Professor emeritus Jose Montoya of the Sacramento State department of Art was selected as “Outstanding Arts Educator of the Year” by the California Arts Council, as a part of the council?s “The Year of Arts 2001” celebration. Montoya was honored for his contributions to arts education at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles on March 26. Montoya is one of 15 people who were selected to be honored for their contribution to arts education in California.

“I am very proud of Jose; he has been a tremendous contributor, not only as an educator, but also as an artist, musician and mentor,” said Catherine Turrill, professor of Art and Interim Chair of the Art Department. “He?s been an educator from inside and outside the classroom.”

Montoya was voted one of the “100 most influential and interesting citizens” by The Sacramento News and Review, as well as one of the “25 most influential people” by Sacramento Magazine.

“I found out I got selected about two to three weeks prior to the reception in Los Angeles, I got a phone call from the California Arts Council saying I was one of the 15 people to be honored,” Montoya said. “They have all sorts of categories; they have one for art educators as well as more well known artists. I was recognized in the area of art education.”

Montoya created the Sac State barrio art program in the 1970s as a way of getting the university involved in the community, as well as a way of helping future educators gain practical teaching experiences.

This program has also helped with the education of diversity in the community. “The program was not very popular at Sac State in the beginning, for there weren?t many Chicano professors around,” Montoya said.

Montoya was an art professor at Sac State for 27 years. He is also a painter, a poet and a musician.