n keeping with the centennial atmosphere of the ASA 2005 Annual Meeting, the Committee on Art Exhibits joins the membership of ASA in commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Society’s founding. To this end, the committee has chosen the theme “Centennial Celebration.” We hope that you will include the display in your list of must-do activities at this year’s meeting.

Our logo for the exhibit represents a step back in time to the era of ether, lack of electronic monitoring, strong emphasis on the observational skills of the anesthesiologist and the importance of preoperative sedation. It was adapted from an advertisement of a barbiturate, butisol sodium, which appeared in the American Journal of Surgery in August 1943. We plan to display the original at the exhibit. Our thanks go to Martin Grogono, son of one of our committee members, for creating the logo.

The annual Art Exhibit was established 24 years after the advertisement appeared, and the exhibit is currently in its 38th year. It is a wonderful opportunity for ASA members and their families to show their creative, artistic side, which rarely pops up in the rather mundane world of medicine. The display has become an oasis — a place for attendees to escape from the hectic rat race of scientific sessions, refresher courses, visits with exhibitors, committee meetings and the like. While New Orleans offers many diversions, our gallery will serve not only as a brief respite from the meeting but also from dixieland music, steam calliopes, good food and nudie shows, among other attractions. On second thought, we have never banned images of nudes in the exhibit!

In addition to entries in the Centennial Celebration theme, the display will include the traditional categories: painting in oil, acrylics, watercolors, tempera and gouache; traditional and digital photography in both color and black and white; graphic works on paper, including drawings, prints, and pastels; sculpture and crafts, including needlework, weaving, pottery, stained glass, jewelry, construction and metal work; the popular junior exhibit (for those under the age of 18); and literature. We also will accept “walk-in” art (with the exception of literature) as long as it arrives at the site of the exhibit prior to 9 a.m. on Saturday, October 22.

We are again fortunate to have found three excellent judges who will review all entries.

Victoria Ryan is the Director of the Photography Program of the New Orleans Academy for the Fine Arts. Ms. Ryan is a very gifted photographer with an incredible eye for detail. She is well respected as a teacher and an artist.

Mr. Jean Seidenberg describes himself as “a painter of people.” He is an incredible draftsman, painter and sculptor who is known for his warm and personable portraits, many of which are of persons in the medical and legal professions.

Marcia Day Childress, Ph.D., will judge the entries in the literature category. Dr. Childress is Co-Director of the Humanities in Medicine Program at the University of Virginia. Her interests include the healing power of art, creative writing and choral music.

Finally, as chair of the committee, I ask you to consider submitting a suggestion for the theme of the exhibit to be displayed at the 2006 Annual Meeting in Chicago. The committee will consider all input and thanks you in advance for your interest.

William P. Arnold III, M.D., is Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia.