South Texas Ceramic Showdown

Current & Upcoming Exhibits, Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus

South Texas College Hosts 16th Annual Ceramic Showdown and Exhibition “Reimagination”
June 11 & 12: Hands-on workshops, artist talks and exhibitions. All free and open to the public.

The South Texas College Art Department and Library Art Gallery will host the 16th annual ceramics exhibition and event, “South Texas Ceramic Showdown: Reimagination,” featuring two full days of hands-on workshops, artist talks and exhibitions, all free and open to the public.

This year’s conference theme “Reimagination” invites participants to view the familiar through a fresh lens–rethinking or reinventing ideas with the aim of improvement or innovation. The Ceramic Showdown begins June 11 with a day of clay demonstrations by Beaumont artists Greg Busceme and Pam ONeil at the Pecan Campus Ceramic Studio, Building B, Room 115. That same evening, an opening reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at both the Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery and Art Building B.

Workshops and artist talks continue on June 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a scheduled lunch break from noon to 2 p.m.

Chris Leonard, Ceramic Showdown organizer and STC ceramics instructor said Greg Busceme and Pam ONeil connect in and outside the medium of clay while telling great stories.

“Busceme and ONeil will have an exhibition of the work they’ve produced in the Library Art Gallery, with possibly some additions outside of ceramics and explanations of how they’ve made use of education in and outside of art while maintaining an experimental and positive attitude enabling them to grow community involvement and spirit,” said Leonard. Exhibition details:

  • The Library Art Gallery will display ceramic works by Busceme and ONeil from June 11 through Sept. 15.
  • The Art Building B Gallery will showcase collaborative ceramic works from 13 colleges and universities across the country. This show runs June 5 through August 8.

Participating institutions include Arizona Western College, Butte College, Central Arizona College, Central Connecticut State University, Clarion University, College of the Sequoias, Lawrence University, South Texas College, Southeast Missouri State University, Tarrant County College Northwest, Texas A&M University–Kingsville, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and University of Texas at San Antonio.

Wednesday, June 11, 2025—
9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Clay Demonstrations at STC’s Ceramic Studio, B115
2 – 4 p.m. Clay Demonstrations at STC’s Ceramic Studio, B115
5 – 7 p.m. Opening Receptions at the STC Library Art Gallery and STC Building B Gallery

Thursday, June 12, 2025–
9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Clay Demonstrations at Ceramic Studio, B115
2 – 4 p.m. Clay Demonstrations & Ceramic Art Talks, B115

About the artists:

Greg Busceme is a Beaumont-based artist whose work reflects the Texas coast, where marine life and shoreline fossils shape his artistic vision. He began his ceramics journey at Lamar University and earned a Master of Fine Arts in ceramics from Washington University in St. Louis, where he was the program’s first graduate. Busceme is co-founder and executive director of The Art Studio Inc., a nonprofit arts hub established in 1983.

Pam ONeil is a ceramic and mixed media artist with a Master of Fine Arts from Louisiana State University and an associate degree in Nursing from Pima Community College. With over 40 years of experience in health care and a passion for clay, she is a resident artist at The Art Studio, where she integrates diverse disciplines into her artistic practice.

For more information about the Ceramic Showdown, contact 956-872-3488, email  gotvos@southtexascollege.edu or visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/lag.

 

Popcorn for Finals!

Previous Announcements

Popcorn for FinalsStop by your campus library for some finals fuel! While supplies last.

Starr County Campus Library

  • Tuesday, May 6 & Wednesday, May 7 – 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Mid-Valley Campus Library

  • Tuesday, May 6 & Wednesday, May 7 – 11:00 AM

NAH Campus Library

  • Tuesday, May 6 – 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Pecan Campus Library

  • Tuesday, May 6 – 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Technology Campus Library

  • Tuesday, May 6 – 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

RCPSE Campus Library

  • Tuesday, May 13 – 11:00 AM

Jessica Monroe: A Cosmic Dance

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

Artist Exhibition traveling from Pecan campus to Mid-Valley Campus Library.  

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery and the Art Department Gallery are collaborating to present “A Cosmic Dance,” an exhibition by local artist Jessica Monroe. The exhibit will take place at the Mid-Valley Campus Library Art Gallery. 

The opening date is April 25, and the exhibition will be on display until September 15, 2025, at the STC Mid-Valley Campus Library, located at 400 N Border, Building E, in Weslaco, TX. Admission is free, and the exhibition is open to the public. For library hours, visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/aboutus/hourscontact. 

Jessica Monroe is known for her large-scale nature paintings that are full of energy and movement. She uses a meditative approach to create marks responding to wildlife to connect with nature.  “I rely on the authenticity of the natural world where the stories of interdependence and balance offer perspective and healing,” Monroe says. “Inspired by these wild spaces, I create paintings full of movement in a style of ecological realism.”  

Monroe’s love for nature began in childhood on her grandparents’ farm. “It was my favorite place, where the boundaries between the indoors and outdoors blurred. Without air conditioning, we slept with the windows open and woke to the racket of birds. When life as a young adult became overwhelming and stressful, I used my creative practice to reconnect with the natural spaces that stirred my heart as a kid,” she recalls.

