VISUAL ARTS + MUSEUMS

A swirling 15-foot long organic form---part insect, part reptile---constructed from clear vinyl and powered by air, can be seen lofting over Blaffer Gallery's entrance on Thursday, March 25, from 5:30 until 7 p.m. The occasion is the opening reception for an exhibition presented by the Young Artist Apprenticeship Program (YAAP), the museum's nationally recognized art-making youth development program for high school students held each spring and fall, which culminates in an exhibition at Blaffer. The museum community celebrates the students' achievements at the opening reception and accompanying 6 p.m. awards ceremony, where two students will be awarded a Martha Meier Memorial Scholarship to pursue higher education at a college or university.

"The title of the show, Chameleomorphica, which was coined in class, combines the word chameleon with the verb morph, and reflects the students' progress and changeability as they learn and grow throughout the six-week course," said curator of education Katherine Veneman. Chameleomorphica will be on view at Blaffer from March 26 through April 24, 2010.

Last fall, YAAP earned national endorsement by winning a Coming Up Taller award from the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. In a ceremony at the White House on Nov. 4, 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama presented Blaffer with an individualized plaque denoting the prestigious honor. This spring, 10 students from five high schools completed the program, working on increasingly complex assignments designed under the guidance of artist mentors Audry Herber and Patrick Renner, accomplished artists and educators who have both taught YAAP since 2008.

"YAAP provides students with exposure to resources of a world-class museum, and the university setting prepares them to build their portfolios and knowledge as they, even at a young age, see themselves become active contributors to a university setting. Teamwork is emphasized along with critical thinking skills that enable students to mature and grow into confident young artists and scholars," added Veneman.

Works on view include paintings made by the students for their final project as well as the collaborative sculpture. Participating young artists are: Jenny Alvarez, Tatiana Young (Austin High School); Isabel Campozano, Kenneth Elizalde (Chavez High School); Brian Ayala, Alfonso Casio, Karen Hernandez (Eastwood Academy); Wendy Castaneda, Christian Muñoz (Milby High School); and Xavier Hall (Yates High School).

About Blaffer Gallery:
Founded in 1973, Blaffer Gallery, the Art Museum of the University of Houston, was named in honor of the late Sarah Campbell Blaffer, a noted Houston arts patron and collector. Since its inception, the museum has been a vital force in the presentation and promotion of contemporary visual arts in Houston. Blaffer Gallery is located in the Fine Arts Building on the University of Houston's central campus, entrance 16 off Cullen Boulevard. It is free and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Sundays, Mondays and university holidays. The museum is ADA compliant. For general inquiries, please call 713.743.9530, or visit the museum online at www.blaffergallery.org.

The Young Artist Apprenticeship Program is sponsored by the Travelers Foundation, the charitable arm of Travelers. Young Artist Apprenticeship Program scholarships are supported by The Martha Meier Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund. Educational outreach programs are made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Additional educational support is provided by Dorothy C. Sumner and the Kinder Morgan Foundation.

Blaffer Gallery exhibitions and programs are supported by the Blaffer Gallery Director's Discretionary Endowment Fund, the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, The George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation, and the Texas Commission on the Arts. Educational outreach programs are made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Additional educational support is provided by Dorothy C. Sumner, the Travelers Foundation, the Kinder Morgan Foundation, and an anonymous donor. Staff salaries are supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.