News…

Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville will open the 28th annual Marshall County Student Art Show competition with a reception and awards ceremony Sunday, March 27, from 2 – 4 p.m. The exhibit features artwork by middle through senior high school students. The reception is free and the public is invited to attend and participate in celebrating the accomplishments of the students. The show will remain on display through April 24.

Participating schools include John Marshall High School, Sherrard Middle School, Moundsville Middle School and Cameron Junior/Senior High School. The exhibition was produced by Cameron High School and coordinated by Vickie Jenree, an art teacher and advisor for the Cameron High School Art Club.

The artwork will be judged prior to the opening reception and award winners will be announced at the ceremony. The public is invited to vote for the “People’s Choice” awards that will be given for the most popular middle and high school entries. Brian Fencl, associate professor of art and interim chair of the department of journalism, communications studies, and visual art at West Liberty University, will serve as judge.

Prizes for the competition include $50 savings bonds donated by BB&T Bank for top awards with additional funding for awards provided by Sherrard Middle School’s Faculty Senate.

“This art show has become an annual tradition at Grave Creek Mound. The level and quality of student art in Marshall County is impressive and the exhibit’s opening reception helps to showcase this rich student talent,” says David Rotenizer, site manager at the facility.

For more information about the Marshall County Student Art Show exhibit opening, contact Andrea Keller, cultural program coordinator at Grave Creek, at (304) 843-4128 or e-mail her at Andrea.K.Keller@wv.gov.

Operated by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex features the largest conical burial mound in the New World which ranks as one of the largest earthen mortuary mounds anywhere in the world built by the Adena people.

Exhibits and displays in the Delf Norona Museum interpret what is known about the lives of these prehistoric people and the construction of the mound. The complex houses the West Virginia Archaeological Research and Curation Facility, a study room for researchers and a library. The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. It is closed on Mondays. Access to the mound and gift shop closes 30 minutes before the museum.

The West Virginia Division of Culture and History is an agency within the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts with Kay Goodwin, Cabinet Secretary. The Division, led by Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, brings together the past, present and future through programs and services focusing on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums. For more information about the Division’s programs, events and sites, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

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