Palo Alto College students and community members are now offered the opportunity to showcase and enjoy art, thanks to the newly opened art gallery on campus.

The gallery, part of renovations that took place during the previous year, is located in the Fine Arts Building, Room 100. The new Gallery 100 has already hosted two shows: an art faculty exhibition and a juried Palo Alto College student art exhibition.

"It gives us a place where students can see art first hand," said Mark Hogensen, Associate Professor of Art, adding that the gallery allows for other departments and courses to use art as a tool in teaching.

"It's also important to our campus so that other students in other disciplines, like an English class, might come over, look at the work and maybe have a writing assignment that goes with it. The Psychology Department might bring classes over and look at art works and discuss them in terms of psychology."

Students of art have taken notice of the unique possibilities offered by the gallery as a venue to an audience few have ever imagined, and they are proud that their work has been deemed good enough to be displayed for others.

"It feels good for people to see my drawings in the gallery, and it showcases our artistic talents to the campus and the community," said Jesus Ortiz, an undecided Palo Alto freshman and artist who has a pencil drawing of his displayed in the student show. Ortiz had only drawn for hobby until recently, when the experience and encouragement of taking an art course on campus has lead to serious inclinations of becoming an art teacher professionally.

"Having a student show is something we planned on doing because it's important for students to have an opportunity to exhibit their work, get some feedback, and show their family and friends and other students what they're doing," said Hogensen.

With the student art show, which is being planned as an annual occurrence for the Fine Arts Department, students are allowed to submit any piece of work which is reviewed by faculty and then displayed if it is accepted into the show. Students may submit as many pieces of work as they choose, and there is no established limit on the type of medium allowed.

The various art courses offered at Palo Alto, ranging from oil painting, photography, drawing and ceramics, allowed for an equally wide range of student works entered into the first student show, although a few students chose to enter work completed outside of class assignments. Mediums featured include ceramics, acrylic paintings, digital photography, oil paintings, pencil drawings, markers and prints, silver gelatin photographic prints, charcoals on paper, clay sculptures, printer paper and marker, wood sculptures and digital video.

This unique gathering of visual mediums allows for more traditional works to be mounted and displayed on a wall, while a large sculpture occupies the center of the floor and a digital video is overheard playing in the background.

The student show was officially opened with a reception on Thursday, Nov. 29, when awards and certificates for showcased works of art were presented. In all, five works were awarded with an honorable mention while one work, Oscar Garza's Stick Deer, won best in show.

The gallery is also being used as an extension of the Fine Arts Department with other exhibits and activities being planned. The Drama Department has already housed a small show within the gallery, and lectures are welcomed to take place within the gallery, as well. Other art exhibits featuring local, national and international artists are also being discussed.

"Seeing students finish their work and being proud of it [is what is fun about teaching art]. So certainly the gallery is nice because it gives them an opportunity to display their work and gives them something to be proud of," said Lloyd Walsh, Assistant Professor of Art.

"It's cool! I like it. It's a good thing," said Ortiz, as he discussed his work in the gallery and highlighted his thankfulness for the potential that it offers.

The Palo Alto College Art Gallery is located in the Fine Arts Building, Room 100, and public hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The gallery and exhibitions are free and open to the public. For more information on Palo Alto's Fine Arts Department, call (210) 921-5345.