FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JANUARY 17, 2003

Senior Lauren Barney stands before her award-winning art at The Five Colleges of Ohio Student Biennial, a juried exhibition hosted by The College of Wooster Art Museum in the Ebert Art Center.

WOOSTER, Ohio - A group of student artists from The Five Colleges of Ohio will display their creative talents in the second "2003 Student Biennial," a juried exhibition hosted by The College of Wooster Art Museum from Jan. 21 through March 2 in the Ebert Art Center (1220 Beall Ave.). The opening reception and award recognition will take place on Feb. 7, from 7-9 p.m.

Organized by The College of Wooster Art Museum, the event attracted 181 entries from students at The Five Colleges of Ohio (Denison University, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, Ohio Wesleyan University, and The College of Wooster), a consortium founded in 1995 with the support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Of the 181 entries, 47 works were selected. From that group, one Juror's Award, six Merit Awards, and four Honorable Mentions were chosen by juror Susan Channing, director of SPACES Gallery, a non-profit, artist-run alternative space in Cleveland. Entries included sculpture, prints, drawings, paintings, etchings, photography, and mixed-media, and for the first time, some of the items will be available for sale to the general public.

"Students often make highly creative work that can have an energy that is very appealing," said Kitty Zurko, director of The College of Wooster Art Museum. "This is a wonderful pre-professional opportunity for art students in a liberal arts environment. They have a chance to see the work of students from similar schools and the exhibition is a great educational tool."

The Juror's Award went to Kenyon's Emily Florida, for a large-scale photogram titled "Dress #3 (white)," Merit Awards went to Lauren Barney ("Untitled") and Ben Wooten ("Untitled-chairs") of Wooster; Kate Brideau ("Untitled") and Noel W. Anderson ("Klandestine") of Ohio Wesleyan; and Rosy Kalfus ("Heartbreak 1-4") and Christine Yoon ("Declaration 1776") of Kenyon. Receiving Honorable Mentions were Jeffry Liptak, Jr. ("Untitled-Sled) of Wooster, Danya Abt ("Untitled #2") of Oberlin, and Russell H. Whitmore ("Landscape") and Ashley Parker ("prep") of Kenyon.

The idea for the student exhibition came from Doug McGlumphy, preparator at The College of Wooster Art Museum, who participated in a similar event as an undergraduate in Pennsylvania. "I think students are always interested in what their peers are doing," he said. "An exhibition like this gives them a broader perspective." The only requirement for entering was that the student be enrolled in an art class at one of the Five Colleges of Ohio.

The College of Wooster Art Museum, located in Ebert Art Center (1220 Beall Ave.), consists of two galleries - the Sussel Gallery and the Burton D. Morgan Gallery. The museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. All receptions, lectures, and exhibitions are free and open to the public. Group tours are also available. The 2002-2003 exhibition season is supported in part with funds from the Ohio Arts Council.

For more information, call 330-263-2495 or visit www.wooster.edu/artmuseum.