The Bakersfield College art students had the chance to showcase their artwork on April 9 in the Wylie and May Louise Jones Gallery located in the library.
The gallery ranged from plenty of different artistic abilities, from sculptures to photographs to actual drawings and paintings, the artwork was both impressive and satisfying to the eye.
BC Beginning Art student, Jake Aldrade expressed hopes of one day having his art in the gallery.
“I’d love to have my art in the galley,” Aldrade said, “I can take pictures, but not paint like this.”
Digital Arts student Alex Aguilar stated that he only attended the gallery because his brother has two paintings in it and he was there to show support for him.
Art gallery assistant Michaela Forbus was shocked to see how many people attended the gallery.
“This has been the most highly attended openings I have seen so far,” Forbus expressed. Forbus is also a BC student in the Advanced Photography class.
Art director Tom Betthauser stated that The Jones Gallery has an exhibition of recent work made by Bakersfield College’s art students at the end of each academic year usually in April. Betthauser also stated that students could submit their work online usually starting in March.
“Any current Bakersfield College student that has taken any art class in the last three semesters is encouraged to submit work as long as it was produced as part of a BC art class,” Betthauser said, “We encourage students to submit up to three works in as many mediums as possible (photography, digital works, sculptures, drawings, paintings, etc).”
Betthauser also stated that the gallery usually receives 200-300 submissions and have a guest judge pick 40-50 projects to display in a gallery environment.
“This is the end of my first year being a curator and managing the Jones Gallery, which I will continue to do next year, so far it has been a fantastic opportunity for me to connect with other artists from Los Angeles to the East Coast to Alaska,” expressed Betthauser. “It has been a great way to expose ambitious BC art students to the work of young contemporary artists from outside Kern County as well as giving them experience by showing their work in a gallery environment.”
Betthauser believes the artwork exposed in the Jones Gallery for the BC Art Student Exhibition is potentially inspiring for both older artists and non-art students alike.
“It reflects the potential of the ambitious students in out art department, the dedication of their instructors, and the unique inspiration and drive that only artists at the beginning of their academic careers have access to.”
The Jones Gallery will be showing more of the Art Student Exhibit every Thursday up until May 7.