Gallery to host ‘The Marvelous Record of Life’

Jan. 13, 2009

WAVERLY, Iowa—The Wartburg College Department of Art will exhibit “The Marvelous Record of Life” by Anthony Plaut and Sandra Dyas Feb. 6 through Feb. 27 in Waldemar A. Schmidt Gallery of Bachman Fine Arts Center.

The gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is free and open to the community. For additional information, contact the department at 319-352-8584.

The Department of Art will host an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, in the gallery. It is free and open to the public.

Plaut’s mixed media installation will combine with the color photographs by Dyas for a unique exhibit.

“My hope for my pieces is that they appear, at first glance, to be one of two things: either a pile of miscellaneous junk or a commercially manufactured object,” Plaut said.

Dyas describes her photos as “found moments in time.”

“I am drawn to the oddness of life and its beauty and honesty,” she added. “I search for images that together will evoke a message of hope and hopelessness.”

Plaut is an art professor at Cornell College in Mount Vernon. He has taught at Cornell since 1988. He received his bachelor’s degree from Cornell and his master’s degree from the University of Chicago.

In addition to Iowa, Plaut has exhibited his work in 11 other states. He has given lectures at galleries, museums and institutions across Iowa.

Dyas is a professional photographer with more than 30 years of experience. She also is an author and serves as a lecturer in the Cornell Art Department. A member of the Iowa Arts Panel, she has previously taught art at the University of Iowa in Iowa City and Iowa State University in Ames. Dyas has bachelor’s, master’s and Master of Fine Arts degrees in intermedia and video art, photography from the U of I.

The New York Times recently published three of Dyas’ color photos on the front page of its National News section. She has exhibited her photos and films across Iowa and in more than 10 other states.