Wednesday, May 7, 2003

CONTACT: Jennifer Messer, (706) 542-0068, jlmesser@uga.edu

FRANCIS A. RUZICKA, FORMER CHAIR OF UGA ART DEPARTMENT, DIES AT 78

ATHENS, Ga. – Francis A. Ruzicka, 78, former chair of the University of Georgia's department of art and professor emeritus, died Wednesday, April 30, in Athens.

Ruzicka was born May 21, 1924, in Chicago, Ill., and was raised in Racine, Wis. He attended the University of Wisconsin from 1942-43 before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps. Upon completion of active duty, he re-enrolled at the University of Michigan and received a bachelor of science degree in engineering in 1946. He was vice president of the UM class of 1946.

Between 1946 and 1954, Ruzicka worked as an engineer with Webster Electric Company and later as a graphic designer and an illustrator in Chicago. In 1952 he returned to school, this time to study art, and in 1954 graduated with honors from the Art Institute of Chicago with a bachelor of fine arts degree in drawing and painting. That same year, he was awarded the Foreign Travel Fellowship in painting from the Art Institute and studied at the Accademia Di Belle Arti in Florence, Italy until 1955.

Ruzicka taught at the Wustum Museum of Fine Arts in Racine from 1953-54; at the University of Wisconsin from 1956-57; at the Ox-Bow Summer program in 1959 and 1962; and at the Parsons School of Art and Design in New York from 1957-65.

He went on to serve as assistant dean and later administrative dean at Parsons from 1957-63. In 1963 Ruzicka also received an MFA degree in painting with a minor in printmaking from the Pratt Institute. Upon completing his MFA at Pratt, he became president at Parsons and served in that capacity until 1970. Meanwhile, Ruzicka received yet another degree, this time a master of science degree in art education also from Pratt Institute in 1965.

From 1970-75, Ruzicka served as the chair of art at the Ohio State University and as associate dean there from 1970-73. He served on many major college and university committees during his tenure at OSU.

Ruzicka was selected in 1976 to succeed Lamar Dodd as the chair of the University of Georgia's department of art - a position he held for 13 years; in 1989 he returned to full-time teaching, retiring from UGA in 1993. He served the university, the department and the community well as a member of numerous committees and as a program consultant. Ruzicka was a frequently sought-after juror for exhibitions.

"He was known to be a brilliant drawing teacher and master administrator who led the program at UGA with great passion," said Carmon Colangelo, current director of UGA’s School of Art. "Dr. Ruzicka was a champion of the faculty and students. His effort and encouragement during his tenure was critical in gaining support for the art department."

A respected leader in arts education, Ruzicka was a life-long member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). He evaluated literally hundreds of colleges and university programs across the country for NASAD accreditation and re-accreditation while serving as head of the art program at UGA.

Beverly Mallon, an art teacher at Alps Road Elementary in Athens and a former student, said Ruzicka expected a great deal from his students, and while he was a "tough taskmaster, his critiques were instructive and not to be feared. He created a peaceful classroom environment that was helpful in the creative process."

"There is a saying in education: ‘We teach in the way that we have been taught.’ I learned from Dr. Ruzicka that it’s simply not enough to be a knowledgeable teacher, it’s just as important to be a kind and sensitive teacher," said Mallon. "His teaching style has shaped my own."

The School of Art has plans to establish a scholarship in Ruzicka's name. Checks should be made payable to the UGA Foundation for the Francis A. Ruzicka Scholarship Fund and should be sent to the attention of Jennifer Messer at the Lamar Dodd School of Art, Visual Arts Building, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga. 30602-4102.

Surviving family members include his wife, Alison; two sons, Jan of Athens and Peter of San Francisco, Calif.; one daughter, Kristin of Savannah; and one brother, Eugene of Anaheim, Calif. An interment service will be held at a later date in Racine.

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