Contemporary art of Alaska: Found and assembled in Alaska, and, John Hoover: Art and life

My Project Demonstrating Excellence (PDE) combines the three fields of contemporary art history, criticism, and management. The PDE is derived from two projects Found & Assembled in Alaska and John Hoover: Art & Life.;Found & Assembled in Alaska involved development of an exhibition of foundobject art made in Alaska and an accompanying catalogue/publication. Both elements were derived from research conducted on the history of found-object art and how found-object art being made in Alaska fits into the larger art historical picture. The contemporary artists who have been making this type of artwork in Alaska were researched and the artwork was documented both in writing and photographically. The artists were interviewed and biographical profiles were developed. In addition, artist quotes were compiled in an effort to discover their ideas, motivations and methods in making found-object art. In conjunction with the Alaska State Museum in Juneau and the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, an exhibition based on the research was organized and curated by the researcher. In addition, educational materials to accompany this work, including a children's catalogue of the artwork, a curriculum guide for educators, and interpretive label copy for the exhibitions, were developed.;John Hoover: Art & Life, a second project, was similar in scope to Found & Assembled in Alaska, but separate in subject matter. This project involved development of a publication and a traveling exhibition as well. John Hoover is one of the most acclaimed Alaska Native artists to work in contemporary and innovative forms. A cedar carver, Hoover's work is based on Aleut and Indian myths.;The project began with a series of transcribed interviews with Hoover, which were then used as a foundation for the publication. A complete chronology of Hoover's life and work was developed and archival research was conducted to develop a comprehensive narrative biography, focusing on the development of Hoover's artwork from his early days as an oil painter through his transition to carver and sculptor. Collectors and museums were consulted in order to compile a complete photographic record of Hoover's work. Concurrently, a traveling retrospective exhibition of John Hoover's work was organized by the researcher and the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, which serves as the host institution for this exhibition, which will travel to museums across the country through 2005.;These projects constitute my Project Demonstrating Excellence, with an introduction that provides a comprehensive overview of the scope of work.