Art institute begins June 17

The 17th annual Oscar Howe Native American Summer Art Institute is slated to begin on Sunday, June 17, on the campus of The University of South Dakota. The institute will run for two weeks, concluding on Friday, June 29, and will be housed primarily in the Warren M. Lee Center for Fine Arts.�

John Day, director of University Galleries and emeritus professor in the Department of Art, will once again serve as director for the Howe Institute, with the 2007 session representing his 17th year of affiliation with the project.

Day believes this event offers a unique and rich educational opportunity for the attendees, who were chosen to attend the Howe Institute following a stringent selection process.

"This is a project that has truly made a difference in the lives of many young Native American artists," said Day, who also was dean of the College of Fine Arts at USD from 1980-2004. "I have watched many students arrive at the institute with little artistic background but a lot of innate ability who have gone on to earn college degrees in art and a few who are now successful professional artists."

Nine Native American high school juniors and seniors, and five college students will comprise this year's institute class, with all participants attending on full scholarships.

The institute is further enriched by several college student staff members who learn alongside the other participants. The selection process emphasized the participants' artistic talent and interest in American Indian culture.