Category Archives: Library Art Gallery

17th Annual South Texas Ceramic Showdown: Finding the Right Combination

Current & Upcoming Exhibits, Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus


South Texas College invites students and the community to the 17th annual two-day ceramics event: June 10 & 11

The South Texas College Art Department and Library Art Gallery will present the 17th Annual South Texas Ceramic Showdown: “Finding the Right Combination,” featuring the work of ceramic artists Laura Caroline Casas of Youngsville, North Carolina, and Andy Rangel of Brownsville.

Event schedule
Wednesday, June 10

  • 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Clay demonstration, STC Ceramic Studio, Building B, Room 115
  • 4 to 6 p.m.: Opening receptions, STC Library Art Gallery and STC Art Building B Gallery

Thursday, June 11

  • 9 to 11 a.m.: Artist talk with Laura Caroline Casas and Andy Rangel, Building D Auditorium
  • Noon to 4 p.m.: Clay demonstration, STC Ceramic Studio, Building B, Room 115

“We are excited (and the right kind of nervous with anticipation) as we set off to do the combination and collaboration in clay once more,” said Chris Leonard, STC ceramics instructor and Ceramic Showdown organizer.  “This year, our featured artists are Andy Rangel, who is throwing big pots with personality and making things work well locally, and Laura Caroline Casas, with her hand building fun and functional and consistently well-crafted work that finds audiences near and far.”

10 institutions will submit collaborative ceramic works, representing schools from well beyond the valley.

Participating institutions include Arizona Western College, Central Arizona College, College of The Sequoias, Lawrence University, McClennan Community College, Mesa Community College, PennWest University, Southeast Missouri State University, South Texas College, Texas A&M University Kingsville, University of Texas San Antonio and Weber State University.

“We’re setting the stage not only for technique-sharing, but for artists to share the stories and experiences that have shaped their work,” Leonard said. “The exhibitions will reflect voices ranging from beginners to seasoned professionals, alongside emerging artists right here at STC.”

The Library Art Gallery exhibition featuring Casas and Rangel will be on view June 10 through Sept. 10. The Art Building B Gallery exhibition will run June 10 through Aug. 6.

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery Program organizes exhibitions and educational programming designed to deepen students’ understanding of art and its cultural significance, support the academic curriculum, and inspire lifelong learning through engagement with artists, scholars, and original works of art.

For more information, visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/lag.

Call for Artwork Inspired by Stories & Memories of Food

Call for Art, Current & Upcoming Exhibits, Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus

Deadline to submit and deliver artwork: August 11 & 12, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Through its annual call for artwork, the South Texas College Library Art Gallery provides community artists, students, alumni, faculty, and staff the opportunity to professionally exhibit their work for the enjoyment of library visitors of all ages.

This year’s annual call aligns with the 6th annual Art & Memory Conference and focuses on the theme of food. The theme ranges in topics which include stories and memories connected to food, farmers and labor as well as the communal gathering experiences and memories formed through shared meals. Participants may submit one artwork per person in any medium. Due to limited pedestals, artwork should be 2-D or 3-D wall-mountable. All artwork should come with a wire on the back and be ready to hang.

How do I participate in the Call for Artwork?

1. Complete an entry form.
2. Deliver your themed artwork August 11 or 12 to the STC Pecan Campus Library, Bldg. F, Rm. 235.

Important Dates:

Artwork Drop Off  
Tuesday, August 11, 2026 | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.   

Reception & Awards 
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 | 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.   

End of Show Pickup 
Wednesday, December 2, 2026 | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Thursday, December 3, 2026 | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
*Artwork must remain on view through the entire exhibit.

Uncollected Artwork Disposal Date 
Monday, December 14, 2026 | 5 p.m.

Jurors: 
Dr. Andrés Molina Ochoa, STC Art & Memory Organizer and Associate Professor and Chair of Philosophy
Joe Peña, MFA, Professor of Art at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi

The exhibition runs from August 24 through November 30, 2026 at the STC Pecan Campus Library.

The gallery will also be accepting recipes that will be printed and shown alongside artwork in the exhibition.

How to Participate in the Call for Recipes:

1. Complete the entry form.
2. Email your recipe as a PDF to bmonteja@southtexascollege.edu by August 12.

Your recipe must fit on a single 8.5 x 11 inch page and use a minimum of 12-point font. Creativity is encouraged–you may include photos or drawing, write your recipe as a poem, add humor, or use any other creative format you like. All recipes must be original. Please do not print, copy, or reproduce recipes from websites, cookbooks, or other published sources.

For more information, visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/lag or email gotvos@southtexascollege.edu.

