By Trevor Schmidt
CCC Journalism Program
BLACKWOOD – Camden County College’s annual Faculty Art Show opened Nov. 14 in the Marlin Art Gallery in Lincoln Hall. The works of 12 CCC staff members will be on display until Dec. 13.
Art teacher Joanna Platt made this piece, “Forests and Trees,” which is on display at the show. By Trevor Schmidt, CCC Journalism Program
The show features 31 pieces, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, graphite and a video.
Anna Chevez, a first-year student in the studio art program, visited the show Nov. 26 and said she benefited by what she saw. “I definitely feel like I am inspired,” Chevez said. “I feel as though some of it I can start working my way towards and it definitely feels more personal with the fact that the work is done by people around us and not world-renown artists.”
The film program submitted two videos, which visitors can view during the show. Gallery Director Scott Bonette said he hopes the program’s involvement will expand. “Our goal is to see the scenario with the art department and film program hoping to be a bigger part of our shows in each year and to expand and grow,” Bonette said.
Much of the art is there to get visitors thinking and Chevez said she feels that’s not a bad thing. “I would definitely go expecting to think,” Chevez said. “I think most people go in and automatically expect to understand everything and know, but for me, art shows are just really to think, look, interpret and give my thoughts to a meaning to a piece that might not exactly have one.”
Among the pieces that Chevez said made her think is “Forests and Trees,” metal wiring posing as tree trunks with a projector projecting green pixels as the leaves, made by art teacher Joanna Platt.
A book full of comments sits at the gallery entrance and anyone who wants to write their thoughts in the book after viewing the show is welcome to do so.
The gallery will hold the annual Student Art Show in April.
“As a lasting impression, we want students to see that their professors are working artists and that is an achievable goal and you can achieve a standard of professionalism, while also doing something that is realistic, doable and something the students can aspire to do in the future.”
The Faculty Art Show is open noon to 8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and noon to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.