Category Archives: Previous Exhibits

Veteran Quilt Exhibit

October 30, 2017Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus, Previous Exhibitsgotvos

South Texas College Library exhibits military quilts for the second year.

South Texas College’s Library Art Gallery and the college’s Communication Dept. proudly present a special Veteran’s Day exhibit by the Rio Grande Valley Quilt Guild. The exhibit opens Wednesday, November 1 and runs through Thursday, November 31, 2017. STC Veteran’s Affairs will be having a Veteran’s Fair at the same location from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with Texas Veterans Commission, Employers seeking Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Family Endeavors, VIDA, UTRGV Transition, and more. The exhibit and event are located at 3201 W. Pecan Blvd in McAllen. Admission is free and open to the public.

The Rio Grande Valley Quilt Guild’s Military Service Quilts Program creates quilts with military designs and then gives the quilts during a ceremony to recognize veteran service. The Quilt Guild intends to increase awareness and recognize veteran service in our community. The RGV Quilt Guild offers programs and workshops as well as opportunities to exhibit.

For more information, contact Gina Otvos at (956) 871-3488 or gotvos@southtexascollege.edu.

Place: An Interactive Exhibit about Surroundings

October 18, 2017Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus, Previous Exhibitsgotvos

South Texas College’s Library Art Gallery proudly presents “PLACE,” a mixed-media, interactive exhibit. The exhibit opens Thursday, October 26 and runs through Friday, December 8, 2017. There will be an artist lecture and opening reception on October 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery. The exhibit is located at 3201 W. Pecan Blvd in McAllen. Admission is free and open to the public.

Three artists explore the psychological, political, and environmental aspects of surroundings. Chavez (BA St. Edwards, Photocommunication) works with dyslexia to create a visual language of her surroundings. Freeman (MFA UTSA, Printmaking) looks at the shadows cast by the US Border Wall and examines how a political barrier in the landscape becomes part of resident’s consciousness. Nicol (MFA UTSA, Drawing) uses minimally altered natural materials to create ecological sculptures that embrace the integrity of the environment and reflect the abstract inner spaces of consciousness.

The exhibit will also be a “makerspace” for students and community to create their own ideas and join the exhibit.

For more information, contact Gina Otvos at (956) 871-3488 or gotvos@southtexascollege.edu.

Yo Solita Me Enseñé

September 26, 2017Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus, Previous ExhibitsHispanic Heritage Monthgotvos

South Texas College presents the work of Jenelle Esparza ‘Self-Taught’

McAllen, TX (September 27, 2017) – South Texas College’s Library Art Gallery proudly presents “Yo Solita Me Enseñé,” a multi-media exhibit with photography, handmade paper, bronze sculpture, fabric, and found objects by Jenelle Esparza.

The exhibit opened Monday, September 11 and runs through October 11, 2017. There will be a closing artist lecture on October 11 at 1 p.m. and a reception to follow from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery. The exhibit is located at 3201 W. Pecan Blvd. in McAllen. Admission is free and open to the public.

Esparza is a San Antonio-based artist who works primarily as a photographer. She was awarded the 2015 NALAC (National Association of Latino Arts and Culture) Artist Grant for her project El Color de la Obra about the interconnected histories of South Texas cotton fields. Esparza will be the Texas Artpace International artist in-residence for 2018. She is currently an Education Coordinator at the McNay Art Museum.

“We are excited and honored to work with Jenelle Esparza. Her dedication, thoughtfulness and ability to bring together under told stories of South Texas is exceptional,” said Gina Otvos, STC Art Gallery Associate. “The skill with which she moves between mediums will be exciting to experience.”

Esparza’s work combines her own history as well as the collective history of South Texas with artwork such as hand-cast bronze cotton burrs and a photo of a vast cotton field titled, “Si La Tierra Podría Hablar.”

“The exhibit title, Yo Solita Me Enseñé, comes from women, Tejanas, from the early twentieth century in South Texas as they describe how everything in their environment was made themselves or was self-taught including deshilado, bailes, caseros, food, music and artwork,” Esparza said. “I like that meaning because everything in this show was not only made by me, but it represents a community and a history of people who made things in their own way.”

STC’s Library Art Gallery Program exhibits regional, national and international artwork, explores new visions and theories of creativity, and introduces innovative artistic expressions to the South Texas region.

For more information contact Gina Otvos at 956-872-3488, gotvos@southtexascollege.edu or visit http://library.southtexascollege.edu/libraryart.

Photo: Si la Tierra Pudiera Hablar, Archival pigment print, 2016.

Mapping Mexican History: Territories in Dispute, Identities in Question

August 29, 2017Library Art Gallery, Mid-Valley Campus, Pecan Campus, Previous ExhibitsHispanic Heritage Monthgotvos

STC exhibits maps from the University of Texas Austin rare documents collection

South Texas College’s Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery presents “Mapping Mexican History: Territories in Dispute, Identities in Question,” a traveling exhibit featuring reproductions from UT’s Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Rare Books and Manuscripts Collection.

