Jordan

Schnitzer Museum of Art

Student Member Advocacy Council
1430 Johnson Lane Eugene, OR 97403
Contact: Rachel Struxness
Phone: (971) 322-5202
Email: rstruxne@uoregon.edu














JSMAC In Flux: Deux Night of Performance Art Media Kit

Attn:
Sophia June
Senior Arts and Culture Editor
Daily Emerald

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art

Student Member Advocacy Council
1430 Johnson Lane Eugene, OR 97403
Contact: Rachel Struxness
Phone: (971) 322-5202
Email: rstruxne@uoregon.edu


Dear Ms. June,

Every day, students at the University of Oregon walk by an artistic brick building on
campus, without giving it a second thought. It stands on the quad across from PLC,
sandwiched between Knight Library and Chapman Hall. What many of these students may
not realize is within those brick walls is the Universitys own nationally accredited art
museum, home to both well-established and progressive artwork.

In 2013, graduate student Sarah Turner recognized a dearth of student involvement in the
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (JSMA) and organized a student group to serve as a liaison
between the museum and the Universitys students. The group earned ASUO recognition as
an official student group in 2014. Part of the mission of the museums Student Member
Advocacy Council (JSMAC) is to involve students in the museums decisions and
programming and to enhance awareness of the museum on campus. Because JSMAC is a
young organization with limited funding, it relies on other student-focused media
organizations to help promote its events.

JSMAC carries out its mission by hosting events specifically programmed for UO students.
Some past events include a movie night at the museum, a stress-less workshop, and
performance by the UO Poetry Slam team with over 90 people in attendance.

The upcoming event that should excite UO students is the second annual night of
performance art, In Flux Deux. This evening includes student and instructor performance
art exhibitions at the JSMA.

JSMAC appreciates the Emeralds interest in student events and organizations on campus
and I hope you will help us promote this event to the student body. Please see the enclosed
media kit for more information about In Flux Deux and JSMAC in general. You will find a
News Release, podcast script and poster for In Flux Deux and a feature article about
current JSMAC president, Sarah Wyer.

If you have any questions, please contact me at (971) 322-5202 or rstruxne@uoregon.edu.
Other questions may be directed to JSMAC president Sarah Wyer at jsmac@uoregon.edu.

Sincerely,


Rachel Struxness

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art

Student Member Advocacy Council
1430 Johnson Lane Eugene, OR 97403
Contact: Rachel Struxness
Phone: (971) 322-5202
Email: rstruxne@uoregon.edu


For Immediate Release

JSMAC ANNOUNCES SECOND ANNUAL NIGHT OF PERFORMANCE ART

The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art Student Member Advocacy Council (JSMAC)

will host In Flux Deux: A Night of Performance Art, on Wednesday, April 22 from 4:00 p.m.
to 8:00 p.m. at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (JSMA). Admission is free and all are
welcome to enjoy the performances and light refreshments.
University of Oregon students will showcase a diverse collection of performances
and art instructor Ty Warren will present a special piece. President of JSMAC, Sarah Wyer
looks forward to the unique kind of art brought into the museum by this event. Were
trying to influence new ideas of what art is, and I think performance art will really surprise
people, she said.

On April 8, 2014, JSMAC hosted the first annual In Flux: A Night of Performance Art

event, which also featured student and instructor performance art. Says Wyer, were
excited to do an event again and establish ourselves as a group that hosts these each year.

For more information, please contact Rachel Struxness at (971) 322-5202 or Sarah

Wyer at jsmac@uoregon.edu.
#####

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art

Student Member Advocacy Council
1430 Johnson Lane Eugene, OR 97403
In Flux: Deux Full Page Poster

GRAPHIC: Black background with simple white line drawings or silhouettes of performers
with squiggles or smaller lines to indicate movement. Headline and kicker in
sans-serif white font.

HEADLINE: Art that moves

KICKER: JSMAC presents In Flux Deux: A Night of Performance Art

COPY: The JSMA Student Member Advocacy Council proudly presents its second annual
night of performance art. University of Oregon students will showcase their
performance art pieces, and art instructor Ty Warren will present a special guest
performance. April 22, 2015 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum
of Art on campus. Light refreshments will be provided. Admission is free.

