[Important Information for Employees] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SUNY Plattsburgh and Outside Art Collaborate on Monumental Mural Honoring Rockwell Kent and Former President George Angell

[Office of the President]

* FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
Contact: Gerianne Downs, Associate Director of Communications
Email: downsg at plattsburgh.edu | Phone: 518-564-3094
July 28, 2025

*SUNY Plattsburgh and Outside Art Collaborate on Monumental Mural Honoring
Rockwell Kent and Former President George Angell*

* PLATTSBURGH, N.Y.* — SUNY Plattsburgh and the local public art project,
Outside Art, are in collaboration on a monumental mural project that will
enhance the beauty of the campus and community while paying homage to the
late artist Rockwell Kent and the muralist’s grandfather.

Work has begun on “North Country Dream” by Plattsburgh native Brendon
Palmer-Angell, now based in New Orleans but who has made a name for himself
locally through his large-scale murals of actress Jean Arthur, astronaut
Michael Anderson and, most recently, 19th century poets Lucretia and
Margaret Davidson. “Dream” will be painted on the wall of Hudson Hall,
facing the pond adjacent to the Northcountry Planetarium.

Palmer-Angell is the grandson of the late SUNY Plattsburgh president, Dr.
George Angell, who served the campus from 1954 to 1974, and who was a good
friend of Kent. After Kent’s death, his wife, Sally Kent Gorton, gifted the
university more than 5,000 artworks and more.

“Although my grandfather passed away shortly after I was born, the spaces
and community that he cultivated have held me in many different ways,”
Palmer-Angell said. “I spent my summers growing up at the Adirondack lake
home that he created; it was a carefree place to revel in nature and family
and (to) develop a deep connection to the region.”

It’s this connection that motivated Palmer-Angell to participate in the
Outside Art project, giving him a way to honor his grandfather and continue
supporting public art in his hometown.

Outside Art’s Amy Guglielmo said, “The space was chosen to share and affirm
the university’s support for creative partnerships and its deep pride in
being a public institution grounded in this region.

“This partnership aligns with SUNY Plattsburgh’s mission and strategic
vision, a meaningful example of its commitment to the North Country by
highlighting local artists, celebrating public art, and enriching the
campus environment in ways that reflect both its values and community
roots.”

University President Alexander Enyedi concurred.

“This mural reflects everything SUNY Plattsburgh values: Creativity,
collaboration, and connection to the North Country,” he said. “We are proud
to partner with local artists to bring color and meaning to a space that
symbolizes shared purpose and regional progress.”

Enyedi said that public art “tells a story, and this piece tells ours.”

“As SUNY Plattsburgh continues to grow as a regional anchor institution, we
are committed to celebrating the artists, communities, and histories that
shape our identity,” he said.

The project is funded by support from SUNY Plattsburgh alumni Tom ’70 and
Marie ’72 Hermes, whose support through last year’s Cardinals Thrive
campaign also funded the purchase of 125 red Adirondack chairs that are
located throughout campus near student living spaces.

Anne Hansen, executive director of the Plattsburgh College Foundation and
vice president of Institutional Advancement, praised the Hermes’ continued
support of their alma mater.

“Their support will bring to life a vibrant new mural that enhances the
visual appeal of a central campus space,” she said. “Their support through
Cardinals Thrive (offers) students comfortable outdoor seating where they
can relax, connect and enjoy the beauty of our campus.”

The muralist gained a special appreciation of SUNY Plattsburgh’s spaces
after spending the final semester of his senior year in high school as a
fine arts major at the university.

“It wasn’t until then that I appreciated how my grandfather championed a
space of learning for personal development and the good of society at large
— though it was a little surreal to spend lunch and study time in a
building named for him.”

Palmer-Angell gave a shout-out to Rick Mikkelson, SUNY distinguished
teaching professor emeritus of art, whose drawing class changed the
trajectory of his life.

“Though I had created art my whole life, it wasn’t until that year in
drawing class with Rick Mikkelson that I became convinced that I wanted to
turn my passion into a career,” he said.

Palmer-Angell said the mural will incorporate the view from his
grandparents’ lake cabin “merged with the view from Rockwell Kent’s Asgaard
farm, another scene that has been imprinted on my mind since childhood
encounters with Kent’s gorgeous paintings,” which are in the university’s
permanent collection in the Rockwell Kent Gallery in Feinberg Library.

George Angell’s lake cabin and Asgaard are “just 15 minutes away from each
other, (and) both places shared a view of the same mountain range,”
Palmer-Angell said.

“This collaboration with Outside Art reflects our strategic vision to
elevate SUNY Plattsburgh as a place of belonging, creativity and public
service,” Enyedi said. “The mural will welcome all who pass by with a
visible reminder of who we are and what we stand for.”

-  Gerianne Downs, Associate Director of Communications
-
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ls.plattsburgh.edu/pipermail/critical-employees/attachments/20250728/ffde7929/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: SUNY Plattsburgh and the local public art project.docx
Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
Size: 17648 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://ls.plattsburgh.edu/pipermail/critical-employees/attachments/20250728/ffde7929/attachment.docx>