Twenty Years in Retrospect: The STC Permanent Art Collection

Current & Upcoming Exhibits, Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus, Permanent Art Collection

South Texas College celebrates the 20th anniversary of the permanent art collection

South Texas College’s Library Art Gallery presents “Twenty Years in Retrospect: The STC Permanent Art Collection,” an exhibition showcasing both the earliest works and the newest additions to the collection. Since its beginning in 2006, each piece has been contributed by artists who have exhibited in the library’s galleries, reflecting two decades of artistic collaboration and community engagement.

An anniversary reception will be held on March 3 from 1–2 p.m. in the Pecan Campus Library, 1st Floor Gallery.

The collection includes works by Deborah Roberts, Carmen Lomas Garza, Luis Corpus, and Jerry Lyles, among many others.

The exhibition will be on view at the Pecan Campus Gallery from January 20 – May 15, displayed on the second floor and first floor south lobby.

The STC Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery, located in Building F at 3201 Pecan Blvd., McAllen, TX, offers free admission to both the exhibition and all related events.

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery Program organizes exhibitions and educational programming designed to deepen students’ understanding of art and its cultural significance, support the academic curriculum, and inspire lifelong learning through engagement with artists, scholars, and original works of art.

For more information, visit: https://library.southtexascollege.edu/lag.

Ancient Landscapes of South Texas: Hiding in Plain Sight

Current & Upcoming Exhibits, Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus

STC Library Art Gallery presents UTRGV CHAPS exhibition exploring 50 million years of geological and 15,000 years of cultural history

Lecture: March 3, 10 – 11 a.m. (STC Pecan Student Union, U-2.100)
Reception/Gallery Talk: March 3, 1 – 2 p.m. (STC Pecan Library) 

South Texas College Library Art Gallery presents “Ancient Landscapes of South Texas: Hiding in Plain Sight,” an exhibition developed by the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s Community Historical Archaeology Project (CHAPS). The exhibition opens Jan. 20 at the Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery and highlights the geological and cultural history of the Rio Grande Valley.

Exhibit coordinator Roseann Bacha-Garza and Dr. Juan Gonzalez will give a talk on March 3 from 10 to 11 a.m. in the STC Pecan Student Union, Building U, Room 2.100. 

The CHAPS exhibition traces a 40‑mile‑wide corridor from the mouth of the Rio Grande to Laredo—more than 200 miles of landscape shaped over 43 million years. The exhibition also documents 15,000 years of human presence in the region, illustrating how natural forces and human activity have shaped South Texas throughout time.

The display features material on ancient shorelines, volcanic ash deposits, mammoths, giant oysters, petrified forests, rare zircon crystals and thousand‑year‑old trees. It also examines how the Rio Grande has shaped life across the region and how modern activity continues to alter the U.S.–Mexico borderlands.

A reception and gallery talk will follow from 1 to 2 p.m. on March 3 at the Pecan Campus Library, Building F, as part of the Library Art Gallery’s 20th anniversary celebration. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore artifacts excavated throughout South Texas and learn about the natural landscapes unique to the Rio Grande Valley.

The exhibition’s documentary can be viewed at:
https://youtu.be/398URwHw8VU?si=6DVaUx9NSAabhE3g

More information is available at:
https://www.utrgv.edu/ancient-landscapes-southtexas/landscapes/index.htm

“Ancient Landscapes of South Texas: Hiding in Plain Sight” will be on view Jan. 20 through May 12, 2026, at the Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery, Building F, 3201 Pecan Blvd., McAllen, Texas. All events are free and open to the public.

The exhibition was developed by the UTRGV CHAPS team: Dr. Juan L. Gonzalez (Professor of Geology), Dr. Cristopher L. Miller (Professor of History), Dr. Russel K. Skowronek (Professor of Anthropology/History) and Roseann Bacha-Garza (Professor of Anthropology).

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery Program organizes exhibitions and educational events to deepen students’ understanding of art and its cultural significance, support the academic curriculum and inspire lifelong learning through direct engagement with artists, scholars and original works of art.

For more information, visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/lag.

Echoes From Within: Oneida Aceves Treviño

Current & Upcoming Exhibits, Library Art Gallery, Starr County Campus

Harlingen Artist and Entrepreneur Shares Her Story of Creativity and Community

Artist Talk & Reception: February 26, 12 – 1 p.m. at the Starr Co. Library Art Gallery.

South Texas College’s Library Art Gallery is showcasing the work of Harlingen-based artist, educator, and entrepreneur Oneida Aceves Treviño in her solo exhibition “Echoes from Within,” on view through Feb. 9 through July 31, 2026.

Treviño will share the story behind her work during an artist talk and reception on Feb. 26 from noon to 1 p.m. at the STC Starr County Library Art Gallery, Building K, 142 FM 3167 in Rio Grande City. The event is free and open to the public.

