Two Professors’ Work Selected for Art of the State Exhibit

Posted by: admin on May 26, 2016, No Comments

East Stroudsburg University Associate Professor and Chair of Art Joni Oye-Benintende and Assistant Professor of Art Jocelyn Kolb-DeWitt recently had their work selected for the 2016 Art of the State Exhibition, an annual event that features the finest art and artisanry in Pennsylvania. The exhibit runs from June 26 through September 11, 2016 at The State Museum of Pennsylvania. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 12 to 5 p.m.

Professor Oye-Benintende’s work, “Ancient Scribe,” is a fired clay wall piece that invites viewers to meditate on the timelessness of written expression. Professor Kolb-DeWitt’s contemporary wearable sculpture titled “Parotia” was created with 3D modeling and printing nylon and includes glass and rare earth magnets. It discusses attraction by examining sexual dimorphism in birds of paradise.

“We are extremely proud of these two faculty members from the ESU College of Arts and Sciences,” said Dean Peter Hawkes, Ph.D. “Their pieces were among 124 works selected from nearly 1,800 entries.”

The 49th annual Art of the State, a juried exhibit open to Pennsylvania artists and craftspeople, has established a tradition of exhibiting highly creative art chosen by a distinguished panel of jurors. Cash prizes are awarded for selected entries in the categories of: painting, craft, work on paper, photography and sculpture.

Art of the State: Pennsylvania is sponsored by The State Museum of Pennsylvania and Jump Street, an organization dedicated to the development of artists and audiences, workforce development, entrepreneurial skill building, and personal development using the arts. Art of the State provides an opportunity for both established and emerging Pennsylvania artists to exhibit their work and receive statewide recognition.

The public opening, artists’ reception, and awards ceremony will be held June 26, 2016 from 2 – 5 p.m. at The State Museum, 300 North Street, Harrisburg. The gala reception, which typically draws a crowd of more than 600, is free and open to the public, giving attendees an opportunity to engage with Pennsylvania’s finest artists. For more information, visit http://statemuseumpa.org/event/art-state-2016.