Southwest Writers Collection, Wittliff Gallery garner 8 Wilder Awards

Date released: 04/19/04

SAN MARCOS – The Southwestern Writers Collection and Wittliff Gallery of Southwestern & Mexican Photography at Texas State University-San Marcos won eight Mitchell A. Wilder Awards in the 2004 Publication Design Competition held by the Texas Association of Museums (TAM).

This marks the sixth consecutive year the two counterparts of the Alkek Library Department of Special Collections have been honored with Wilder Awards, and the most they have won in a single competition.

The Collections were recognized with two Gold Citations for invitations designed by Michele Miller, the Special Collections Marketing and Media Relations Coordinator: one for the Rocky Schenck Exhibition Opening and Artist’s Reception and one for a Special Collections Meet and Greet. The seventh volume in the Wittliff Gallery Book Series, Rocky Schenck Photographs, designed by Kevin Reagan and published by UT Press, won a Silver Citation, and a Merit Citation was given to the inaugural 16-page Special Collections newsletter, The Keystone, also designed by Miller in conjunction with Editor-Curator Connie Todd, Assistant Curators Steve Davis and Carla Ellard, and Development Officer Beverly Fondren.

Last year the Southwestern Writers Collection began hosting the English Department’s Therese Kayser Lindsey/Katherine Ann Porter and Mitte Chair Reading Series, which is advertised by posters created by Art and Design Professor Mark Todd and his students in liaison with Creative Writing Program Director Tom Grimes, Connie Todd and Michele Miller. The first round of these posters took four Wilder Awards: the Barry Hannah Poster designed by Mark Todd received a Gold Citation; a second Barry Hannah Poster by Lisa Christie (one of Mark Todd’s students) also won a Gold Citation; Mark Todd’s The Poet Ai Poster garnered a Silver Citation; and the Tim O’Brien Poster, also by Todd, received a Merit Citation.

The 25th annual Wilder Design Competition drew 245 entries from museums of all sizes, regions and disciplines throughout the state of Texas. Submitted materials ranged from posters, brochures, newsletters, books and invitations to websites and videos. In total, 15 gold, 18 silver and 41 merit certificates were awarded to 25 recipients.

Named in honor of Mitchell A. Wilder (1913-1979), founding director of the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth and an advocate of excellence in museum publication, the annual TAM competition was created to recognize achievement in graphic design and media production and encourage quality in public presentations.

The Southwestern Writers Collection and Wittliff Gallery are major exhibition, archival and fine arts resources focusing on the literature, film, music and photography of the Southwest and Mexico. Part of Texas State’s Department of Special Collections, they are both housed on the seventh floor of the Albert B. Alkek Library.

Hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Tuesdays until 9 p.m. during long semesters), Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 2 to 6 p.m. [closed breaks and holidays]. Call (512) 245-2313 for more information, or access directions, online exhibits, an events calendar, the new Cabeza De Vaca website, and more at: www.library.txstate.edu/spec-coll.