[118] MTSU’s Todd Gallery to Exhibit ‘Best of Tenneseee Fine Craft’

FOR RELEASE: Sept. 27, 2010
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Eric Snyder, esnyder@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2455

MTSU’S TODD GALLERY TO EXHIBIT ‘BEST OF TENNESEEE FINE CRAFT’
First Lady Andrea Conte Plans Opening-Reception Speech on Oct. 4

(MURFREESBORO)— The finest work of Tennessee’s craft artists will be on display through Friday, Oct. 15, at MTSU’s Todd Gallery in a free public exhibit, “2010 TACA Biennial: The Best of Tennessee Fine Craft.”

Tennessee’s First Lady, Andrea Conte, plans to speak at the exhibit’s 6-8 p.m. opening reception on Monday, Oct. 4. She’ll discuss the use of fine craft in remodeling the Governor’s Mansion as well as in her personal collection, Todd Gallery Coordinator Eric Snyder said.

A public reception is planned for Saturday, Oct. 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. as well. All events are free and open to the public.

The Tennessee Association of Craft Artists is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging, developing and promoting crafts and craftspeople in Tennessee. Through its programming, TACA works to expose the residents of Tennessee to the art of fine craft while providing a forum for creative and personal expression for the artists.

“The Department of Art is pleased to host the 2010 TACA Best of Tennessee Craft Biennial exhibit,” said department chair Dr. Jean Nagy. “This exhibit provides an opportunity for our students to see work that they may not get a chance to see elsewhere.”

This special exhibit at MTSU will feature 48 original works of fine craft created by almost 35 Tennessee artists, including clay artist Sylvia Hyman, furniture maker Craig Nutt and mixed-media artist Sherri Warner Hunter.

“We are excited about the interaction our students will have with this new work,” said John Donovan, chair of the Todd Hall Art Gallery Committee. “We hope that artists associated with the TACA organization take this opportunity to visit our program and see what we are up to. This exhibit will help connect our academic program to the greater regional art community and foster a lasting dialogue between the two.”

TACA has been producing the biennial exhibition since 1966, a year after the organization was founded. The biennial event not only encourages and promotes the quality and design among the state’s fine craft artists but also provides public visibility and recognition for the quality and diversity of craft found in the state.

The Todd Gallery is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, contact TACA’s Katie Haile at 615-385-1904 or khaile@tennesseecrafts.org or MTSU’s Snyder at 615-898-2455 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.


Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. This fall, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.


For MTSU news and information, visit www.mtsunews.com.

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ATTENTION, MEDIA: If you’d like to attend the Oct. 4 opening reception, or to receive color JPEGs from the exhibit, please contact Gina E. Fann in the Office of News and Public Affairs via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385.
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