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Art Works for the Community
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The 2001 TSS Conference and Indoor Exhibition will take place
at the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts in Farmville, VA.
LCVA has beautiful, spacious galleries, and both large and small
presentation rooms. It is located on a downtown corner within
walking distance of antique, "junk" and furniture shops,
and several restaurants. The outdoor exhibition will be installed
on approximately 2 acres of open lawn in front of the Prince Edward
County Middle School. This is a high visibility area, located
in the cluster of county-wide public schools and just off Rts.
15 & 460.
Check for more information under "Exhibition Opportunities"
in the Sculptor's Voice or call the Longwood Center for the Visual
Arts at (804) 395-2206. In order to publish a catalog and to prepare
for the exhibitions, we are holding to a slide submissions deadline
of July 1.
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Planning for the Farmville conference is moving along, and just like
folks promised me, it is time consuming. It is also satisfying because
I am working with wonderful people - especially Johnson Bowles, director
of the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts - and making new connections
between the arts and the community. The Tri State exhibitions and conference,
along with associated events such as the public schools Art Cars project
and volunteer docent tours of the outdoor sculpture, will have a huge
impact on this small town. I think that TSS members will enjoy visiting
Farmville as well as the conference events.
The Virginia Commission for the Arts is supporting our conference
and associated events with a $7800 grant - the largest one they awarded
for the project grant category this year. Of that amount, $5000 will
go towards an exhibition publication.
The Hampden-Sydney College Fine Arts Department has coordinated with
us on our keynote speaker, Helen Escobedo, and is paying for her transportation
and honorarium.
Other presenters include the following: Jennifer McGregor, former director
of the NYC Percent for Art Program, now an independent consultant engaged
in wide ranging public art and interpretive projects; David Dodge Lewis,
designer of our 2001 Tshirt (just wait ëtil you see it!) and Professor
of Art at HS-C; Mary Prevo, an art historian and activist; Rudy Rudisill,
who will give a riviting presentation (and regardless of what has to
be done, I won't miss it); Michael Creed, a sculptor and furniture maker
- check out his extraordinary work at http://home.earthlink.net/~michaelcreed/;
and Martin Webster, who will guide us through some computer technology.
We are also negotiating for a few more presenters and special displays.
LCVA supports a volunteer art education program in the public schools,
and this exhibition will provide a wonderful, accessible connection
to the arts. In addition, there are plans for each of the public schools,
as well as for students at Longwood College, to create "art cars"
as a related event. The art center also has a $500 stipend and student
help for an artist to create an installation piece in the front window.
(It would be good to have a TSS member's work there for the conference.)
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