Sea Gull Century Print Exhibit Dedicated to Jack R. Schroeder

SALISBURY, MD---Salisbury University celebrates the seventh anniversary of its commemorative Sea Gull Century prints series with an exhibit of paintings and past and current prints at the Atrium Gallery. A reception from 5-8 p.m. Friday, October 8, opens the exhibition. The paintings and prints are on display through Friday, October 29. The exhibit is dedicated to past Century artist Jack Schroeder, who died earlier this year following a battle against cancer. Schroeder was a two-time Maryland Migratory Waterfowl Hunting Stamp Design Contest winner with close ties to famous Eastern Shore decoy carver Lem Ward. A member and chair of the Maryland State Arts Council, Schroeder helped found the Ward Bros. Homeplace, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the Crisfield, MD, workshop at which Ward and his brother, Steve, carved their world-renowned artworks. In the 1990s, he earned the Smithsonian Institution Guild of Natural Science Illustrators Founder’s Award and the Governor’s Art Award for Outstanding Commitment to the Arts in Maryland. This year’s Century print, Reflections, from an original painting by Paul Flexner, past chair of the SU Art Department, features a bicycle’s waterside reflection, invoking memories of bike rides past, with ducks and sea gulls representing a more peaceful and tranquil time. The bike is one of the earliest road touring cycles, manufactured by Trek Bicycle Corp. in 1976. The edition is limited to 500 and sells for $45 plus tax, benefiting the University Galleries. A native of Bronxville, NY, Flexner began his career as an illustrator and syndicated cartoonist for Philadelphia Newspapers after earning his MFA in painting at Penn State University. He came to SU in 1998 after teaching for several years at Bradley University in Peoria, IL. He exhibits his paintings internationally and maintains professional gallery affiliations in Stuttgart, Germany. He teaches graphic design and illustration classes at SU and maintains a creative studio that combines computers and easels under the same roof. The exhibit features this year’s print, as well as past prints from artists F. Wayne Taylor (1998), C. Keith Whitelock (1999), Schroeder (2000), Patrick Henry (2001), Lynne Lockhart (2002) and Jinchul Kim (2003). Limited numbers of these prints are also available for purchase. A native of the Whitehaven, MD, area, Taylor’s natural talent as an artist became apparent at age 8. Though he is largely self-taught, his work has been acknowledged in numerous publications and exhibitions. His images are admired for their subtlety of color, fineness of detail, nostalgic mood and complexity of composition. Whitelock grew up in Mt. Vernon, MD, which influenced his painting style. Receiving an art education degree from the University of Maryland in 1975, he favors painting weathered work boats, marsh scenes and Chesapeake Bay waterfowl. Since 1980 he has pursued a full-time career painting scenes of the Eastern Shore. Born on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in 1952, Henry is one of the most recognized artists in the region and an alum of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Creating a bond between the artist, the land and the impact of regional culture on the Delmarva Peninsula, his work can be found in collections throughout the world. He lives and paints in Berlin, MD. An SU alum and also a resident of Berlin, MD, Lockhart’s work in biology influenced her interest in the arts. Her paintings cover a range of styles that embrace an empathy for and love of life. Her works have been published in numerous articles and used for illustrations in several children’s books. Born in South Korea, Kim came to the United States in 1989 and has lived in Maryland since 1996. He holds degrees in art from King Se-Jong University in South Korea and the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He shows his work internationally at galleries in Korea, Japan, France, Spain and the United States. His paintings have been shown in 11 solo exhibitions and more than 75 invitational shows and group exhibitions. The exhibit is held in conjunction with the 16th annual Sea Gull Century bicycle tour Saturday-Sunday, October 11-12. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays and noon-4 p.m. The Atrium gallery is closed on weekends.  A special print sale is 5-8 p.m. Friday, October 8, and noon-4 p.m. Saturday, October 9 in the Atrium Gallery with special discounts. Admission to the exhibit is free and the public is invited. For more information call 410-548-2547 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu.