Peru, Nebraska– Peru State’s sesquicentennial celebration continues this month by hosting two exhibits from the Museum of Nebraska Art – Kearney: Early Nebraska Women Artists  and Charles Guildner: Rural Schoolhouses. These exhibits are made available through the Museum of Nebraska Art’s ARTreach program and with support provided by a grant from the Nebraska Arts Council and Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

Nebraska Arts Council Executive Director Suzanne Wise commented, “Peru State contributes a great deal to advancement of the arts in southeast Nebraska. We commend the work being done by organizations such as Peru State because the arts are important to the education and quality of life for all Nebraskans.”

The Peru State Art Gallery is located in the AV Larson building and is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm and by appointment. To make an appointment to view the exhibit, email tvangundy@peru.edu or rcrotty@peru.edu.

“Early Nebraska Women Artists” features the art made prior to 1955 by 16 female artists. The artists include Elizabeth Honor Dolan, Alice Righter Edmiston, Katherine Burnap Faulkner, Myra Biggerstaff, Freda Stuff Spaulding and others.

This collection offers an historical glimpse into Nebraska’s past through the lens of Nebraska’s female artists. Highlighting creative work by women in the early years of Nebraska statehood allows students, the campus and region to view the work of artists who, by virtue of their gender, are often lesser known than their male counterparts.

The second exhibit, “Charles Guildner: Rural Schoolhouses” features the photographs of Charles Guildner. Guildner is known for highlighting elements of rural life such as farming and ranching families. Guildner photographed 40 still-working schoolhouses in Nebraska between 2004 and 2007 and created a collection to highlight this special feature of rural life.

Peru State College was founded as a teacher’s college, and this exhibit relates to the College’s leadership in educating Nebraska’s teachers since 1867.

The Nebraska Arts Council (NAC), a state agency, provides numerous grants, services and special initiatives that help sustain and promote the arts throughout Nebraska. NAC is supported by the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Nebraska Legislature and National Endowment for the Arts. To learn more visit artscouncil.nebraska.gov.

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