Artist Celebrated With Stamps--The artwork of Mary Cassatt, renowned for her engaging portrayals of mothers and children and the only American ever invited to exhibit with the French Impressionists, has been chosen for the third issuance in the U.S. Postal Service's American Treasures series. The new stamps to be released August 7th include the works Young Mother, Children Playing on the Beach, On a Balcony and Child in a Straw Hat.

Catfish Take over Nashville--A project directed to use public art as a means to raise awareness of the importance of clean lakes and rivers has resulted in the placement of 51 seven-foot-long fiberglass catfish throughout this city. Tennessee artists decorated the fish for sponsors as part of the Catfish Out of Water City Art Festival that runs through October.

Design Winners Announced--California Governor Davis has recommended five California State quarter design concepts to the U.S. Mint as part of the state commemorative coin program. The five finalists are Golden Gate Bridge Collage by Sarah Bailey; The Gold Miner Collage, "A Golden Moment," by David Biagini; John Muir--"Yosemite Valley," by Garrett Burke; Waves and Sun by James M. Cody; and The Giant Sequoia-"The Largest Living Thing on Earth," by Jonathan Louie.

Sculpture Galleries Open--The National Gallery of Art's new West Building sculpture galleries present more than 900 works of art, including masterpieces of sculpture, decorative arts, Renaissance medals and plaquettes, and Chinese porcelains. The opening of this suite of 22 galleries and a study room brings to a dramatic close the most extensive renovation project the Gallery has undertaken in the last two decades.

Milestone--Sculptor Fred Sandback died recently in New York City at age 59. Renowned for his Minimalist works made from lengths of colored yarn, the artist's work is included in the recently opened DIA:Beacon museum of contemporary art.

Record Set--A self-portrait of Rembrandt has set a record at a Sotheby's-London auction--$11.3 million. The portrait (1634) had been painted over by a pupil of Rembrandt's and was recently revealed by a cleaning.

Memorial Dedicated--Four thousand people recently attended a dedication ceremony at the Little Bighorn National Monument in Montana. Colleen Cutschall designed the Spirit Warriors sculpture, 35 ft.-long by 14-ft.-high, erected as a tribute to those Aboriginal nations who fought for their land and freedom.

Award Recipients Announced--The Praemium Imperiale is an annual award given by the Japan Art Association for global achievement in the arts. Among the five Laureates chosen this year are Bridget Riley (Painting) and Mario Merz (Sculpture). Winners will each receive $125,000, a diploma and a medal in an awards ceremony in Tokyo in October.

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Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 13 No. 10 -- August 2003