Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - A professor at Syracuse University earned first place for her entry in the "Refined VIII: Maker's Choice" exhibition on display through March 29 in the Reavley Gallery of The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.
"Refined" is a biennial exhibition of jewelry and metalwork hosted by the art metals program in the School of Art at SFA since 1998, according to John Handley, director of art galleries at SFA.
Cindi Strauss, assistant director, programming and curator for modern and contemporary decorative arts and design at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, served as this year's juror and selected "Hip Implant, Ms. Kleinjen" by Holland Houdek as the first place winner. A 2012 Master of Fine Arts graduate of Syracuse University, Houdek is adjunct professor in jewelry and metalsmithing at Syracuse.
Second place was awarded to Jessica Armstrong for "Connected Brooch." Armstrong is a 2013 MFA graduate of the University of Pennsylvania in Edinboro, Pa., where she lives and works. Third place went to Frank Connet, a textile artist living and working in Chicago, Ill., for "Untitled #30."
Honorable mention was awarded to Robert Thomas Mullen, a 2012 MFA graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, for "Montane Brooch," to Hillary Dees, a Tulsa, Okla., native living and working in Brooklyn, N.Y., for "Bracelet," and to Melissa Cameron, an Australian native living and working in Seattle, Wash., for "Cold Handle."
The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House is located at 329 E. Main St. Gallery hours are 12:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. For additional information, call (936) 468-1131.