Wednesday, January 21, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jan. 21, 2004



WILMINGTON, N.C.—The William Madison Randall Library at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington is featuring artwork from local artist and UNCW alumna, Gayle Tustin on the first floor artwall from now until Feb. 26. A reception and walk-through will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28. The reception is free and open to the public. For more information contact the Randall Library office at 910/962-3270.

Gayle Tustin is a full-time studio artist residing in Wilmington, North Carolina. She was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania where her first clay experience was making mud pies on the rolling hills in the neighborhood. She initially completed an Associate Degree in Business at Robert Morris University in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. She then started pursuing her career as an artist/ceramist. Her studies in ceramics at Penn State University, University Park, allowed her to realize her talent in this field.

In 1992 she was the recipient of an Emerging Artist Grant. This assisted her in the execution of her hand carved, low-relief tiles for wall murals, vessels and sculpture. Attending the renowned ceramic school of Alfred University, Alfred, New York in 1993 significantly contributed to her artistic and technical repertoire.

The International Art Colony in the monastery of Saint Joakim Osogovski, Kriva Palanka, Macedonia filled the artist with endless inspiration and creative challenge in 1995. Working with artists from France, Turkey, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, Egypt and Macedonia established a true interaction between art, artists and the celebration of life. This experience, filled with explosive growth, initiated Tustin to lay the groundwork and be the first student from the art department at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington to graduate with honors. “Never has this writer seen any one develop so rapidly or change so profoundly as Tustin did over the next several months,” writes art historian, Anthony F. Janson, in the April 1997 issue of Ceramics Monthly.

In 1998 she co-founded No Boundaries, Inc., a non-profit organization inviting local and international artists to participate in an artist colony taking place every two years on Bald Head Island.

Tustin’s artwork continues to be commissioned and is part of numerous private and corporate collections. Exhibitions abroad include France and Macedonia.

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Media contact information: Randall Library, Beth Roberts, 910/962-3270; Gayle Tustin, 910/392-4408.