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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 16, 2013

The Morning News Appoints UT Dallas’ Chair of Arts & Aesthetics as Visual Arts Critic

(DALLAS) – , and its comprehensive entertainment resource GuideLive, has made another important move for its readers active in the arts and culture community by hiring Dr. Richard Brettell as its full-time Visual Arts Critic. Brettell will remain in his position as the Margaret M. McDermott Distinguished Chair of Art and Aesthetic Studies at University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas).

Brettell will become the face and voice for one of the most prominent and discerning audiences in North Texas. As visual arts critic, he will create stories on a regular basis for the Arts & Life section, GuideLive’s ArtsBlog and a major piece every two months for the Morning News.

“For the past 30 years, art has become my career, my muse and my passion,” said Brettell. “This is a great opportunity and responsibility to be honored as visual arts critic for one of the most artistically diverse cities in the United States. I look forward to establishing a larger presence for artists across North Texas, all of whom deserve more recognition and I am thrilled to provide that exposure.”

Brettell began his focus on art in 1971 at Yale University where he earned a B.A., an M.A. and a Ph.D. His first job out of college was as an academic program director and assistant professor at the University of Texas in Austin for its art department. From there, his career grew with positions at the Searle Curator of European Painting at the Art Institute in Chicago, as American Director and Co-Founder of FRAME (French Regional & American Museum Exchange) and has been at UT Dallas since 1998.

In addition to Brettell’s international experience, he was the McDermott Director of the from 1988 to 1992.

“Rick Brettell is not only an internationally acclaimed art scholar, but also a lively writer who connects clearly with intelligent audiences. I am positive he will make a difference,” said Bob Mong, editor of The Dallas Morning News. Brettell began his column for the Morning News and GuideLive September 9. For more information about this new position, subscriptions for the paper or other information on arts, culture or entertainment in Dallas/Fort Worth, visit www.DallasNews.com or www.GuideLive.com. About The Dallas Morning News Established in 1885, The Dallas Morning News is Texas’ leading newspaper and the flagship newspaper subsidiary of A. H. Belo Corporation. It has received nine Pulitzer Prizes since 1986, as well as numerous other industry awards recognizing the quality of its investigative and feature journalism, design and photojournalism. Its portfolio of print and digital products reaches an average daily audience of more than 1.1 million people and includes online news and information sites; iPhone, Android and iPad apps; Al Día (www.aldiatx.com), the leading Spanish-language publication in North Texas; neighborsgo (www.neighborsgo.com), a consumer-generated community news outlet; and Briefing, the free, home-delivered quick-read. In addition to the editorial drivers within the Morning News, CrowdSource was created as an independent business division to assist event organizers and producers with its operational, marketing and promotional needs. To advertisers, the portfolio of products is represented by DMNmedia (www.DMNmedia.com), the marketing solutions group of The Dallas Morning News, Inc. For more information about the publication and its entities, visit www.dallasnews.com.

About Guide & GuideLive From movies to music, dining to destinations in North Texas, Guide & GuideLive make up the most trusted resource for all things Dallas as the comprehensive entertainment engine of The Dallas Morning News. Every day, residents and tourists alike come to GuideLive to learn what’s the “Best in D/FW,” where to go to wine and dine, and how to absorb this amazing city of arts, culture and entertainment. Our writers are more than reporters – they are recognized, award- winning experts in their fields. Movie and food critics, visual arts and architecture, music reviews and what to do anywhere in Dallas are all covered in the pages of Guide every Friday and online 24/7 on GuideLive. For more information on places and events you don’t want to miss, visit GuideLive.com.

About University of Texas at Dallas The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor®, enrolls more than 20,000 students. The school's freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university's web site at www.utdallas.edu.

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