USAO Announces Last Week to See ‘7-State’ Art Exhibit

CHICKASHA – Only one week remains to see the prizewinning art in this year’s 2007 Seven-State Biennial Exhibition, an exhibit drawing artwork from Oklahoma and six surrounding states. The art exhibit is on display at the University of Science and Arts Gallery through Dec. 7.

Next it travels to Lawton’s Leslie Powell Gallery in January and February 2008.

The juried exhibit doubles as an art competition, paying the highest cash award prizes in the state, said Cecil Lee, Regents professor of art and director of the USAO Art Gallery.

Houston artist Kathryn Kelly won first place for her work, “The Shadowlands.” The mixed media piece, consisting of tar, nails, rubber tires and rope, earned the artist $2,500.

Every two years, artists submit original works to the prestigious exhibition. An art juror selects winning entries in multiple categories, judges the works and awards cash prizes. This year’s exhibit awarded more than $10,000 to artists in cash prizes and purchases. In all, 14 artists received awards in three categories. More than 30 artists submitted works in the exhibit, from photography to paintings to sculptures and a wide variety of mixed media.

The exhibit is a joint effort of the USAO Art Gallery and Lawton’s Leslie Powell Gallery.

“Both USAO and the Leslie Powell Gallery are proud of promoting professional regional artists,” Lee said.

USAO Art Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Several USAO artists received recognition for their participation in the art show. Steve Breerwood, USAO’s new assistant professor of art, earned third place for his oil painting, “Jammed Bailer, After Rivera.”

Oklahoma City-based artist Paul Mays, a 2002 USAO art graduate, received both an honorable mention award and a purchase award for his mixed media work, “Cause of Corrosion, Variation No. 1.” Mays also is a recipient of the 2007 Young Alumni Award, presented earlier this month at USAO’s annual Alumni Homecoming.

Steve Brown, professor of art, and Jacquelyn Knapp, assistant professor of art, submitted artwork in the show. Layne Thrift, a 2001 USAO graduate, also participated in the exhibit.

Funding was provided by the Oklahoma Arts Council and USAO Foundation as well as private and corporate donations.

More information about the exhibit, as well as a list of winners and participants, is available online at www.usao.edu/gallery.

NEWS RELEASE November 30, 2007
UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND ARTS OF OKLAHOMA - CHICKASHA
CONTACT MICHAEL BENDURE, News Bureau, 405-574-1362, mbendure@usao.edu
RANDY TALLEY: Public Relations, 405-574-1337, rtalley@usao.edu
FAX: 405-574-1377