September 24, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, please contact:

Liz Garlena, Education Coordinator

(724) 238-6015

Travis Mearns, Public Relations Coordinator

(724) 238-6015

LIGONIER MUSEUM TO HOLD ARTIST-TEACHER WORKSHOP

            Ligonier – The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Ligonier Valley will host a Professional Development Workshop for artists, teachers and school administrators on Monday, October 8. SAMA’s workshops are designed to address the importance of art in education. The theme for October’s workshop is “Making Residencies Work: Meaningful Artist/Teacher Collaboration.”

            Presenting at the workshop, which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., will be two SAMA and PCA directory artists, KT Huckabee and Martha Murphy. Huckabee, who will be presenting in the morning session, is the coordinator for the dance studies minor at Penn State Altoona and the director of Allied Motion Dance Company. Huckabee holds an M.FA in dance and a certification in movement analysis.

            The afternoon session will feature a presentation by painter and sculptor, Martha Murphy. A graduate of St. Michael’s College in Vermont, Murphy is an acclaimed multi-disciplinary artist who has been commissioned to do several sculptural works for the Cadillac Corporation and a large steeplechase farm in Tampa, Fla. Murphy’s artistic repertoire includes watercolor, metal, clay, stained glass and needlepoint.

            Cost for the workshop is $30, which includes coffee and pastry in the morning and lunch in the afternoon. Reservations are required by October 6 and can be made by calling SAMA Education Administrator Tina Lehman at (814) 269-7234. The program counts toward Act 48 credit fulfillment.

            The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Ligonier Valley is located at One Boucher Lane and Route 711 South in Ligonier. 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. For more information, please call the Museum at (724) 238-6015 or visit www.sama-art.org.