VSA arts and Volkswagen of America, Inc., Debut 'Driven' Exhibition at the S. Dillon Ripley Center

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21, 2007; VSA arts and Volkswagen of America, Inc., present "Driven," an art exhibition by 15 emerging artists with disabilities that debuts at the Smithsonian Institution's S. Dillon Ripley Center from Sept. 15 to Dec. 31, 2007. The exhibition illustrates the motivational force behind the artists' personal visions -- what moves them to create.

"This is the sixth year VSA arts has partnered with Volkswagen to identify talented young artists," said Soula Antoniou, president of VSA arts. "Volkswagen of America, Inc.'s support helps these emerging artists pursue careers in the arts."

"Volkswagen is proud to partner with VSA arts and reveal the outstanding talents of these young artists," said David Geanacopoulos, Volkswagen of America, Inc.'s director of industry-government relations. "This exhibition highlights the enormous possibilities that exist for their bright futures and what they might pursue."

A total of $60,000 will be awarded to the finalists. Jacolby Satterwhite, 21, a current student at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Md., and originally from Columbia, S.C., won the $20,000 grand prize for an oil on canvas titled, "Remission & Resilience." The jury awarded Laurel Ebenal, of Ellensburg, Wash., 1st prize of $10,000 for her digital photograph, "Faun." E. Brooke Lanier, 23, of Rochester, Minn., received the 2nd prize of $6,000 for "Staring," an archival inkjet print on photo rag paper.

  The following artists won an Award of Excellence and $2,000:
  --  Sarah Beren, 23, Rochester, N.Y.
  --  Isaac Caruso, 19, Phoenix, Ariz.
  --  David Castro, 23, Visalia, Calif.
  --  Elayna Flodin, 24, Beaverton, Ore.
  --  Wes Holloway, 23, Katy, Texas
  --  Ryan McDonnell, 21, Northampton, Mass.
  --  Jessica Merrell, 23, Albuquerque, N.M.
  --  Anjali Poddar, 22, Andover, Mass.
  --  Patti Pogodzinski, 17, Jacksonville, Fla.
  --  Holly Schuh, 21, Altura, Minn.
  --  Merlin Strivelli, 16, Asheville, N.C.
  --  Hannah Zurko, 21, Wooster, Ohio

The largest awards program for emerging artists with disabilities ages 16-25, the work chosen for the exhibition was selected by a distinguished jury, including William A. Newman, artist and professor at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, John Perreault, art critic for Artopia, and Lisa Wainwright, dean of graduate studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

The S. Dillon Ripley Center is located at 1100 Jefferson Drive S.W. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except Dec. 25, and admission is free.

VSA arts is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1974 by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to create a society where people with disabilities learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts. VSA arts provides educators, parents, and artists with resources and the tools to support arts programming in schools and communities. VSA arts showcases the accomplishments of artists with disabilities and promotes increased access to the arts for people with disabilities. Each year millions of people participate in VSA arts programs through a nationwide network of affiliates and in more than 60 countries around the world. VSA arts is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. For more information visit HYPERLINK "http://www.vsarts.org/" www.vsarts.org.

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, Eos, and Touareg through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. Visit Volkswagen of America online at http://www.vw.com/.