Marguerite Doritty
Marguerite "Meg" Knowles Doritty was known for her documentary and experimental video work, which has been shown internationally. She was featured in a number of film festivals including the Cultural Film Festival in Budapest (2003) and exhibited in such respected museums as the Albright-Knox Art Gallery (1993) and the Museum of Modern Art (1999).
She received grants for her work from the National Endowment for Humanities, and the New York State Council on the Arts.
Doritty was Director of Technology in the Department of Media Study and a lecturer, teaching graduate and undergraduate media production courses. She was on the department's Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and its Film/Video Collection Committee. She also served on the University's CASET Technology Advisory Committee.
In 2003, she was the recipient of the Chancellors Award for Excellence in Professional Service. At that time, the non-teaching portion of her job in Media Study was described:
"Over the past six years, Marguerite (Meg) Knowles has been instrumental in the procurement and installation of and training for more than $1 million worth of media equipment that facilitates media-study faculty and students' work in film, video and digital arts. She oversees staff, maintenance and repair for all media equipment, labs and studios, as well as the department's internship program."
-- University at Buffalo press release, "12 at UB receive SUNY Chancellor's Awards," 7/1/2003
In 1982, Doritty graduated from Vassar College with a bachelor's degree in art history. She earned her masters degree in media studies and art history from UB in 1994. In 2002, she received a M.F.A. from Temple University in film and video arts.
She was a member of the Termite TV Collective, the Evolutionary Girls Club, and Buffalo's 8mm News Collective. She served on the Board of Directors of Squeaky Wheel / Buffalo Media Resources since 1998. She also served on the selection committee for the MadCat Women's International Film Festival.
In 2001 Knowles produced a small film, "Progress," which juxtaposed Thomas Edison's historic film from the Pan-American Exhibition in 1901 called "A Trip Around the World" with clips of interviews of present day Buffalonians' giving their thoughts of what Buffalo might be like in the year 2101.
Before her time in the Department of Media Study, Doritty was the director of the UB Department of Music's Concert Office and assistant to the director of the university's Educational Communication Center.
Affiliation(s): Media Study
Record Group(s): 16
Biographical File Contains:
- Obituary