John F. Sloan's etching Man Monkey is one of the works in the exhibition of selected artworks from the Lock Haven University and LHU Foundation art collections.

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - Lock Haven University announces the opening of a major exhibit featuring the works of Lock Haven and Jersey Shore artists John French Sloan and Wilmer Richter. The exhibit will run February 21 through March 18 in the Sloan Fine Arts Gallery. Gallery hours are 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Monday-Friday.

The opening reception will be at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 24 at 8:00 p.m. The public is invited to this free event.

The Sloan Building on the Lock Haven University campus was named for artist John French Sloan. An oil self-portrait of Sloan is on permanent display in the Sloan Fine Arts Gallery.

Born in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, in 1871, Sloan was a member of a small group of realists known as the “Ashcan School.” The Ashcan artists are known for their depictions of ordinary life in the early 1900’s. Associate Professor of Art Jason Bronner notes, “Lock Haven has a superb collection of etchings by John Sloan that show the detail and energy that the artist was able to capture in scenes of everyday life.”

Sloan’s works are in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Museum of Modern Art, New York City, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.; the Detroit Institute of Arts; the Brooklyn Museum; the Delaware Art Museum; and dozens of others nationwide.

The Sloan etchings on display belong to the Lock Haven University Foundation. When Sloan died in 1951, these works were donated to the LHU Foundation by his widow, Helen Farr Sloan, and Dr. Hollon Farr.

Also featured in the exhibit are watercolors by Jersey Shore resident Wilmer Richter. Professor Bronner said, “What a delight it is to see the skillful use of color and the incredible ease with which Richter wields his brush.” Bronner adds that “Richter’s paintings are masterfully done with a range of subject matter including landscapes from central Pennsylvania to Europe.” These works are part of the Lock Haven University collection, which boasts the largest collection of Richter’s works in the world. Richter’s watercolors were donated to Lock Haven University by his family.

Another work on display from the university’s permanent collection will be an oil painting on canvas by Jason Godeke, a visiting artist at LHU in 2009-2010.

Bronner, curator of the university’s collection states, “What a rich resource we have with the these artworks by internationally known central Pennsylvania artists.” He invites all to come see the watercolors by Wilmer Richter and the prints by John Sloan, one of Lock Haven’s most famous citizens.

The exhibit is sponsored by the art department in cooperation with the Student Cooperative Council of Lock Haven University.