09/28/11 ema

HAYS, Kan. -- A collection of art that includes works by noted American artists Thomas Hart Benson and Grant Wood will open in Fort Hays State University's Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art on Friday, Oct. 7.

The Lavielle Collection exhibit will run through Oct. 28.

"Collectors Dean and Gila Lavielle, Newton, have assembled a notable and high-quality collection of 19th-century and 20th-century art consisting of etchings, lithographs and woodcut prints," said Lee Powers, chair of the Department of Art and Design.

"We are very pleased to announce that the donors have made the commitment to make the collection a permanent part of the university's art collection," he said.

Many of the pieces have rural Kansas as their subject matter, and many were produced by printmakers living in Kansas or who have ties to the state.

Benton, a Missourian, and Wood, an Iowan, represent the noted genre of American Regionalism, which often depicted the nation's rural heritage.

The Prairie Printmakers, many of whom are included in this collection and were Kansans, also found inspiration in the landscape and environment of America's heartland, according to Powers.

"The rich variety of masterfully-applied technique and uniqueness of individual artistic interpretation have resulted in an emblematic body of work," he said.

"Through the generosity of the Lavielles, this collection of historic American printmaking will be donated to the FHSU Art Collection," said Powers.

The Moss-Thorns Gallery is in Rarick Hall, room 102. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.