The thirteen ASU professors and alumni nominated for the 2003 Arizona Governor's Arts Awards in Scottsdale on Tuesday were a large portion of the nominees.
The awards ceremony is an annual event held every spring and sponsored by the governor's office and Arizonans for Cultural Development. The awards recognize the contributions of corporate and individual support of the arts, artists, community projects, or arts education projects.
Every year, five Arizona individuals and organizations are honored with the awards. Although none of the winners were from ASU, Herberger College Information Specialist Jennifer Pringle said she thinks the number of nominees shows how much ASU contributes to the community.
"It says a lot about the college and the art in the Valley," Pringle said.
Marilyn Zeitlin, ASU Art Museum director, was nominated by members of the community who wrote letters about her work at the museum and other on-going contributions. In 1995, Zeitlin was also selected to be the U.S. commissioner at the Venice Bienale, one of the most prestigious art fairs in the world.
"One person is nominated, but really it's the whole institution that is recognized," Zeitlin said. "It's a team. Without the staff we couldn't do any of the things we do."
Art professor Mark Klett was also nominated for his more than 20 years of experience in photography. Last year he was honored as a Regents' professor, a title only awarded to the most accomplished faculty in the state and limited to no more than the top 10 percent of faculty.
"I appreciate the support I've received from the dean and the college," Klett said. "We have a right to be proud. We are having a big impact on the culture of Arizona and the Valley."
Both Zeitlin and Klett said they hope to keep contributing to the community and continuing to improve the national and international reputation of ASU.
"The cultural life is here, and we are making a big difference in that regard," Zeitlin said.
"It's been very pleasurable for me to establish a reputation nationally and internationally, and to be recognized is really important to me," Klett said.
Other ASU professors and alumni nominees included Dr. Carolyn Waters Broe, director of the Four Seasons Orchestra; James DeMars, professor of music theory and composition; Daniel Nagrin, dance emeritus; Jason Ripper, mixed media artist; Henry Leo Schoebel, associate professor in printmaking; Thomas "Bear" Woodson, composer; Gary Avey, editor of Native Peoples; Michael Barnard, director, choreographer and producing artistic director at Pheonix Theatre; and Greg Esser, director of the Phoenix Arts Commission's public art program.
Reach the reporter at benjamin.honingford@asu.edu.
