SMC Emeritus Gallery Hosts Online Opening Reception for “Painting Over the Pandemic” Group Show – Santa Monica Daily Press

Santa Monica College (SMC) Emeritus Art Gallery presents Painting Over the Pandemic, a special exhibition of works by painters emeritus, organized in collaboration with drawing and painting teacher Adam Harrison. The title of the exhibition alludes to the context in which the collection of works came about and can be read as “painting during the pandemic” or as “covering with paint”. While some of the paintings in the exhibition refer to the various physical and emotional impacts of recent times, others are more abstract meditations on healing, space and time. The exhibition is presented online at smc.edu/emeritusgallery.

A free virtual live zoom launch event will take place online on Thursday, January 20 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. A link at smc.edu/emeritusgallery—available shortly before the event begins—takes guests directly to the exhibition’s opening reception.

At the opening reception, hosted by artist Harrison, Dean of Noncredit and External Programs, Dr. Scott Silverman, and Art Gallery Curator Emeritus Jesse Benson, will feature a live scroll through the exhibition and a selection of featured artists speaking about their work.

To see the artwork online anytime after 5:00 p.m. on January 20, viewers can go to smc.edu/emeritusgallery and click on the exhibition link, which is available 24 hours a day. The link leads directly to the exhibition album on a publicly accessible Facebook page (Facebook account not required).

“Over the years the gallery has had fantastic active support from our brilliant faculty emeritus,” said Benson. “Veteran painter and dedicated educator emeritus Adam Harrison was an ideal curatorial collaborator. His exhibition concept focuses on the transcendent value of creating art in these complex times.”

“The creativity and passion that emeritus students show through their artwork is amazing,” said Silverman. “After a turbulent couple of years where we’ve all been social distancing, this is a fun way for us to envision the world post-pandemic.”

The exhibition features artworks by Marilyn Alquizola, Parvaneh Bassiri, Judith Claire, Anna Conley, Vicki Fisher-Lerer, Eva Good, Barbara Gordon, Cheryl Lee, Jill Meshkanian, Phyllis Nelson, Darlene Okita, Marlene Power, Larisa Rubinshtein, Cabell D. Smith , Gloria Vitto, Mary von Aspe, Leslie Wintner and Lee Zeldon.

SMC’s widely acclaimed Emeritus Program—established in 1975 by Santa Monica College as a non-credit program to serve the lifelong learning interests of older adults—offers more than 120 non-credit adult education courses and specialty programs that serve more than 3,000 students each year .

For more information, visit smc.edu/emeritusgallery, email the gallery curator at [email protected], or call 310-434-4306.

Submitted by Grace Smith, SMC