There will be a free digital map workshop on September 19 at 10 a.m. at the Pecan Campus Library, room F220 and at 1 p.m. at the Mid-Valley Campus CLE, room A105. Parking will be available on campus and no citations will be issued for guests. Lunch will be served. Space is limited to 30 people. Registration closes Wednesday, September 13.

“The maps presented in this exhibition span from 1580 to 1847, and reflect the intertwined relationships between indigenous and European, secular and religious, as well as national and foreign identities in Mexico’s evolution from colonial territory to modern state,” said Julianne Gilland, director of the Benson’s Latin American Collection. “Taken together, the maps featured in the exhibition tell a story of Mexican territory as it was defined, redefined, and contested through three centuries.”

The exhibit will be on view from Monday, August 28 through Friday, October 27, 2017 at the Pecan Library. Admission is free and open to the public.

StoryMapJS, a web-based authoring platform will be introduced for the presentation of map and visual material analyses. Using historical Mexican maps held at the University of Texas at Austin’s Benson Latin American Collection, attendees will learn how to create a set of zoom-able images, host them on Github, and bring them into StoryMapJS to create a dynamic visual-based story. No prior knowledge is necessary, and students or faculty from any discipline are encouraged to attend.

STC-McAllen workshop: https://storytelling_mexican_maps.eventbrite.com

STC-Weslaco workshop: https://mapping_mexican_history.eventbrite.com

Workshops will be led by Itza Carbajal (Master of Science in Information Studies Candidate) and Albert A. Palacios (LLILAS Benson Digital Scholarship Coordinator) from The University of Texas at Austin.

For more information, contact Gina Otvos at (956) 872-3488 or gotvos@southtexascollege.edu or visit http://library.southtexascollege.edu/lag.

STC Art Collection in Retrospect: Visual Memories as Preservation

August 29, 2017Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus, Previous ExhibitsPermanent Art Collectiongotvos

South Texas College remembers its history with a retrospective art exhibit

South Texas College’s Pecan Campus Library presents “STC Art Collection in Retrospect: Visual Memories as Preservation” an exhibit featuring seventy-one works of art displayed in chronological order by the date the pieces were acquired, 2006-2017. The exhibit opens Monday, August 28, and will run through December 1, 2017. On October 11, from 5 to 7 p.m., there will be a reception to celebrate the history and numerous art donations to the college at the Pecan Campus Library located at 3201 W. Pecan Blvd. in McAllen. Admission is free and open to the public.

The South Texas College Library Collection began in 2006 and consists of works of art donated by visiting artists. The collection consists of many artistic mediums including painting, photography, ceramics, and sculpture.

This exhibit, like the collection, starts with the first piece ever donated “Temporal Form no. 10” by Ansen Seale and ends with the most recent donation “Peaceful Easy Feeling” by Carl Vestweber. These pieces each represent an exhibit that took place at the STC Library Art Gallery. In collecting them, the Library Art Gallery has accepted the responsibility and honor to preserve the art for future students and community to experience and find inspiration from. This exhibit allows us to see where we started and how the past eleven years have led us to where we are today.

STC’s Library Art Gallery exhibits regional, national and international artwork, explores new visions and theories of creativity, and introduces innovative artistic expressions to the South Texas region.

For more information, contact Gina Otvos at (956) 872-3488 or via email at gotvos@southtexascollege.edu, or visit http://library.southtexascollege.edu/lag

Inspired by the Deep Blue

August 29, 2017Library Art Gallery, Previous Exhibits, Technology CampusHispanic Heritage Monthgotvos

South Texas College exhibits work by UTRGV Master of Fine Arts Candidate

South Texas College’s Technology Campus Library presents an exhibit, “Inspired by the Deep Blue,” with Natalia Soto. The exhibit opens Tuesday, September 6 and will be on view through Friday, December 8, 2017. An artist lecture will be held at 6 p.m. at STC’s Technology Campus Library on November 14. The library is located at 3700 W. Military Hwy. in McAllen. Admission is free and open to the public.

Natalia Soto Sanchez is an active artist with the Women of Action Collective and is in her last semester of the MFA program at UTRGV. In this exhibit of drawings, lithographs, and collage, Soto pays close attention to line detail in a series of fantastical underwater images.

For more information contact Gina Otvos at (956) 872-3488, gotvos@southtexascollege.edu or visit http://library.southtexascollege.edu/libraryartgallery.

A South Texas Ceramic Showdown

May 29, 2017Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus, Previous ExhibitsSouth Texas Ceramic Showdowngotvos

South Texas College gears up for its annual Ceramics Conference with two artists from Alpine, TX

South Texas College begins its 11th annual ceramics exhibition and workshop, “More than Coincidence: Continuations in Clay” to the Rio Grande Valley with an opening reception on June 22 at the Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery.

