SUNY Cortland announced that Erika Fowler-Decatur is the new director of the Dowd Gallery.
Her first task as director will be to oversee the movement of the art gallery’s exhibitions to a new off-campus location on Cortland’s Main Street while the center undergoes renovations. "I'm looking forward to furthering the multi-layered mission of the Dowd Gallery to serve not only the students of the art and art history department, but also the entire campus and the Cortland community at large," Fowler-Decatur said.
Last year, Fowler-Decatur taught at SUNY Cortland in the art and art history department, also acting as a faculty advisor for students and serving on various gallery committees.
Fowler-Decatur was the founder and for seven years the executive director of the Art Bar Project – Ithaca Fine Chocolates. The organization promoted contemporary artists, educated the public about contemporary art and provided an alternative channel of funding for art education through the sale of organic and fair trade chocolate bars. Previously she was the executive director of the Museo ItaloAmericano and Visual Aid in San Francisco.
At Hamilton, Fowler-Decatur studied art history and mathematics and spent her junior year abroad in Rome, Italy. She is a member of the class of 1991 and currently resides in Ithaca, NY.
