Nebraska Art Association Receives Federal Grant for Sculpture Conservation

The Nebraska Art Association, the dedicated support group for the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services to support a significant conservation initiative focused on the Sheldon's outdoor sculpture collection.

The project includes conservation of six landmark sculptures: "Willy" by Tony Smith; "SANDY: in Defined Space" by Richard McDermott Miller; "Nanticoke" by Robert Murray; "Floating Figure" by Gaston Lachaise; "Greenpoint" by Richard Serra; and "Fragment X-O" by Juan Hamilton. A comprehensive assessment of the outdoor sculpture collection was conducted in the summer of 2003 by Nathan Otterson, senior objects conservator at the Upper Midwest Conservation Association in Minneapolis. The six sculptures were determined to be priorities by Otterson, who will return this fall to begin the treatment process.

The project will take two years and includes landscape adjustments for the outdoor sculptures, staff training in conservation and maintenance, new labels for all the outdoor pieces and a new visitors' guide to the outdoor sculpture garden. There will also be a public lecture by Otterson on the nature and process of art conservation. The entire initiative has a budget of $121,000, with additional support from the Schweser Endowment Fund for Conservation at the University of Nebraska Foundation and members of the Nebraska Art Association.

"We are very pleased to be able to implement our conservation plan for the most visible part of our collection, and to bring this federal support to Nebraska," said Janice Driesbach, Sheldon director. The outdoor sculpture initiative is part of a comprehensive conservation plan developed by the Sheldon in 2001.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services Conservation Project Support awards a wide range of grants to help museums safeguard their collections. Grants are awarded through a competitive peer review process. Sixty-six awards were made in this grant period, totaling $2,406,478.

"IMLS is dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation of learners by helping museums and libraries better serve their communities," said IMLS Director Robert Martin. "The grants we make today will ensure the cultural, historical, natural and scientific collections in America's museums are available for a lifetime of learning for generations to come."

The Philip Johnson-designed Sheldon Gallery houses a permanent collection of more than 12,000 pieces focusing on American art. The museum is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission to the Sheldon is free, and the building is accessible to those with special needs. For information or to arrange a tour, please call the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery and Sculpture Garden at (402) 472-2461.

CONTACT: Jessica Kennedy, Sheldon/Nebraska Art Association, (402) 472-1197