Feb. 24, 2010
An art competition at The Catholic University of America is challenging students to create artwork inspired by the Rembrandt etching currently on display at CUA.Titled "Fine Line: A Student Competition," the event that kicks off today is a response to "Fine Lines: Discovering Rembrandt and Other Old Masters at Catholic University" on display in the May Gallery in the John K. Mullen of Denver Memorial Library.The competition is open to current CUA undergraduate and graduate students. Artwork in the form of paintings, drawings, film, sculptures and digital images will be accepted. Students must submit their pieces to the Department of Art by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 9.The submissions will be judged by a panel of art department faculty on Friday, April 16. The first-place winner will be awarded $100; the second-prize winner will receive $50. The prize money was donated by two Catholic University alumni: Christopher Heimann (B.A. 1983, M.A. 1986) and his wife Cynthia Aivalis Heimann (B.S. 1984).Pieces submitted for the competition will be installed in Salve Regina Hall on Monday, April 19.
The idea for the student show was conceived by Leslie Knoblauch, records management archivist at CUA, and Paul Wesley Bush, a doctoral candidate in medieval history. Knoblauch and Bush were instrumental in authenticating the etching discovered by Very Rev. David M. O'Connell, C.M., in Nugent Hall and in setting up the subsequent exhibit."We wanted a way to incorporate students into our exhibit in a creative way," says Knoblauch "We felt that an innovative approach would be to offer students the opportunity to reflect on the varied artwork in our exhibit by creating their own art. Our hope was to build a personal connection between the students and the exhibit. The University Archives looks forward to seeing the drawings, paintings, sketches, sculptures and other types of artwork that the students create."For more information about the competition, call the Department of Art at 202-319-5282.