About the Artist
A graduate of the University of Texas–Pan American, Treviño began her career teaching art before expanding into community arts programming. In 2016, she partnered with the City of Harlingen to launch a community art class, a project that later grew into Creative Explorations RGV—her own studio offering art instruction for students of all ages.

Today, Treviño focuses on creating public and private murals across the Rio Grande Valley while continuing to incorporate hands‑on mural‑making into the classes she teaches.

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery develops exhibitions and educational programming designed to support academic learning and connect students and the community with artists and original works of art.

For more information, call 956-488-5820, email gotvos@southtexascollege.edu or visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/libraryart.

Broken Rejas: Jesus Treviño

Current & Upcoming Exhibits, Library Art Gallery, Mid-Valley Campus

 

Artist Talk & Reception: March 25, 10 – 11 a.m. (STC MVC Library, E 1.210)

South Texas College Library Art Gallery is proud to present “Broken Rejas,” an exhibition featuring traditional painting and material experimentation by Brownsville artist and UTRGV lecturer Jesus Treviño.

An artist talk and reception with Treviño will take place on March 25 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the STC Mid Valley Campus Library Art Gallery, 400 N Border (Building E, Room 1.210) in Weslaco, Texas. Attendees are invited to listen, learn, and gain insight into his artistic process, experiences, and sources of inspiration.

The exhibition opens Jan. 26 and will be on view through May 31, 2026. Admission is free and open to the public.

For library hours, visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/aboutus/hourscontact.

About the Artist
Jesus Treviño, a Brownsville native, earned a bachelor’s degree in studio art from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and a Master of Fine Arts in painting and drawing from the University of Texas at Austin. His work is informed by his experiences growing up along the U.S.–Mexico border and examines topics related to history, movement, and their broader cultural effects.

For more information visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu or email gotvos@southtexascollege.edu.

Cuartitos De Sueños: Rebecca Shelby and Larry Yañez

Library Art Gallery, Previous Exhibits, Technology Campus

New ceramic exhibition explores architecture through sculpture at STC
Clay Workshops: Feb. 4 & 5, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. (STC Pecan Art Bldg., B-115) 
Exhibit Reception: Feb. 4, 3 – 4 p.m. (STC Tech Library, A-179)

South Texas College Library Art Gallery is proud to present “Cuartitos De Sueños,” an exhibition featuring ceramic sculptures and design-based works that explore architecture, structure and space. The exhibit showcases artwork by Rebecca Shelby, professor of ceramics at Arizona Western College, and fellow ceramic artist Larry Yáñez. Together, they introduce STC’s Technology Campus to new approaches in constructing architectural models.

Shelby and Yáñez will lead a ceramics workshop with STC ceramics instructor Chris Leonard on Feb. 4–5 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the STC Ceramic Studio (Pecan B-115). The exhibition will open Feb. 4, followed by an opening reception from 3 to 4 p.m. at the STC Technology Campus Library (A-179). It will remain on view through May 31, 2026, at the STC Technology Campus Library, 3700 W. Military Hwy. in McAllen.

About the Artists

Rebecca Shelby is an Arizona-based ceramic artist with a background in dance and sculpture. She holds a BFA in dance and an MFA in sculpture from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is a professor of ceramics at Arizona Western College. Shelby studied under Japanese ceramicist Setsuya Kotani and has worked in bronze and concrete. She focuses on pushing the boundaries of ceramic techniques, noting that with enough “engineering thought,” even unconventional methods can succeed.

Larry M. Yáñez, of Yuma, Arizona, is a ceramic artist whose work reflects Anglo, Mexican and American Indian influences. He earned a BFA from Arizona State University and has exhibited nationally, with work included in the Smithsonian. His cultural background shapes the tension and humor found in his pieces. Yáñez is also a musician.

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery Program organizes exhibitions and programs that foster students’ understanding of art and culture, support academic learning and encourage continued education through direct engagement with artists, scholars and original works of art.

For more information, email gotvos@southtexascollege.edu or visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/lag.

Colors We Dream / Colores Que Soñamos

Previous Exhibits

STC Library Art Gallery to Host Two New Exhibitions Beginning Oct. 1Colors We Dream Banner

Reception: October 1, 2025, from 5 – 7 p.m. at the Pecan Campus Library, Bldg. F

Artist Talk: October 1, 2025, from 10 – 11 a.m. Pecan Student Union, Bldg. U, Room 2.100

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery invites the community to the opening reception of two new exhibitions on Oct. 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery, Bldg. F, 3201. Pecan Blvd. in McAllen.The exhibitions—”Familiar Horizons” and the thematic community showcase “Colors We Dream / Colores que Soñamos”—will feature work by artist Elena Rodriguez and contributions from STC students, alumni, faculty, staff and local community members.

