AUSTIN— St. Edward's University is pleased to present Seeing Is Harder Than It Looks, an exhibition showcasing paintings from Neal Wilson, drawings from Brian Row and photographs by Eric Weller, all faculty members of Southwest Texas State University. An opening reception with the artists will take place Friday, Oct. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Gallery on campus. The exhibition, which is free and open to the public, runs Oct. 11 through Nov. 3.

The metaphor of striving to understand our world is depicted in Wilson’s paintings, which were inspired by a documentary of a tribe in New Guinea. Tribesmen interpreted the excess supplies dumped from planes during Word War II as gifts from the gods. Once the war ended, the tribesmen built mock planes of bamboo to lure them back.

Wilson holds a bachelor’s degree in painting and a master’s degree in painting and drawing from the University of Texas. He has exhibited his work in international, national and regional shows and has received numerous awards. His work is in a number of private and public collections, including the Tenneco Collection of American Watercolors in Houston.

Rowe’s drawings result from an internal dialogue drawing on various aspects of his environments, experiences and feelings. His recent work explores how faith affects and effects the lives of individuals.
Rowe holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He has taught at Southwest Texas State University for the past 24 years, serving as chair of the art department from 1977 to 1998. He is a board member of the Texas Association of Schools of Art. He has exhibited at the Austin Visual Arts Association’s summer exhibit and the Warehouse Living Arts Center.


Weller’s photographs reflect his interest in two of photography’s oldest styles: landscape and documentary. Of special interest to him are the landscapes of West Texas and New Mexico, and the ghost-like towns along a certain stretch of Highway U.S. 285 beginning in Del Rio, Texas, passing through New Mexico and ending in Alamos, Colo.

Weller holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. His work has been shown in more than 171 exhibitions in 38 states and three foreign countries. A freelance photographer for the past 25 years, he has taught at the University of Colorado and Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa.

Exhibition hours are Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about the Art Exhibition Series contact Stan Irvin at 448-8685.

Founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross, St. Edward's University is an independent, Catholic liberal arts university of more than 4,200 students in Austin, Texas.