September 20, 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

SAMA-ALTOONA TO HOLD OPENING RECEPTION

            Altoona – The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Altoona will hold an opening reception on Friday, October 5 to celebrate Artists in Our Midst, Art in Common’s annual juried exhibition. Cost for the reception, which begins at 6 p.m., is $12 or $10 for SAMA members. For reservations or more information, please call the Museum at (814) 946-4464.

            Artists in Our Midst celebrates the work of local and regional artists with an exhibition of 36 works in a variety of media, including watercolor, photography, oil, acrylic, bronze, sandstone and mixed media. Serving as exhibition juror is Chuck Olson, Associate Professor of Art and Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Saint Francis University. Juror’s awards were given to: Brice Miller of Woodbury; Kathleen Burk of Ebensburg; Eric Feather of Imler; and Ai-Wen Wu Kratz of Dubois. Receiving Juror’s mentions were: Helen Gorsuch of Altoona; Lynn Marchetti Heverly of Altoona; Ruth Kempner of State College; and Edward Burda of Portage.

            Also on view at the Museum is From the Conemaugh to the Alleghenies: Vintage Photographs of William H. Rau. The exhibition features 30 vintage albumen and sepia-toned gelatin silver photographs by William H. Rau from the Altoona Area Public Library Collection. Rau is perhaps best-known as the official photographer for the Pennsylvania Railroad at the turn of the 20^th century.

            The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at 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.