SEATAC – A renowned Asian antiquities expert, indicted in Los Angeles in connection with a federal investigation into illegal trafficking of pilfered Southeast Asian art, has died in custody at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac.

Roxanna Brown, the director of the Southeast Asian Ceramics Museum at Bangkok University in Thailand, was found dead around 2:30 a.m., said FDC spokeswoman Maggie Ogden.

Brown was arrested at her hotel last Friday as she prepared to have dinner with colleagues from the University of Washington, where she was scheduled to speak Saturday, according to news reports.

Ogden said the cause of Brown’s death is under investigation. Brown had complained of being ill after her arrest and her scheduled appearance before a U.S. magistrate Monday was postponed because she didn’t feel well. Emily Langlie, the spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Seattle, said Brown was able to appear in court Tuesday and that her extradition to Los Angeles to answer the charges was pending.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Johns, the Los Angeles prosecutor heading the illegal antiquities investigation, said Brown was “one of many targets” of the probe. He declined to say how her death would affect the investigation.

Brown, 62, who lived in Bangkok, was indicted on a single count of wire fraud for allegedly allowing her electronic signature to be used on appraisal forms of items donated to museums. Those appraisals, according to court documents, were inflated so that the donors could claim fraudulent tax deductions.

SOURCE:

• The Seattle Times

Are you an artist?

The City of Normandy Park is looking for artists for their annual Arts Festival, which will be held June 7th and 8th.

Applications are due by May 15th to be guaranteed entry into the event.

Late submissions are accepted on a space available basis.

Event publication, entry forms, and art tags can be accessed here.

WHAT: Normandy Park Arts Festival

WHEN: June 7th and 8th, 2008

CONTACT: email to artscomm@ci.normandy-park.wa.us

ARTISTS: Go to FORMS LIBRARY for entry forms, guidelines and art tags.

VENDORS: Space is available in the Recreation Center for vendors to sell original art work and crafts. Application needs to be made by May 15. Go to FORMS LIBRARY for entry forms, guidelines and art tags.

VOLUNTEERS: No experience necessary and most shifts are 3-hours long. Email artscomm@ci.normandy-park.wa.us your interest area. Go to FORMS LIBRARY for entry forms, guidelines and art tags. Help is needed in the following areas:

• Set-up, June 6th, 4pm
• Art Docents: June 7th, 8th, starting at 10am
• Take Down: June 8th, 4pm

FORMS: FORMS LIBRARY

JUDGES FOR JURIED GALLERY:

Nancy Johnson:

• Education: University of Idaho, BA Fine Arts Centre College of Kentucky, San Francisco Academy of Art, San Francisco Art Institute.
• Exhibitions: Nancy has exhibited her work in numerous galleries in the US and has had solo exhibitions at Linda Farris Gallery, 1976 & 1977, Seattle Pacific University, 1979, and Foster/White Gallery, 1980, ‘821, ‘86, ‘98 and 2002. In 2007, Nancy has a show of her work to Normandy Park City Hall.
• Awards and Collections: Nancy has received many awards for her work including the Chautauqua Institution Award in 1082, NW Watercolor Society Award in 1082, and 10983 and the Frye Art Museum in 1070. Her work is in several collections in the US and Canada and is included in the collections of Pacific Western Bank, Columbia Tower, McCann-Erickson, Seattle Water Department and Ray’s Boathouse.

William Kuhns:

• Education: BA Fine Arts Seattle University, MA Fine Arts University of Washington.
• Exhibitions: William Kuhns has exhibited his work in may NW galleries including: Polly Friedlander Gallery, Manolides Gallery, NN Gallery, And/Or Gallery, Irwins Gallery and Glazers Gallery.
• Employment: William has worked as a photojournalist and combat photographer in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Panama, Thailand, Egypt, Korea, Portugal, Germany, Japan and Hungary. He is currently the Art Department Chair at Nathan Hale High School in Seattle, where he teaches art and photography.He has been an art educator for the past 30 years. He also runs a photo studio in Seattle.

ENTERTAINMENT:

• Live music throughout the day.
• Volunteer Perfoming Groups: groups interested in performing on June 7th or June 8th should contact artscomm@ci.normandy-park.wa.us

WALK-IN-THE-PARK: Hosted by the Park Board, join us for our annual walk that will leave City Hall Park at 10am. You will be back in time to enjoy the concert. See link below for registration form and additional information.

ART WORK CHECK IN: Wed, June 4th, 4pm-6pm. Attach tag card to back of each item submitted. Cards can be found on FORMS LIBRARY.