STORY AND PHOTO BY JASON GREEN, STAFF WRITER
The Cypress College Art Gallery (CCAG) had a grand opening for their new gallery, “Students’ Show” which showcased student work on May 7 at 6 p.m.
The art displayed in the new gallery consisted of several mediums including photography, paints, pastels, pencils, digital art, and ceramics. There were hundreds of artworks from students displayed at the grand opening.
The gallery will remain open until May 20, the last week of the semester.
After attendees explored the gallery, Kirk Pickler, Exhibitions Manager, and Donivan Howard, Department Chair of the Art Department, gathered people outside to announce awards and scholarships. These awards are related to the art gallery and photography department.
While announcing awards and scholarships, Pickler and Howard were joined by Photography Department Chair, Tony Maher, and assistant professor, Aydinaneth Ortiz to present awards and scholarships from their department.
Jessica Guillen won Photographer of The Year and said “All of the professors helped me turn into the photographer I am,” she continued, “I wouldn’t be here without them, so I owe a lot to them.”
Guillen’s Las Cicatrices Que Se Carga photo series is about her mother’s journey with dialysis. Las Cicatrices Que Se Caróan #4, part of the same photo series, is displayed at the gallery.
There was a live vocal performance by Marty Florence from the Theater Department and the vocal ensemble, Golden Blues from the Music Department.
Florence sang “The Villain I Appear To” and the Golden Blues sang five songs: “It’s Alright,” “Stand By Me,” “O My Luve’s Like A Red Red Rose,” “Meditation,” and “Dance The Night.”
Besides Guillen, there were many artists that submitted work were present.
In Fernando Lizarraga’s watercolor with pen piece, Even In Death Time Still Ticks, the message of the piece is that there is no such thing as wasting time but wasting life. He explained that time still moves forward even in death.
He gave the example of turning 20 after ten years.
“You can either do nothing or you can do something, but it doesn’t change the fact that in ten years you’re going to be 20,” said Lizarraga.
Finn Mendez submitted ceramic pieces to the gallery; she enjoys making pieces that give people “visceral reactions.” With her self-portrait ceramic art piece, Lord of the Flies, she follows suit.
Mendez said, “As soon as you see it, I want some sort of reaction, whether it’s positive or negative.”
The gallery studies class created two art pieces on two large scrolls, using linocut. Linocut involves carving an image out of a block of linoleum.
The class placed ink on the block and put it on the scrolls.
The Art Visionaries club was outside of the gallery promoting their club by showing drawings and selling stickers.
The “Students’ Show” allows students to share their art with people, and helps them get exposure. The gallery gives students the opportunity to celebrate their art.
