American River College’s James Kaneko Art Gallery opened a new exhibition, “Paint and Bristle,” on Jan. 14 and began its spring semester with a solid and vibrant collection by painter Jack Ogden, a retired Sacramento State University professor.
The collection runs until Feb. 10, and the Kaneko Gallery will host an artist reception with Jack Ogden on Jan. 28 at 5 pm.
“Paint and Bristle” is a collection of 19 oil paintings on canvas and board, with marked use of texture and color to create a gritty expressionist atmosphere within his works – mostly portraits and still lifes of Ogden’s studio.
“He’s been a huge influence,” said gallery director and ARC art professor Patricia Wood. “He was a professor to a lot of our professors.”
“The use of color is striking,” said ARC student Rachel Heleva. “I love the use of the deep reds to obscure faces in the portraits.”
Wood, who said Ogden “lives and breathes paint,” encourages students to visit the gallery and see Ogden’s work.
“It’s always a new experience,” said Trisha Carter, an art student. “Even if you’ve been to this gallery before, you haven’t seen this show. And seeing art in person makes a bigger impact than seeing photos of it.”
The Kaneko Gallery has a full schedule ahead for the spring semester.
Opening on Jan. 28 is the Art-O-Matic, a refurbished cigarette machine that dispenses pieces of art.
The gallery will host “Selections from the Museum of Historical Makeovers,” with works by Kathy Aoki, from Feb. 17 to March 9.
Following that exhibition will be Anthony Maki Gill’s “Explicit Material,” a multimedia ceramic show that will incorporate video and performance components.
For a very limited time, the Kaneko will host ARC’s Andy Warhol collection in support of their May 14 event, Forks and Corks.
The last show of the season will be a student art show, made up of the winning art from the student art competition, which will be judged by Natalie Nelson, director of the Pence Gallery in Davis.
The student show will run from April 22 through May 11 and all ARC student artists, regardless of major, are encouraged to enter their art.
