City College Professors Embrace New Art Space

“We Are in Such a Great Place in the Center of Downtown,” Artist YC Kim Says

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Fine art professors Wayne Hulgin and Terry Hughes-Oelrich (far right) chat while students from their art classes examine the works in the gallery. (Photo by Lupe Diaz)

Lupe Diaz

San Diego City College now has a spacious art gallery located in Room 314 of the Arts and Humanities building thanks to a voter-approved construction bond program.

“We are in such a great place in the center of downtown,” said Professor YC Kim of the fine art department, describing the 2,400-square-foot space as a great location for extending art education to the community, not just for students and faculty at City.

Professor YC Kim says she has great plans for City College’s new art gallery with hopes of student and community involvement. (Photo by Lupe Diaz)
Professor YC Kim says she has great plans for City College’s new art gallery with hopes of student and community involvement. (Photo by Lupe Diaz)

“This semester has been difficult for all the faculty in trying to organize and set up classrooms with tables; we still have unopened boxes,” Kim said. “We want the administration to see the importance of having a full-time gallery director or a faculty with some time devoted in managing the gallery.”

The faculty put in money to help ship the pieces back and other expenses related to the opening and installation, according to Kim.

The faculty hosted a VIP opening(for the launch of the gallery that featured works by alumni. Several local media outlets have profiled the gallery this year.

“The recent fundraiser ‘pop-up surreal art’ was a small success but attracted students from the college, and everyone had fun,” Kim said. “We definitely have to make fundraising a priority.”

Kim also said that Terry Hughes-Oelrich, co-chair of the fine art department, will be involved with the East Village community working with groups such as the Periscope Project.

“In the horizon we are planning so many shows; for example, recycled arts that Terry Hughes-Oelrich will be organizing next year,” said Kim “We plan to have a poster show by the graphic arts department by Professor Candice Lopez and her students.”

“Our goal is to provide the gallery as an instructional aide to our students because many of them do not have a car to go or money to see exhibitions at the local museums,” Kim added. “They can also benefit from guest artist lecturers, group shows, and see professional art work without paying a fee. Recently, we had a artist guest lecturer from UC Berkley that our students had an opportunity to experience.”

Other goals of the gallery include giving students an opportunity to see the faculty’s work in the fall show and the works of students in the spring at the end of the semester.

Professor Wayne Hulgin walks through the gallery with his beginning drawing class one night before the opening of the current mixed media exhibition. (Photo by Lupe Diaz)
Professor Wayne Hulgin walks through the gallery with his beginning drawing class one night before the opening of the current mixed media exhibition. (Photo by Lupe Diaz)

“The ability to walk into a gallery and see works, mediums, techniques, the physicality of seeing instead of in a computer or book, it changes completely,” added Wayne Hulgin, fine art professor.

“The gallery exposes the students to different mediums. There is also a new course being offered currently, ARTF 104 Artists and Designers, which will teach artists on how to make a living, and an entrepreneurship class in the works on making a living as an artist,” said Hulgin.

“I’m hoping that our students will have a vision and say to themselves, ‘Yes, I can make a living 20 years from now,’” said Kim.

“There are also future plans to offer weekend art workshops for the community including a K-6 children program.”

According to Kim, there are future plans to offer a “Other computer-aided design (CAD) classe and a comic art exhibition. “The faculty will need to obtain some updated training on CAD and we will be able to offer classes for students interested in 3D computer art design.

The current exhibition, “Mix: A Group Exhibition,” is on display until Dec. 12. The exhibition features four contemporary artists using mixed media and interactive art by John Dillemuth, Allison Renshaw, Stephen P. Curry and Vicki Walsh. There will be sales of jewelry, books, and pottery from local artist also

Stop by and enjoy and infusion of mixed media and interactive art, “Mix: a Group Exhibition,” by John Dillemuth, Allison Renshaw, Stephen P. Curry and Vicki Walsh. The works will be on display until Dec. 12.



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