Proving that art teachers practice what they teach, the annual
Bakersfield College Art Faculty Exhibit opened with a
reception on Sept. 3.
The exhibit features art work by ten BC art professors and
can be seen in the Wylie and May Louise Jones Gallery in
the library until Oct. 1.
Many of the art teachers agreed that this gallery is a good
opportunity for all students, regardless of if they are taking
art classes or not, to see what the school’s art teachers are
up to.
“It’s good for them to see what we produce,” said digital
arts and graphic design professor Adel Shafik. “We do what
we preach. Seeing our art makes it more convincing.”
Shafik has four pieces on display in the exhibit, but said
his favorite is the one dealing with peace, which juxtaposes
violent colors and the confusion of overlapping elements
with a quote from Ghandi and the theme of peace. Shafik’s
inspiration for his art is issues and world events.
“It is good sometimes to express ourselves and we do that
through art,” he said. “I don’t have a loud voice, so I use art
to communicate.”
Also on display is work by photography professor Kristopher
Stallworth, whose six photographs are the products of a
workshop in Mono Lake, California. Stallworth draws inspiration
for his art from “how we interact with the landscape
as humans, how we treat the land.”
Professor of art and department chair David M. Koeth has
citrus assemblages on display that he has been working on
for the past year.
“I like to experiment with materials,” said Koeth. “Citrus
naturally dries and forms. When dealing with non-traditional
materials, you just have to experiment. I like to explore and
try new things.”
Yvonne Cavanagh, a BC art graduate and co-owner of
Surface Gallery, is friends with some of the faculty and came
to the reception to support local art. She called the art “eclectic
and wonderful.”
“I love David’s work with the citrus,” Cavanagh said. “I
love the color and the little jewels. I love that detail. I think
they’re there for constructional purposes, but they look like
jewels.”