Artist Exhibit and Reception Part of Primavera 2002 Women's and Gender Studies Conference

An exhibit entitled "New Images: M/F" has been hung in the Laredo Center for the Arts as part of the Primavera 2002 Women's and Gender Studies Conference at Texas A&M International University. This exhibit, featuring artists from across Texas, was created to showcase different and new ideas of male and female.

On Friday, March 22, the public is invited to the artists' reception for the show and the Brindis por la mujer at 7 p.m. at the Laredo Center for the Arts. Featured artists will be available to discuss their work, while Brindis will honor area women.

Janet Krueger, assistant professor and curator of the show, explained the thematic ideas behind the exhibit.

"Each of the artists is involved in an exploration of the relationship between our culture and our understanding of the idea of gender - what it means to be male or female in our time. In this sense then, the title of the exhibit evolved. These are not images of the corporeal man or woman, they are images of ideas: mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter and ultimately, self," explained Krueger.

Dr. Kati Pletsch de Garcia, associate professor and organizer of the Brindis, said that the event will celebrate women from throughout the area.

"The Brindis por la mujer celebrates women on both sides of the U.S./México border, and is intended to bring women together from diverse educational backgrounds, cultures, ethnic groups and professional experiences," she said, "This year, Patricia Keck, wife of A&M International president Ray Keck, and a loyal supporter of the arts, will be our mistress of ceremonies. Donna Lednicky, director of the Hecho en Encinal Project, and Guadalupe Bello, publisher and editor of Cariátides, an art literature magazine published in Nuevo Laredo, will be our honorees."

Artists featured in the exhibit include Rose Harms, a printmaker who teaches at University of Texas, San Antonio; Bernice B. Appelin-Williams, who has had many Texas exhibitions as well as shows in London and New York City; Alma Haertlein, a painter who teaches art at Victoria Community College; and Judith Larue, who teaches at St. Mary's Hall in San Antonio and who has also taught sculpture at A&M International and Laredo Community College.

Also featured in the show will be Dennis Coffman, a sculptor whose recent work was exhibited at San Antonio College; James Smolleck, a painter who has exhibited at Finesilver Gallery; and Sal Torres, a painter currently teaching at San Antonio College.

Other artists include painter Verónica Fernándes, who currently teaches color theory at Texas State University and has exhibited at Southwest Craft Center; Jayne Lawrence, sculptor; and Dotty Zamora, who works with mixed media and teaches painting and drawing at A&M International and art appreciation at LCC.

For more information about the art exhibit, please contact Janet Krueger at 326.2591, visit offices in Dr. F.M. Canseco Hall, room 203 or email jkrueger@tamiu.edu. The Laredo Center for the Arts is open Tuesday - Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday 1 - 4 p.m. It is closed Mondays.

For more information about Primavera 2002 Women's and Gender Studies Conference, please contact Dr. Deborah Blackwell at 326.2628, visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 435G or email dblackwell@tamiu.edu. The conference also has a website: www.tamiu.edu/~jnorris/panels.html.

For more information about Brindis por la mujer, please contact Dr. Kati Pletsch de Garcia at 326.2614, visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 415 or email kdegarcia@tamiu.edu.

University office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu