CONTEMPORARY DRAWING SHOW WILL OPEN IN MARCH AT UNIVERSITY MUSEUM

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Fifty-one artists from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia will be represented in a touring exhibit running March 5-26 at the Southeast Missouri State University Museum.

"The National Invitational Drawing Exhibition," organized by Emporia State University, Emporia, Kan., is touring under the sponsorship of "ExhibitsUSA," a national division of Mid-America Art Alliance.

The show of contemporary drawing is the 14th invitational put together by Emporia State. It's the first to include such a diverse geographical survey of art in America, said curator Don Perry.

Artists were invited to submit drawings in any medium or combination of media. The result is a variety of styles expressed in mixed media, pencil, charcoal and ball point.

The exhibit also includes some drawings from the Emporia State University Collection.

Southeast Missouri State University Museum is open to the public and has no admission charge. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and on Sundays from 1-5 p.m. The opening reception for this exhibit will be March 5 at 3 p.m.

Mid-America Art Alliance is a non-profit regional arts organization whose partners include the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas, the National Endowment for the Arts and private contributors.

It is made possible by The Phillips Petroleum Foundation with the Missouri Arts Council.