Art Again Sought for Penn College Campus

Local artists soon will be invited to participate in the second year of Pennsylvania College of Technology's ongoing effort to expand its campus art collection.

The "Art on Campus" initiative began last fall, when Dr. Davie Jane Gilmour, College president, appointed an eight-member committee to acquire pieces "representative of the many talented artists of the Greater Williamsport and Lycoming County region." Works of six area artists were selected during the inaugural year, and were unveiled during an August reception on the second floor of the College library.

In addition to institutional funding to be made available on an annual basis, a grant from the Lambert-Tyson Foundation was provided in memory of the late Robert Lambert, a local businessman, collector and supporter of the arts.

The works and their creators selected this past year are:

"The Cat Chair," an acrylic by Vincent Hron, Millville, an assistant professor of art at Bloomsburg University. "Composition in Secondary Colors," a framed oil painting on acrylic gesso, by Alex Kedzierski. The Chicago native is the director of the Lycoming Art Students League, a private academy of art in Montoursville, where he instructs oil and pastel painting.

"Chi," a watercolor, by L. Maile Marshall. Hawaiian by birth, Ms. Marshall attended college and worked in California before moving to Williamsport.

"Flower Tower Garden Trellis," welded-steel sculpture by Mike Patterson, Jersey Shore. He is an alumnus of Williamsport Area Community College, a forerunner to Penn College, graduating in 1976 in the two-year certificate welding program. "Cryptic Tidings," an acrylic painting with sand and crushed shells, by Florence Putterman, Selinsgrove. She holds a master's degree from The Pennsylvania State University and is a graduate of New York and Bucknell universities.

"Bend IV," an oil painting by Bruce Shobaken, a State College resident and professor emeritus of art at Penn State.

Their various works have been hung or installed in prominent places on campus for the enrichment of students, faculty and visitors.

The selections were made from 35mm slides submitted to the committee, which is comprised of faculty from the Art and Architecture departments and other staff members with art backgrounds. That procedure is being followed again, with samples due to the committee no later than Jan. 30.

The group also was charged with recommending locations to display archived pieces and with the longer-term goal of developing a digitized inventory for students and instructors to access as an educational tool.