February 6, 1998

Friends of the Art Museum of Middlebury College

Set March 1 Deadline for Nominations For New Visual Arts Awards

New Program Recognizes Exceptional Contributions of Addison

County Residents

The Friends of the Art Museum of Middlebury College

ówhose mission is to encourage

appreciation of the visual arts in the communityóhave

announced a new annual awards program. The goal of the program

is to recognize students and other members of the Addison County

community who have made exceptional contributions to the visual

arts of their county through creative talents and achievements,

or enthusiastic support.

Nominations must be received by March 1 and are being

accepted in eight categories: Middlebury College senior; high

school senior; eighth grade student; sixth grade student; professional

or amateur artist, craftsperson or teacher; benefactor; volunteer

and/or organization.

Anyone may nominate a candidate for consideration.

The Friendsí selection committee will determine if there

should be recognition in any or all categories in a given year.

Awards will be made at the annual meeting of the

Friends of the Art Museum on April 26. For additional information

and nomination forms, please Sandra Olivo, curator of education,

Middlebury College Museum of Art, at 443-2248.

Members of the selection committee, which was appointed

by the Friends of the Art Museum, are: Virginia Brown, chair of

the selection committee and Friends member; Lisa Beck, visiting

instructor, teacher education program, Middlebury College; Dr.

Marge Drexler, Friends member and Cornwall resident; Martha Lapham,

Friends member and Shoreham resident; Eric Nelson, professor of

studio art, Middlebury College; Sandra Olivo, curator of education,

Middlebury College Museum of Art; Lois Thompson, art teacher,

Mt. Abraham Union High School.

Along with encouraging

appreciation of the visual arts in the community, the

Friends of the Art Museumís mission is to support

the art acquisitions program of the Middlebury College Museum

of Art, and to sponsor exhibitions and art related programs for

the enjoyment and edification of the members.

Since its founding in 1968, the Friends of the Art

Museum, which numbers over three hundred local and national members,

have donated numerous distinguished acquisitions to the College

art collection. In 1990 they launched a successful campaign to

conserve a valuable 9th Century Assyrian relief in the College

collection and to reinstall it in the lobby of the new Middlebury

College Museum of Art. In 1996 they voted to use two thirds of

their annual dues to support the Museumís educational initiative.

Since its inception, the education program has trained more than

35 docents and offered tours of Museum exhibitions to over 2,500

school children and adults in the community.