CANYON, Texas — More than 50 West Texas A&M University alumni are featured in a new art exhibition opening April 1.
WT’s first art program alumni exhibition will hang through April 27 in the Dord Fitz Formal Gallery inside Mary Moody Northen Hall. An opening reception will run from 5 to 7 p.m. April 4.
The art program received nearly 170 submissions from 75 artists. Guest juror Deana Craighead, curator of art at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, selected 53 works to hang in the show—one each per artist chosen.
Three alumni will receive cash prizes ranging from $500 to $1,500, to be announced at the opening reception.
“We are incredibly proud of these alumni, who represent graduates from the 1970s to just last year,” said Jon Revett, art program director and Doris Alexander Distinguished Professor of Fine Arts.
“The art program has been part of WT’s identity since its establishment in the 1910s, when none other than Georgia O’Keeffe served as its leader,” said Dr. Amy Von Lintel, professor of art history. “Our exhibition will demonstrate that the legacy of quality art education begun by O’Keeffe continues on the campus to this day.”
Craighead said she was impressed with the quality of the entries and wanted to include as many artists as possible in the show.
“In choosing works for the exhibition, it was important to illustrate the rich history and depth of the art program and the quality of graduates that have continued to make art, both professionally or as a hobby,” Craighead said.
Selected artists include Dárē Akinwole, Dick Archer, Mariah Aytch, Adrian Ballesteros, Amanda Barnett, Kendra Barth, Jacob Bautista, Stephanie Boyd, Jarys Boyd, Tiahna-Dawn Brecheisen, Brittany Busch, Ann Callen, Kayla Cantu, Sawyer Crane, Blake Cripps, Loc Dao, Renea Dauntes, Ana Davila, Elba Duron, Sage Edsall, Emory Elliott, Amanda Fitzgerald, John Flatt, Helené Gagneux, Arash Ghahari Kermani, Victor Granadoz, Mandy Gregory, Evarista Herrera, Brent Hilliard, Kegan Hollis, Ixchel Houseal, Joshua Jinkens, Ruthie Landelius, Miguel Lares, William Lebeda, Brooke Locke, Delores Maldonado, Mark Martin, Joey Martinez, Chasely Matmanivong, Michael Merriman, Megan Moore, Patrick Ponce, Justin Rogers, Benjamin Selby, Brian Singleton, Sara Spaulding, Clayton Spaulding, Julia Strait, Aaron Taylor, Marcia Tippit, Phuc “May” Truong, Rayan Turner, Slayden Watson, Barbara Williams and Traci Winter.
Fitz Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and by appointment Fridays and Saturdays. Email [email protected].
Fostering an appreciation of the arts and cultivating strong relations with alumni are key goals of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.
That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised nearly $160 million.
Photo: Jarys Boyd’s “Interlude,” a mixed media on canvas, is among the works selected to hang in the West Texas A&M University art program alumni exhibition on view April 1 to 27.
