Art history students awarded Southeastern Pastel Society scholarships

The Southeastern Pastel Society has awarded scholarships to two aspiring Oglethorpe art students.

Art History majors Hayleigh Stonham '22 and Julia Preston '22 were selected by the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art (OUMA) to receive the awards.

Both budding museum professionals, Stonham and Preston were recommended by art faculty Alan Loehle and Jeffrey Collins. Stonham is currently interning at OUMA, and Preston is enrolled in Museum Studies classes.

"I'm really grateful to have the chance to work one-on-one with my professors and especially the curators of the museum," said Preston.

"The fact that the school is small enough to allow that kind of experience to be possible is really special and so educational. It definitely offers opportunities to students that they couldn't imagine beforehand and gives them the chance to experience something new, and (to) do so hands-on. I'm really excited to see what else is in store for me at Oglethorpe and in the museum."

The Southeastern Pastel Society (SPS) was established in 1988 as a nonprofit dedicated to promoting pastel painting in the Southeast. With members across the U.S., SPS seeks to provide an environment in which pastel artists may flourish. The two student scholarships are an important part of their community involvement and supporting inspiring artists.

Previous Oglethorpe SPS scholars include Sidney Lang '14, Ivy Kilpatrick '15, Larissa Randall '18, Rachel Farrington '18, Kim Phan '20, and Caroline Phipps '20.

SPS was set to open its 19th International Juried Exhibition, featuring works selected out of hundreds submitted, on May 8 in the university's museum. While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced the museum to close its doors, the exhibition will still be made available digitally.

The exhibition will be juried by Debora Stewart, a Signature Member and a Master Pastellist of the Pastel Society of America and a member of the Master's Circle of the International Association of Pastel Societies.

Learn more about SPS at southeasternpastel.org.

To view these students click here: https://oglethorpe.meritpages.com/achievements/Art-history-students-awarded-Southeastern-Pastel-Society-scholarships/120527