Art Exhibit Showcases Crafton Faculty Talent

Publish Date: Nov. 23, 2021

After more than a year and a half of being closed to the public, the doors are open again at Crafton Hills College’s Art Gallery, with a new exhibit celebrating the talent of the College’s faculty.

Six faculty members – including Art Department Chair Renée Azenaro and Lab Technician Michael Bedoya – each selected works representing different mediums and interpretations to display inside the space.The show celebrated the important connection art has on communities like Crafton and the surrounding area, explained Azenaro.

“Honestly, art itself is the ‘connective tissue’ for all of humanity and society,” she said. “It’s about bringing the community together. It’s the nexus and the connection to get new ideas.”

The show also signals a bit of normalcy to the Art Department and the Roadrunner campus following the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the department took things online with a virtual faculty art show but being back in the gallery space allows for guests to take their time to absorb each piece and reflect on what they see.

“Art is so important because it fulfills parts of our life,” said Azenaro. “We are happy to be back in the space and put up physical work.”

There was not a limit imposed on how many pieces each artist could submit, nor a timeline. For example, Bedoya had three works on display, including a piece he created in the 1990s.

The painting, he explained, was originally sold to relatives, but when his uncle died, Bedoya noticed the painting was no longer on display at his uncle’s home.

“Three of my pieces are on the back wall (of the gallery), and the one furthest to the left is the one my aunt was on the verge of throwing away, which I think is funny,” Bedoya continued with a chuckle. “Exhibitions aren’t about new work necessarily, but ‘your work.’”