CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-1754 Ext. 229

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CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-1754 ext. 229

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Art Prof Named American Craft Council Fellow

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 31, 2008) – University of Kentucky artist Arturo Alonzo Sandoval is one of only seven new members selected for the American Craft Council College of Fellows as reported in the June/July issue of American Craft Magazine. Sandoval, an internationally recognized fiber artist, becomes part of a fellowship that now numbers 247 individuals. Joining him in the 2008 fellows class were artists Robert Brady, who works in ceramics and wood; Marilyn da Silva, who works in metal; Mark Lindquist, who works in wood; William Morris, who works in glass; Richard Notkin, who works in ceramics; and Honorary Fellow Nanette Laitman, known for her work preserving the stories of numerous artists as an oral historian. Sandoval, who studied weaving at California State College, was born in 1942 in Espanola, New Mexico, and is Hispanic and Native American. He credits his passion in weaving to his ancestry, which includes several relatives on his paternal grandmother’s side of the family who were weavers of colonial Spanish textiles for more than 250 years. The artist's weaving passion continued to evolve after his studies and eventually led Sandoval to even utilize recycled industrial products, beginning in 1969 with Lurex, a metallic yarn that was originally designed for tobacco packaging and decorative window shades. Two National Endowment for the Arts awards, two fellowships from the Kentucky Arts Council, and an Albert D. and Elizabeth H. Kirwan Memorial Prize from UK have since supported and furthered his experimentation and research into the use

An Equal Opportunity University of other products including vinyl, polyethylene plastic, Mylar, microfilm, battery cable and punched computer tape. Sandoval also has influenced the fiber field as a widely respected educator who has served as professor in the UK Department of Art since 1974. Work by the esteemed educator and artist, whose diverse influences range from religion to astronomy to political ethics, is found in numerous gallery shows and museum exhibitions and among many collections, including those of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Formed by peer election and awarded annually by the American Craft Council to distinguished members of the crafts community, induction into the American Craft Council College of Fellows recognizes the outstanding careers of individuals who have made major contributions to the crafts. Designation as a fellow signifies an artist of outstanding ability who has worked in his or her respective field at least 25 years. Founded in 1943, the American Craft Council is a national, nonprofit educational organization dedicated to promoting understanding and appreciation of contemporary American craft. The UK Department of Art recently announced the creation of endowed professorship to be named in Sandoval’s honor. For more information on this endowment, contact Benjamin C. Withers, chair of the UK Department of Art, at (859) 257-4013. ### We "see blue" at the University of Kentucky. We're home not only to powerhouse basketball and the best of intercollegiate athletics; we're also nationally ranked in more than 70 academic programs. We're charting an aggressive, exciting path toward becoming a Top 20 public research institution. “see blue.” is a lot of things, but most of all it's about helping students realize their potential and harness the power of their dreams. For more about UK’s efforts to become a Top 20 university and how we "see blue," visit www.uky.edu/OPBPA/business_plan.htm