Signature: JSMA and JSMAC logos

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art

Student Member Advocacy Council
1430 Johnson Lane Eugene, OR 97403
Contact: Rachel Struxness
Phone: (971) 322-5202
Email: rstruxne@uoregon.edu

A Life Dedicated to Museums


Sarah Wyer grew up in museums. A San Diego native, she frequented Balboa Park,
home to over a dozen museums, absorbing the knowledge they had to offer. Throughout
her childhood, Wyer had the opportunity to travel internationally, visiting museums in
Mexico, France and England.

Years passed, and in 2012, Wyer found herself attending the University of Oregon,

still as interested in museums as before. An anthropology major, Wyer became involved in

the Archaeological Legacy Institute. Although the next logical move would be to the
Museum of Natural and Cultural History, a conversation with a friend led Wyer to the
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (JSMA), where she would soon be hired as a front desk
student worker.

Keeping her involvement to her tasks as a front desk worker and some event work,

Wyer was convinced anthropology was the right career path for herself. More
conversations with coworkers and classmates led Wyer to enroll in more art classes,
culminating with her enrollment in a yearlong class about research and exhibition
implementation.
I dont have the traditional background for it, but these are the opportunities
people dont always get in college, Wyer explains. So, she took the class despite her
anthropology major and limited knowledge of curating art.

The class was life-changing for Wyer. It was an incredible experience and I got this

new appreciation for art. I loved being involved in the museum on multiple levels. The
class was focused the process of curating an exhibit. Wyer explains she and her peers made
decisions every step of the way, develop programming and write essays for the exhibition
catalog.

Because of the course, Wyer decided to pursue a Masters degree in Arts

Administration with an emphasis on Museum Studies. She is double majoring in Folklore.

After her acceptance to graduate school, Wyer sought a GTF position. The JSMA

Student Member Advocacy Council GTF position was newly open, Wyer applied, and was
hired. Her knowledge of the JSMA and the opportunities available to students help her
advise the group on what events and programs they can host in the museum.

Wyer has high hopes for the potential impacts of JSMAC. Im interested in

increasing student engagement. I want this to be a place that serves the student body
rather than just kind of being here. Wyer realizes the JSMA remains unnoticed by many
undergraduates, and explains, Im excited to bring more students into the museum
because I think claiming this space is really important.

As JSMACs current president, Wyer created a hierarchy within the council to ensure

long term success of the group. She also brings JSMA staff members into group meetings
and applies for grants on the groups behalf. More than anything, Wyer contributes her
knowledge of and passion for the JSMA each day as she puts time and effort into helping
JSMAC serve the Universitys student body.

Its an exciting field I never thought I would work in. I never saw it as a possibility,

but its a fantastic experience that Im very lucky to have.

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art

Student Member Advocacy Council
1430 Johnson Lane Eugene, OR 97403

Podcast Script

Have you ever received a class-is-cancelled email when youre already on your way to
class?

The other day, my BA 101 lecture was cancelled but I didnt see the email until I was
walking by the library and almost to Lillis. I was stuck on campus with a couple hours to
kill, and I didnt have much to do.

Thats when I noticed the sandwich board sign outside that huge brick building across from
PLC. I never even knew what the building was, but then I saw the sign advertising an
exhibit in the art museum.

Did you even know we had an art museum on campus? Neither did I. So, I went in and they
told me it was free for students to get in, which is great, because Im broke.

So, it turns out the museum is pretty cool. There was an exhibit of contemporary art, which
I like better than old paintings. Theres also a variety of Asian art, which I hadnt seen much
of.

As I was leaving, I grabbed a flyer for this event happening at the museum on April 22. It
said the museums student group will host a free night of performance art, from four to
eight.

I think Im going to try to make it. I have a friend taking a performance art class and I want
to see what its all about. Plus, the art museum was way more interesting than I expected,
so I think it could be cool! For more information, visit blogs.uregon.edu/jsmac or head
over to the museum!