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New artwork added to Betty Foy Sanders Georgia Artists Collection

New artwork from artist Matthew Hatala has been added to Georgia Southern University’s permanent art collection, the Betty Foy Sanders Georgia Artists Collection, and is currently on view at the Center for Art & Theatre.

The work, a wood vessel created by Hatala, was acquired and curated into the collection by Betty Foy Sanders in May. The vessel also will be included in the Georgia Artists Collection 50th Anniversary Exhibition beginning Sept. 25.

Hatala, of Danielsville, Georgia, is one of the Southeast’s most prominent woodturners. He has been creating vessels using a variety of rare and exotic wood for nearly 27 years. The piece added to the collection was made from pippy yew wood, native to the Pacific Northwest.

“Matthew’s new piece, made this past January, is a real gem of a work,” says Jason Hoelscher, who, as gallery director at the Center for Art and Theatre, oversees the Georgia Artists Collection. “The form of the vessel is gorgeous in its sinuous quality, and Matthew’s handling of the materials creates an interesting feel of marble or some other highly polished stone, while at the same time highlighting the features inherent to his choice of wood.”

Hatala participates in dozens of national shows and crafts festivals each year. His work can be found in notable collections such as the Detroit Institute of Art, the New York Museum of Art and Design, the Bohlen Wood Art Collection at the University of Michigan Museum of Art and many private collections, including the Montalto Bohlen Collection.

Betty Foy Sanders established the Georgia Artists Collection in 1967 when she donated a painting of her own, “Coastal Sand Dunes” for permanent display. Since then, Sanders has continued to curate the collection by adding key works of art created by notable artists. Artwork is selected based on its association with Georgia–whether the artist’s origin, the indigenous material used or the regional content of the work. Now in its 50th year, the Georgia Artists Collection has grown to nearly 100 works, and is an invaluable resource to the state.

For more information about the Georgia Artists Collection 50th Anniversary Exhibition and other current exhibitions, visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu/cat.

Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/Research University founded in 1906, offers 118 degree programs serving 20,673 students. Through eight colleges, the University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs built on more than a century of academic achievement. Georgia Southern is recognized for its student-centered and hands-on approach to education. Visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu.

 

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