process of a juried show. They are getting a taste of the real world.
More students than ever submitted work to this exhibit, an aIl-time high of 275. Fewer than a third made it in. Professor Leher is a tough judge, and, as usual, each of us would choose a somewhat different show. But read in the juror's statement what he had to say about the quality of the work he saw. This is serious praise from a practicing artist and academic of the highest standing. All of the entrants, accepted or rejected, should take pride in his unqualified commendation, and so should our faculty.
The student show is a lot of work and we owe thanks to quite a few people for the effort they put in to make it a success. George Bethea and his assistant in the New Gallery, Mary Malm, headed up a crew of undergraduates: Chris Culley, Jennifer Basile, Michelle White and Jeff Goddard; graduates: Kerry Ware, Ed Sullivan, Kim Radatz, Wolfram Schnitzler, Randi Chaplin, Nelson Santiago, Barbara Robbins and Mandy Salter; and Professors Christine Federighi and Robert Chambers.
Dr. Marion Jefferson and Professor Tom Gormley put the catalog together with help from Telma Estrada, and Lorrie Merrill did a little of everything to keep it all in tune, as always.
We are also grateful for the good people who support our many named awards. This year we have added the two Hotel Sofitel awards in Graphic Design/illustration and the Rembrandt Graphic Design Purchase Award and we have revived the Miami Watercolor Society award. It is a long list but it could be twice the length and still not sufficiently recognize all the good work here.
Congratulations to the students and many thanks to the Lowe Museum for lending their premises to them.
Darby Bannard
Chairman
Department of Art and Art History
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