Judges

Ruth Brennan

Ruth has been involved with various art disciplines for many years, covering artist interviews and exhibition promotions for fifteen years as arts staff writer for the Rapid City Journal.  From 1976 to 1998, Ruth served as Executive Director for the Dahl Arts Center in Rapid City, a position that initially included visual arts curator.  She has served as visual arts chair and panelist for the South Dakota Arts Council, and Arts Midwest, a regional agency for nine Midwestern states as well as a grants panelist in North Dakota and Montana for reviewing art museums and galleries. Her volunteer positions include present and past board positions for the South Dakota Art Museum, South Dakota Arts Council, Black Hills Playhouse, Allied Arts Fund, The Journey Museum Black Hills Symphony League and National Music Museum. Formerly she has been on the boards of the Rapid City Arts Council, South Dakotans for the Arts, Friends of South Dakota Public Broadcasting and the Rapid City Concert Association.

In her spare time, Ruth enjoys visiting art museums and galleries in her travels throughout the world.

John A. Day

John A. Day is Professor Emeritus of Art at the University of South Dakota where he continues to serve as Director of the University Art Galleries and Curator of the University’s Oscar Howe Collection. Day holds his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. He began his teaching career as a member of the faculty of Mount Marty College, Yankton, SD and joined the Art faculty at the University of South Dakota in 1976 serving as Art Department Chair until becoming Dean of the College of Fine Arts in 1980, a post he held until 2004. He served as USD Vice President for Academic Affairs in 1984-85. As Director of the University Art Galleries since its founding in 1977, Day has curated over 50 major exhibitions including several which toured nationally. As Curator of the USD Oscar Howe Collection, he oversees the world’s largest collection of Howe work and was instrumental in establishing the Oscar Howe Archives and the Oscar Howe Memorial Association at USD. Day has lectured and written on the art and life of Oscar Howe for over 30 years in addition to organizing over 20 Oscar Howe exhibitions. Day served on the South Dakota Arts Council for ten years and has been a member of the South Dakota Capitol Beautification Commission since 1982. He is the recipient of the South Dakota  Governor’s Award for Outstanding Support for the Arts  by an Individual and the 2003 Western American Award from the Center for Western Studies at Augustana College.