PIERRE, S.D. — The South Dakota Arts Council (SDAC) recently purchased 14 new pieces for the state’s public art collection through the Art for State Buildings program.

The artworks were selected by a five-member advisory committee to the SDAC, which reviewed 65 purchase proposals and based its decisions on set review criteria including: quality of the work; the artwork’s relevance to South Dakota environment, history, heritage, or culture; professional experience of the artist; permanence and safety, as required for public artworks.

The artwork selected for purchase represents artists from across the state, including:

• Michael Baum, Spearfish, Badlands #10, screenprint & archival print
• Hector Curriel, Sioux Falls, Joe Foss, A Son of South Dakota, acrylic
• Susan Drey, Rapid City, Pronghorn Hangout, watercolor
• Rodger Ellingson, Sioux Falls, Great Bear Crowded Weekend, acrylic
• Paula Fagre, Alcester, Stillness in the Storm, acrylic & alcohol inks
• Bonnie Halsey-Dutton, Spearfish, Spearfish Creek Surroundings, watercolor
• Karen Kinder, Brookings, Picnic Lunch #2, oil on canvas
• Bonnie Law, Wall, Cedar’s Catch, photography
• Donald Montileaux, Rapid City, Good Warriors Watching, colored pencil on ledger
• Phyllis Packard, Vermillion, River Valley Planting Time, pattern tapestry fiber
• Daniel Parsons, Aberdeen, Hidden Images, acrylic
• Jessie Rasche, Brookings, Spring Wild Flowers, oil on canvas
• Kat Thompson, Whitewood, No Fences, oil
• Jordan Thornton, Augusta, GA: Aconite, linocut, watercolor

A full list of the Art for State Buildings collection and locations is available via the SDAC website at https://artscouncil.sd.gov/directories/artstatebldgs.aspx;  pieces acquired this year will be installed for public display later this summer.

The Art For State Buildings program was established in 2008 by the South Dakota State Legislature for the purpose of creating a permanent state art collection showcasing South Dakota artists and artwork. The State Art Collection is displayed in publicly accessible areas of state government buildings located throughout the capital city of Pierre. The South Dakota Arts Council manages the collection and the program. Purchase proposals are accepted on an annual basis.

An office of the South Dakota Department of Tourism, the South Dakota Arts Council's mission is to provide grants and services to artists, arts organizations, and schools across the state, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the state of South Dakota. The South Dakota Department of Tourism is comprised of Travel South Dakota and the South Dakota Arts Council. The Department is led by Secretary James D. Hagen.

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