SHEARWATER FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES ANNUAL HOLOGRAPHY AWARDS FOR 1989

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 1, 1989 -- The Shearwater Foundation, of this city, announced today that its Board of Directors has made awards totalling $50,000 to six artists in holography, in recognition of their exemplary work. The holographers, one from Australia, two from Canada and three from England, were each awarded $10,000 to further their art. Two artists who work as a team, known as Wenyon & Gamble, received the grant jointly. The recipients of the 1989 awards are:

Melissa Crenshaw, Canada

Marie Andrée Cossette, Canada

Paula Dawson, Australia

Susan Gamble and Michael Wenyon, England

Andrew Pepper, England

The Holography Program, which administers the awards for the Foundation, was initiated in 1987 to promote and encourage the art of holography by providing support and recognition to the preeminent artists in the field. In this third year of operation, the program honors artists who have had a distinguished record in holography for at least four years and whose work has attained the highest caliber of artistic achievement. "These artists", announced the

Foundation's Board of Directors, "have provided a standard of excellence for the entire field."

The 1989 Shearwater Foundation Holography Award recipients were selected by the Board of Directors at their annual meeting in October. Nominations for these awards were provided by a confidential group of advisors, who represent the international field of art holography.

The Shearwater Foundation is one of few American foundations currently funding artists in holography. It is, perhaps, the only foundation world-wide that has set up a program to identify and support the highest achievement in the field. "The Foundation's Board of Directors is proud to have assumed a leadership position in the recognition and encouragement of art holographers through its Award Program. We salute these pioneering artists, honored by 1989 Holography Awards, who have furthered the art of holography through their individual and collective excellence."

The Foundation increased its area of interest this year by granting $15,000 (part of a two year commitment) to Douglas Tyler of St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana for the International Congress on Art in Holography, for which he serves as Chairman of the Planning Committee. The Congress, to be held in 1990, will bring together a limited number of artist/holographers and, in Tylers words, "provide an arena in which ideas and attitudes and contemporary topics germane to holography may be shared". Total Foundation support for this project is expected to be $25,000. The remaining funds will be granted in 1990.

In addition, the Foundation granted $5,000 to the Artist-in-Residence Program of the Museum of Holography, New York, New York, to enable established art holographers to have access to those facilities. This is the third consecutive year the Foundation has supported this program. The Foundation granted $15,000 in general support funds to the Museum of Holography as well. This is the third and final year of general support to this institution.