Chilly and sometimes dreary weather couldn't put a damper on Fallcoming 2012,  as Hamilton celebrated the opening the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art, honored Dan Dietrich II '64 as Volunteer of the Year, and recognized students' scholarships at the Helen and Doane Comstock '27 Memorial Luncheon.

A large and enthusiastic crowd lined up outside as The Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art opened to the campus community on Oct. 4.  The formal dedication and ribbon-cutting will take place on Friday, Oct. 5, at 5:30 p.m., and a series of events are planned for the entire weekend.

Hamilton’s annual Fallcoming will take place on campus Oct. 4 through 7, with activities to suit every interest. The highlight of the weekend will be the dedication of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art with numerous events surrounding its opening.

Director Tracy Adler and her staff are in the process of putting the finishing touches on The Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art in preparation for the official opening celebration. On Thursday, Oct. 4, the festivities will begin.

The Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art will be featured on the locally produced, weekly television show Mohawk Valley Living on Sunday, Sept. 30, at 7:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. on WFXV (Channel 6 on Time Warner Cable) and will be rebroadcast next Sunday at 8:00 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. The segment can be viewed on the show's site at approximately 10:10.

Preparation for the opening of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art was the focus of a WKTV news report on Sept. 20. Museum director Tracy Adler described the open design of the museum and the opportunity it offers students and visitors to see the processes involved in receiving and preparing art. Its two-story glass cases as well as expansive gallery space also allow viewers to see much more of the museum’s collection.

Progress continues on construction of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art, with its dedication ceremony scheduled for Friday, Oct. 5, 5:30 p.m., during Fallcoming Weekend.

The Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum, Hamilton’s biggest summer construction project, is in its final stages.  Steve Bellona, associate vice president for facilities & planning, reported that  final finish work on the interior is in progress.  Wood flooring in the main gallery is being installed and is expected to be complete at the end of this week.

After months of hard work, in conditions ranging from the freezing temperatures of January to the hot and humid days of an upstate New York summer, construction crews are finally nearing completion of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art. The museum, located across from the Molly Root House on College Hill Road, will feature a 6,200-square-foot exhibition space, a creative teaching laboratory and unique open archives.

Hamilton College President Joan Hinde Stewart announced today the appointment of Tracy Adler, former curator for the Hunter College Art Galleries in New York, as the inaugural director of the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art.