The Department of Art and Music Histories is pleased to announce the art history faculty has selected the winner of this year’s “Laurinda Dixon Prize for Outstanding Graduate Paper.” The prize has been awarded to Tyler Valera for her capstone essay and public presentation titled Edward W. Redfield: Landscape Painting, Water, and Environmentalism in the Delaware River Valley.

Caption for painting:

Edward W. Redfield, Overlooking the Delaware, ca. 1917. Oil on canvas, 38 x 50 ¼ inches, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Museum of Art.

This award is named for Laurinda S. Dixon, Professor Emerita of Art History at Syracuse University. Professor Dixon taught in the Department of Art and Music Histories for thirty-five years, serving as Director of Graduate Studies for many of them.

Professor Dixon believed deeply in engaging students through conversation and humor. Her teaching excellence was recognized when she was named "William P. Tolley Distinguished Teaching Professor" (2003 to 2005), the most prestigious teaching honor awarded by the University. She is also an innovative and renowned scholar. Her scholarly specialty is the relationship of art and science before the Enlightenment, and she lectures widely on the subject at universities and museums throughout the world.

Congratulations, Tyler!