AUTHORS OF STE.GENEVIEVE HISTORY RECOGNIZED WITH 2005 GOVERNOR’S HUMANITIES AWARD FOR AN AMERICAN ART COLONY: THE ART AND ARTISTS OF
SAINTE GENEVIEVE, MISSOURI, 1930–1940

Scott Kerr and R. H. Dick have been selected to receive a 2005 Governor’s Humanities Book Award, conferred by the Missouri Humanities Council. This award recognizes an individual or group whose publication has increased our understanding and appreciation of Missouri’s history and culture, regardless of the publishers or author’s place of residence.

An American Art Colony: The Art and Artists of Sainte Genevieve, Missouri, 1930–1940 is a historical and pictorial journey through the eyes of colony painters. Their chosen subjects are not of the traditional bucolic landscape, instead they portray the human condition both in terms of political upheaval and that of depression era events. A comprehensive look at the colony and summer art school, its luminaries and students, and what they contributed to the town and larger community.

A graduate of Indiana University, Scott Kerr has been professionally engaged in the art world for more than 20 years. As the president of McCaughen & Burr Fine Arts, Kerr is involved in the daily valuation and acquisiton of paintings. His gallery specializes in both American and European art with an emphasis on American regional art of the 1930s through the 1950s. He is actively involved with his community and has been recognized for his leadership in urban renewal, his work with youth, and his support of community programs.

R.H. Dick is a native Missourian. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, he holds a B.S. in Education and a M.A. in American History from Central Missouri State University. Graduate work was completed in French History and Economics at the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri. As an artist he has been the recipient of numerous awards and has had several successful one man exhibitions. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri.

Wanting to work on a Missouri arts project, Dick states, “As we researched, we discovered there was something in Ste. Genevieve that was very powerful. The art colony here was one of the best in this country…maybe one of the best in the world.”

Each chapter has a biographical essay, full of stories about and from the artist, style critiques, and historical perspective. The authors hope this book “further encourages contemporary Missouri artists to be proud of the tradition they are working in, and illustrates that the citizens of the heartland can and should be the arbiters of their own cultural tastes.”

Since 1971, the Missouri Humanities Council has provided thousands of programs to help Missourians enjoy a rich cultural life and develop community citizenship. Our mission is to enable families and communities to broaden their appreciation of history, literature, and the ideas that shape our democracy. Our programs include: READ from the START, family reading initiative; Chautauqua, community celebration of history: Charettes, consulting for local museums & cultural institutions; Museum on Main Street rural initiative of the Smithsonian Institution; as well as Grants and Initiatives to fund locally generated programs.

To learn more about the Governor’s Humanities Awards, this year’s honorees, or to nominate someone for the 2006 Public Involvement, Community Heritage, Excellence in Secondary Education, or Book Awards, please visit our website, www.mohumanities.org.

MHC is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization affiliated with the National Endowment for the Humanities, a Federal agency.