New York Studio School
March 6 to April 5, 2003

Welcome
Significant anniversaries are approaching for the New York Studio School: we were founded in 1964, and moved to Eighth Street in 1965. In the last forty years, many men and women have progressed to distinguished and dedicated careers in art, and some have remained in the fold as teachers and supporters of the School.

We are especially delighted to honor the work of Chuck O'Connor and Norman Turner in a joint exhibition. Back in the 1960s, Chuck and Norman joined Mercedes Matter and other founder faculty and students in a bold venture that challenged prevailing notions about art and how it should be taught. Both exhibitors have maintained close associations with the School. More significantly, both are tenacious and inspired in the way they have extended, tested, and made their own the principles and values they first began to explore as founder students of the Studio School. As the show demonstrates, a leaning towards figuration or towards abstraction is not the issue. More vital than such a distinction of style are the commonality of vision, the wrestling with form, the centrality of drawing.

We are grateful to Charles Cajori, a current and founder member of the School's teaching faculty, for curating this exhibition. As ever, we are in debt to an indefatiguable team of students for their professional installation of the show.

Graham Nickson
Dean

David Cohen
Gallery Director