The exhibit will be on view from June 22 to August 11, 2017, at the Library Art Gallery and at the Art Building B Gallery, located at 3201 West Pecan Blvd. in McAllen. The event includes a full display of ceramic work by distinguished Texas ceramicists Gregory Tegarden and Amanda Calhoun as well as ceramic work from 12 universities and community colleges across the U.S.

“It should be really interesting on several levels once again,” said Chris Leonard, STC ceramics instructor and exhibit/conference organizer. “This year we are blessed to have a pair of artists making their way in and outside of clay with interesting backgrounds and shared histories. This should be an educational and entertainingly relevant event in terms of process, product, content, and use.”

South Texas College exhibits regional, national and international artwork, explores new visions and theories of creativity, and introduces innovative artistic expressions to the South Texas region.

The three-day South Texas Ceramic Showdown will begin with an opening reception on June 22 at the Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery and the Art Building B Gallery from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The conference will continue with Ceramic Demonstrations on June 23 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and then from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

One more demonstration will take place on Saturday, June 24 at 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at STC’s Pecan Campus Art Building (Bldg. B) Ceramics Lab. Art talks will be held on that day from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the same location. All activities are free and open to the public.

Participating institutions in the collaborative ceramic constructions include: Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Mesa Community College, NW Vista from the Alamo District Colleges, Ouachita Baptist University, Southeast Missouri State University, Texas A&M University – Kingsville, The University of North Texas, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, The University of Texas San Antonio, Washington University, and Wichita State University.

About the artists:

Gregory J. Tegarden is an Assistant Professor of Art at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. He received a Master of Fine Arts with a focus in Ceramics from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi and a Bachelor’s of Science in Botany from Sul Ross State University. He is trained in the traditional Thai method of coil building or turning large ceramic vessels. His studio work consists functional ceramics that are influenced by the desert southwest and the austere environment found inside a kiln.

Amanda Calhoun embraces kitsch and her work is greatly influenced by classic films and television shows. Having worked for a handmade ceramic tile studio for fourteen years, she developed a love and a skill set for making tile. In this exhibition, she honors the women in her life with freeform tile portraits adorned with a headdresses of personal imagery.

For more information contact Gina Otvos at (956) 872-3488, or via email at gotvos@southtexascollege.edu or visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/lag.

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Food Trucks at Night

May 16, 2017Library Art Gallery, Previous Exhibitsgotvos

Drawings by Joe Peña
June 13- August 11, 2017
On display at the Pecan Library Art Gallery (First Floor)

Joe Peña, painting professor at Texas A&M – Corpus Christi, will exhibit his recent series, “Food Trucks at Night.” Reminiscent of Edward Hopper’s diner that emanates light into the dark streets, Peña paints South Texas eateries like taco trucks in the late night urban landscape.

Roma High School Art Exhibit

May 16, 2017Library Art Gallery, Previous Exhibits, Starr County CampusRoma High School Art Exhibitgotvos

South Texas College exhibits artwork by Roma High School students
South Texas College’s Starr County Campus Library Art Gallery partners with Roma High School to present its annual Roma High School Art Exhibition from June 5 to August 10, 2017. The display features works of art by students of Roma High School.

The exhibit will be on display at STC’s Starr County Campus Library (Bldg. F), located at 142 FM 3167 in Rio Grande City. Admission is free and open to the public.

“Every year submissions are always different from the last, reinforcing Roma’s reputation as an incubator for highly inventive art students,” said Gina Otvos, South Texas College Library Art Gallery Associate. “We’re excited to see this collaboration with Roma High School continue into its ninth year.”

The exhibit features mixed media artwork by Roma High School students of all grade levels.

For more information, contact Terri Rosalez at mtrosalez@southtexascollege.edu or
(956) 488-5822. For a complete listing of events visit: http://library.southtexascollege.edu/lag.

Emerging Artists: New Additions to the Collection

May 15, 2017Library Art Gallery, Permanent Art Collection, Previous Exhibits, Technology CampusPermanent Art Collectiongotvos

South Texas College spotlights emerging artists
STC’s Library Art Gallery celebrates new additions to the college’s Permanent Art Collection with an exhibit that features new artists in Texas (and one from California). The exhibit will be on view at the Technology Campus June 5 through August 11, 2017. The STC Technology Campus Library Art Gallery is located at 3700 W. Military Hwy. in McAllen. Admission is free and open to the public.

The exhibit features works by artists who have exhibited and donated within the last two years at one of the college’s four library art galleries throughout the Rio Grande Valley in Hidalgo and Starr counties. Artists include Coco Rico, Xavier Perez, Manny Chapa, Xochi Solis, Jessie Rodriguez, Conrado Gonzalez, and Jesse Burciaga.

“It’s always interesting to be able to bring together our donated works of art into one exhibit,” said Max Garcia, South Texas College Librarian. “It creates a type of visual timeline of what we have exhibited. I’m excited to see the connections we see with these new artists.”

For more information, contact Gina Otvos at gotvos@southtexascollege.edu or (956) 872-3488. For a complete listing of events, visit: http://library.southtexascollege.edu/LAG.