July 16, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, please contact:

Barbara Hollander, SAMA-Altoona Coordinator

(814) 946-4464

Travis Mearns, Public Relations Coordinator

(724) 238-6015

Altoona—The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Altoona will again celebrate the work of local and regional artists with the upcoming Artists in Our Midst annual juried exhibition. The exhibition features artwork by Art in Common members, most of whom reside in the Central Pennsylvania region. Artists in Our Midst opens August 17 and continues through November 4.

The Museum will host an exhibition reception on Friday, October 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. The cost is $12 or $10 for SAMA members. For reservations or more information, please call the Museum at (814) 946-4464.

Artists in Our Midst annually features works in a wide variety of media, such as oil, acrylic, photography, fiber art, sculpture and mixed media. Serving as exhibition juror is Chuck Olson. Olson resides in Indiana, Pa. and serves as Associate Professor of Art as well as Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Saint Francis University in Loretto. He has exhibited his work in not only the United States, but also Western Europe and Japan. He was listed in "Who’s Who in American Art" for 2004-2005, and has received the National Honor Society Distinguished Faculty Award at Saint Francis University for 2005. The prolific artist will have an exhibition of new works on view at SAMA-Loretto in the exhibition, Chuck Olson: Visual Histories, which opens October 12.

"The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Altoona is once again eagerly anticipating the Art in Common exhibition," said SAMA-Altoona Coordinator, Barbara Hollander. "With the contrasting styles of various artists, the expectations of quality and technique are always achieved. The Art in Common committee has worked tirelessly to showcase local and regional artists and our Museum is delighted to lend them our exquisite venue to do so. For local art collectors, this is the show that you do not want to miss."

There are currently about 100 Art in Common members, many residing in Blair County and the surrounding area. The group was founded in 1987 with the purpose of establishing a forum for visual artists, both amateur and professional, to display and discuss their work, as well as to foster a wider appreciation of the visual arts throughout the community. Members exhibit as a group annually at the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Altoona.

The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art in Altoona is located in the Brett Building at 1210 Eleventh Avenue. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 1 to 5 p.m. weekends. The Museum is a handicapped-accessible facility and is open to the public free of charge. Parking is available in the garage across the street or in metered spots in the lot at the rear of the building. For more information, please call the Museum or visit www.sama-art.org.