Del Mar College's national art show returns with Feb. 15 art talk, Feb. 16 reception

Del Mar College's annual drawing and small sculpture show will return Friday, Feb. 16.

A free opening reception is planned for 6-8 p.m. Feb. 16 in the Joseph A. Cain Memorial Art Gallery located in the Fine Arts Center of Del Mar College's Heritage Campus. The reception will include food catered by Citrus Bistro and a cash bar.

The National Drawing and Small Sculpture Show, which has been running for 58 years, features two-dimensional and three-dimensional artwork from across the country. This year, it received nearly 800 entries.

"Of the nearly 800 submitted artworks, this year’s juror has curated a show that explores the concepts of form, color and light as well as how those elements carry cultural significance," gallery coordinator and assistant professor of art Benjamin Ogrodnik said in a Del Mar College news release. "While some of the selected artworks tackle global concerns, such as pollution and climate change, other pieces are more introspective and reflect on dynamics of memory and personal experience."

About 50 artworks, including 25 sculptures and 28 mixed media pieces, are included in the exhibit. Four of the included artists are from Corpus Christi and 22 are from Texas. The show includes the work of artists from 18 states.

At the Feb. 16 reception, three artworks will be chosen for inclusion in the college's permanent collection.

Sculptor and show juror Mark H. Cowardin will also present an art talk 11 a.m. to noon Thursday, Feb. 15 in the Richardson Performance Hall. The talk will cover Cowardin's artwork, perspectives and insights as an artist, according to a news release from Del Mar College.

Cowardin is an associate professor of art at Johnson County Community College in Kansas. His sculptural work centers on "the complex relationship to natural resources that the country’s Midwest embodies," according to the release.

The artwork selected for the show will remain on display in the Caim Memorial Art Gallery through May 1. The gallery is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon on Fridays. The gallery will be closed March 11-15 for spring break.

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Del Mar College National Drawing and Small Sculpture Show returns