"Maryland to Bucharest and Back"
For the Rosapepes and Maryland art

By Andrea Martino

Sometimes life imitates art. And sometimes the converse is true, as well!

During three years as U.S. Ambassador to Romania, Jim Rosapepe and his wife, Sheilah Kast, loved showing the works of Maryland artists to all that visited their home in Bucharest. When it was time for the Rosapepes to return home this spring, they wondered how they could share the same experience with Marylanders.

The answer - with a lot of help from UMUC, the governor, and the artists - was to bring the collection back also and display it this summer at UMUC's Inn & Conference Center.

Twelve Maryland artists agreed to continue the loan of their works so they can be exhibited from July 16 through September. The collection, originally organized by the State Department's Art in Embassies program, is now titled "Maryland to Bucharest and Back."

Sharing Maryland's strengths - academics as well as art - was a big part of Jim's approach to his job as a diplomat. Last year, he helped establish a partnership for UMUC in which qualified Romanian computer science professors teach online for the University. Now home in College Park, part of the area Jim represented in the General Assembly for 11 years until 1998, he now serves on the Maryland Board of Regents.

"We wanted to show the work of these artists in Maryland, because we saw what a strong reaction they got from Romanian and American visitors," Sheilah said. "But it wouldn't have been possible to bring the works here without a lot of help from UMUC President Jerry Heeger and his staff, and the staff of Governor Glendening. We're just thrilled."

The collection is online at the Art in Embassies Web site.