“Colors We Dream / Colores que Soñamos” centers on the theme of “alebrijes,” fantastical creatures first imagined by Mexican artist Pedro Linares in the 1950s. These vibrant, dreamlike beings combine features of real and mythical animals and are meant to reflect the spirit and imagination of their creators.

The exhibition includes artwork and poetry inspired by this magical realist tradition and will feature a short awards ceremony during the Oct. 1 reception. Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place. The event is free and open to the public.

Rodriguez’s “Familiar Horizons” explores the beauty in everyday and often overlooked aspects of life.

“My art is an exploration of the beautiful mundane—asphalt, weeds and suburban banality,” Rodriguez said. “I create the sensation of déjà vu for a place one has or never has been.”
A native of Chalk Mountain, Texas, Rodriguez earned her Master of Fine Arts in Painting from the New York Academy of Art. She now teaches in the Department of Art and Drama at Del Mar College and was recently recognized in the “Corpus Christi 40 Under 40” list.

In addition to the evening reception, Rodriguez will give an artist talk earlier the same day, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Pecan Campus Student Union, Building U, Room 2.100. She will discuss her work, artistic process and creative influences.

For more information, visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/lag or email gotvos@southtexascollege.edu.

Ruth K Featured Image

Bright Room/Silver Moon: Ruth A. Keitz

Library Art Gallery, Mid-Valley Campus, Previous Exhibits

New Exhibit at STC Transforms Everyday Materials into Art.Bright Room/ Silver Moon Banner

Exhibition opens Oct. 2 at STC Mid-Valley Library Art Gallery | Reception and Artist Talk: Nov. 11, 10 – 11 a.m. 

The South Texas College Mid-Valley Campus Library Art Gallery presents “Bright Room / Silver Moon,” a mixed media exhibit by Ruth A. Keitz, Ph.D., from Oct. 2 through Dec. 1 2025.

An artist talk and reception will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 at the Mid-Valley Campus Library Art Gallery, located at 400 N. Border in Weslaco. Admission is free and open to the public.

Keitz’s work explores the transformation of everyday, often discarded materials into imaginative compositions through mixed media collage and construction.

“I enjoy the uncommon and unexpected beauty found in materials that are used for packaging–and usually thrown away after a single use. These materials may be in their pristine manufactured state or aged by the elements of nature or transformed by my hand,” says Keitz.

Ruth Keitz FlyerIn her latest series, Keitz uses materials like envelopes with cellophane windows and security tints to create implied spaces that focus on celestial imagery, particularly the moon. These architectural compositions evoke intimate, imagined environments through innovative layering of textures and mediums.

About the artist
Ruth A. Keitz is a mixed-media artist who reimagines found and discarded materials. She holds a Ph.D. and M.F.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and has taught art across the country, from the Rio Grande to Alaska.

The STC Library Art Gallery curates exhibitions and educational programming to enhance student learning, support academic curriculum and encourage engagement with original works of art and artists.

For more information, visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/lag.

Elena Rodz: Familiar Horizons

Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus, Previous Exhibits

Artist Talk: Oct. 1, 10 – 11 a.m. | Reception: Oct. 1, 5 – 7 p.m.

 

The South Texas College Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery is excited to showcase “Familiar Horizons,” an exhibition featuring oil paintings by artist Elena “Rodz” Rodriguez from Corpus Christi.

 

Elena Rodriguez grew up in Chalk Mountain, Texas, a small town with a population of 25. She earned her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Painting from the New York Academy of Art and completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) at Washington University in St. Louis, where she also minored in Film and Media Studies. After spending some time away, she returned to her home state and now works with the Department of Art and Drama at Del Mar College. Recently, she was honored with the “Corpus Christi 40 Under 40” award.

 

Rodriguez’s work examines the beauty found in the everyday and often overlooked aspects of life. As she puts it, “My art is an exploration of the beautiful mundane—asphalt, weeds, and suburban banality. I create the sensation of déjà vu for a place one has or never has been.”

 

Flyer of eventElena Rodz will give an artist talk about her exhibition, experiences, and inspirations on October 1 from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Pecan Student Union, Building U, Room 2.100. Later that evening, a reception for “Familiar Horizons” will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Pecan Campus Library, Building F. The reception will coincide with the community exhibition “Colors We Dream: A Call for ‘Alebrije’-themed Artwork.”

 

“Familiar Horizons” will be on display from August 25 through December 1 at the STC Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery, located in Building F at 3201 Pecan Blvd., McAllen, TX. The exhibition and the artist talk are free and open to the public.

 

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery Program organizes exhibitions and educational events to deepen students’ understanding of art and its cultural significance, support the academic curriculum, and inspire lifelong learning through direct engagement with artists, scholars, and original works of art.

 

For more information visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu or email gotvos@southtexascollege.edu.