NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS – The School of Art at Stephen F. Austin State

University has announced that works by four artists associated with the

university will be included in “TEXAS NATIONAL 2012,” which will open

with a 6 to 8:30 p.m. reception Saturday, April 14, in the Ledbetter

Gallery of The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House, located at 329 E.

Main St. in downtown Nacogdoches. The show will run through Saturday,

May 26.



Among the 109 pieces selected for the national juried exhibition are

“Nautilus” and “Impulso,” two ceramics pieces by graduate student Kira

Kalondy of Mexico; and “Pearls Before the Hind,” an oil painting by Cat

Springs senior Heather Wobbe.



Also included in the show are “Through a glass darkly, the wonderful

world of color: #86,” a digital photo by SFA librarian Wade Carter; and

“Untitled,” an acrylic painting by Pearland resident Hannah

Zuniga-Murasko, who earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts at SFA in 2007.



Created by the SFA School of Art, “TEXAS NATIONAL” is celebrating its

18th year on the national scene, said Charlene Rathburn, the

university’s director of galleries. The competition is open to all

artists living and working in the United States and is juried each year

by an internationally acclaimed artist or critic.



Works by 84 artists from 23 states were chosen from among the 1,600

entries for this year’s exhibition, and cash prizes totaling $3,500

will be awarded to three artists during the show's opening from 6 to

8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 14.



World-renowned art critic Dave Hickey is serving as the juror for this

year’s event. He will announce the winners of the competition during

the opening reception. Hickey will also give a lecture presentation

from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 13, in the Music Recital Hall of

the Wright Music Building on the SFA campus.



Running concurrently with “TEXAS NATIONAL 2012” upstairs in the Reavley

Gallery will be an exhibition curated by Hickey, “Stephen Mueller

(1947-2011): In Memoriam.”



Regular hours for The Cole Art Center are 12:30 to 5 p.m., Tuesday

through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Both “TEXAS NATIONAL

2012” and “Stephen Mueller (1947-2011): In Memoriam” are sponsored in

part by SFA Friends of the Visual Arts and Nacogdoches Junior Forum.



For more information, please call (936) 468-1131.