Ella Elizabeth Hise Museum of Regional Art
About the Museum
The Ella Elizabeth Hise Museum of Regional Art was made possible by a wonderful gift from William C. Hise and his late brother, James C. Hise, in honor of their sister, Ella, who was a teacher and art supervisor in the Harrisburg Public schools for many years. The Museum’s mission is: To honor Ella Elizabeth Hise and foster an appreciation for visual arts works, exhibits, programs, and cultural partnerships that celebrate southern Illinois and the surrounding region. In addition to the prized exhibit hall, the Museum contains a beautiful front entrance foyer, lounge, classroom, and professional workspace. Traveling exhibitions, art talks, and other events are scheduled at the Hise Museum.
Forty counties make up the suggested region.
HOURS OF OPERATION
Hise Museum normal of hours of operation when SIC is open and in session:
- 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday
- 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. the first Sunday of the Month
- By Appointment
To make an appointment, please contact HiseMuseum@sic.edu.
Museum Operations
The Hise Museum Operations and Collections Committee (OCC) assists the College with operating aspects of the Museum. The chief operational duty of the OCC is the selection of the permanent collection for the Museum. A clear selection process is in place for donations to the permanent collection. Donations from the defined region per donor guidelines are allowed. The OCC encourages the Community in this particular region to donate works of art that meet the criteria for the permanent collection. Refer to our FAQ link for frequently asked questions about donations.
Support the Museum
If you would like to support the Hise Museum operations or if you wish to support the College as a whole, please know that a gift of personal property (stock, jewelry, or real estate) is another way to benefit yourself and SIC. Giving stocks, mutual funds, or bonds to SIC or the Hise Museum specifically might save you from paying substantial capital gains taxes since you can deduct the full current market value from your federal taxes as a charitable gift. For further information consult your professional tax specialist.
If you have any questions or wish to make a gift, please contact Melody Bryant, Southeastern Illinois College, 3575 College Road, Harrisburg, IL 62946, e-mail melody.bryant@sic.edu, or call (618) 252-5400 ext. 2577
Hise Museum Submission Forms
Tips for Writing an Artist Biography Statement
An artist biography/statement is requested from each artist for all exhibitions at the Ella Elizabeth Hise Museum of Regional Art. A good artist biography/statement should enhance what a viewer sees in your work and provide a concise handle to approach a visual piece as well as learn a little more about you. It should be accurate, well-written, and correctly punctuated. It also should be specific to your work and offer unique insight into your process. Viewers appreciate learning more about the artist and artwork while also hearing the artists' voice.
1. Consider answering these main points:
- A short introduction/biography (short description of your career as an artist and major accomplishments)
- Why you make art
- What it signifies
- How you make it
- What it's made out of
- What it means to you.
2. Use your own voice. A conversational tone is helpful when addressing your philosophy or emotional connection to your work. Be specific, not vague. For example, if your art is "inspired by elements of the natural world," tell which elements and how they inspire you.
3. When discussing your methods, media or technique, be clear and specific. Anyone whether they have been to art school or not should understand.
4. The words should match the work: Is your work whimsical? Colorful? Dark? Make sure your words reflect the qualities of your work. This will help make your statement unique and informative.
5. Avoid using phrases that denote uncertainty or self-deprecation, such as I'm trying to... or I think that...
6. Get a second opinion: have someone else review your statement for clarity and grammar.
7. Write one page or less. Keep it simple and on point.
8. Have fun! Remember that an Artist Statement is an organic work in progress and will change as your artwork changes!
Selection Process and Criteria
The Hise Museum Operations and Collections Committee (OCC)is made up of essential personnel from the College and community to provide guidance and feedback to administration regarding the function of the Hise Museum, and in particular, the acquisition of collection pieces. The tentative process for exhibit selection of permanent pieces include:
- Two- and three-dimensional pieces are acceptable, given consideration of space and feasibility.
- Fine and applied arts are acceptable.
- Donors submit an image of the artwork (digital preferred) and donor application form.
- Donors also need to submit a brief description regarding the history, artist, and interesting information regarding the artifact.
- Pieces will only be considered on an individual basis. Collections of work may not be eligible for donation as one submission. Multiple applications may be submitted.
- The College reserves the right to refuse or allow any display of art which might be prove offensive to community public standards or violate federal, state, and/or local laws.
Specific Selection Criteria:
- Cultural/Social Significance
- Artist Background
- Consideration of the purpose of the Museum’s mission and College’s mission
- Creativity
- Quality
- Emotional and Intellectual Stimulation
- Safety
- Feasibility
Selection Committee Members
Janet Bixler
Melody Bryant
Lynda Clemmons
Hillary Gee
Julia Pfeiffer-Scherrer
Kellye Whittler
Hise Museum FAQ's
If you have artistic works of relevance to the region that you believe might interest the Museum board, please complete the Hise Artifact Submission Form.
The Museum does not have an acquisitions budget to purchase items for the permanent collection. All acquisitions are donations to the museum. We cannot help the donor sell donated items.
We do not allow for unsolicited drop-offs at our information desk. We cannot accept walk-in donations without prior consultation as necessary. Please refer to following information regarding how donations are accepted.
The Hise Artifact Submission Form will require the key information for submissions.
Two- and three-dimensional pieces are acceptable, given consideration of space and feasibility. Fine and applied arts are acceptable. Donors submit an image of the artwork (digital preferred) and Hise Artifact Submission Form. Pieces will only be considered on an individual basis. Selection criteria are detailed in the Selection Process and Criteria section.
The Hise Museum Operations and Collections Committee, which oversees donations, will charge the chief curator to respond to the donor within 4-8 weeks after initial donor contact. A full review and possible scheduled appointment may take up to 3 months as needed for full consideration and input.
If the artifact is accepted into the permanent collection, you will receive communication to set up an appointment for you to bring the item to the Hise Museum where we will take possession of the item(s) and obtain some additional information, including history, stories, attributes, contact information, identification of donor, press release information, etc. for our records. A Deed of Gift will be provided so that the gift can be legally transferred.
The Hise Museum cannot provide appraisals for donations regarding monetary value. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) deems this a conflict of interest, as museums and libraries are “interested parties” and their primary purpose is to acquire and safeguard materials for the public’s educational benefit. Monetary appraisals prepared by such not-for-profit institutions are subject to disqualification by the IRA. Professional appraisers engaged by the donor will perform such service for a fee. For assistance, contact organizations like American Society of Appraisers and Appraisers Association of America.
The Southeastern Illinois College Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization, and the College is recognized as a tax exempt charitable organization itself. The fair market value of your donated artifact is generally tax deductible. To take advantage of your deduction, consult your tax advisor, attorney, or IRS, chiefly Publication No. 526, “Charitable Contributions” and Publication 561, “Determining the Value of Donated Property.”
The Hise Museum cannot legally return items to a donor once accessioned, especially due to tax implications with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The Hise Museum OCC may remove artifacts for extreme circumstance via a process called deaccessioning, which typically stems from artifacts that are damaged and beyond repair, have a condition that puts other collections or staff or public at physical risk, or are duplication of other items in the collection. This process is very rare, and will be undertaken only for exceptional reasons.