Monroe’s meditation paintings respond to the energies around her, letting go of capturing a pretty image. “Through this process, I witnessed a different way of understanding our world, where energy flows, and nothing is separate,” she explains. “I work to remain true to what I have learned about this subject.”  

The STC Library Art Gallery organizes exhibitions and educational programs to enhance students’ understanding of art, support the academic curriculum, and inspire ongoing education through direct engagement with artists, scholars, and original artworks. 

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

National Library Week 2025

Mid-Valley Campus, NAH Campus, Pecan Campus, Previous Events, Starr County Campus, Technology Campus

National Library Week - Drawn to the Library

A stack of multicolored books.Millions of people across the country visit their libraries every week. What’s the draw? Everything. – American Library Association

Join us to celebrate at the following campuses:

  • Mid-Valley Campus Library
    April 9th, 10 AM to 12 PM

  • Pecan Campus Library
    April 9th, 11 AM to 1 PM

  • RCPSE Campus Library
    April 9th, 11 AM to 1 PM

  • Starr Campus Library
    April 9th, 11 AM to 1 PM

  • Technology Campus Library
    April 9th, 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM

  • Nursing & Allied Health Library
    April 10th, 11 AM to 1 PM

Will'n in Weslaco Academic Lecture

Will’n in Weslaco Public Lecture 2025

Mid-Valley Campus, Previous Events, Virtual Event

Decorative blog headerSTC Library is delighted to partner with Will’n in Weslaco to present this year’s public lecture. Will Morrisey, a scholar with a Ph.D. in political science from the New School for Social Research, has published extensively on Shakespeare’s political thought. His work explores how Shakespeare’s plays engage with themes of governance, justice, and human nature. Dr. Morrisey’s career includes teaching political philosophy at Hillsdale College, where he held the William and Patricia LaMothe Chair in the U.S. Constitution.

Join us either in person at Mid-Valley Campus Building G 288 or virtually on Zoom Webinar.

Event Title: “What’s So Funny About the Law? Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors”
Speaker: Dr. Will Morrisey
Date: Tuesday, April 8th 2025
Time: 6PM CST
Register here: Link

The Moon as Muse: A Love Letter in Art & Verse

Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus, Previous Exhibits

Moon as Muse banner
Reception: March 5, 5 – 7 p.m. at the STC Pecan Library

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery presents an exhibition titled “The Moon as Muse: A Love Letter in Art & Verse,” featuring artwork and poetry from STC Students, Alumni, Faculty, Staff and Community Members, all centered around the theme of the moon. The moon has long inspired artists across different fields. For painter Vincent van Gogh, it was a muse that illuminated his night scenes. Composer Claude Debussy captured its beauty in his piece Clair de Lune, translating moonlight into music. Meanwhile, Shakespeare used the moon as a recurring symbol in his works, representing themes of love, madness, and the passage of time.

The timeless allure of the moon has sparked creativity across generations, inspiring artists, musicians, and writers alike. Ancestors looked to the moon to mark the passing of days and seasons, connecting daily rhythms to its cycles. Its phases were woven into myths and legends, serving as a guiding light in the night sky and a symbol of constancy through change.

Still inspired by the same moon’s beauty and mystery, the STC Library invites the community to view unique perspectives in its upcoming art exhibition. The exhibition will be on view from March 5 – May 16, 2025. There will be an opening reception and awards on March 5, from 5 – 7 p.m. where first, second, and third place awards will be given out. Admission to the gallery is free and open to the public.

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery Program organizes exhibitions and programs to engage students’ understanding of art and its role in culture, support the academic curriculum, and inspire continued education through direct engagement with artists, scholars, and original works of art.

For more information, contact 956-872-3488, gotvos@southtexascollege.edu or visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/lag.

Hang Le-Tormala Guest Lecture

Author / Scholar Visit, Pecan Campus, Previous Events

Text overlay of Vietnam and U.S. flags: "South Texas College Library & History Department and Liberal Arts Division present Vietnam 50 Years Later.

Author Hang Le-Tormala

Author Hang Le-Tormala

ANNOUNCEMENT: This event has been moved to Zoom Webinar due to travel complications. Join us here: https://southtexascollege.zoom.us/j/97047866371

Join us on March 31st, 2025 at 4PM in Pecan Campus Auditorium D for a talk by Hang Le-Tormala, distinguished graduate of the University of Kansas American Studies Master’s program and accomplished historian.

Le-Tormala will explore the complex transnational efforts toward reconciliation and healing since 1975. A former Fulbright scholar and PhD graduate in History from the University of Kansas, she now shares her expertise as an adjunct instructor at Haskell Indian Nations University.

Talk Title: “Post-Vietnam: An Arduous Quest for Peace”
Speaker: Hang Le-Tormala
Date: Monday, March 31st 2025
Location: Pecan Campus Auditorium D
Time: 4PM CST

CreateSpace Event Featured Image

CreateSpace

Pecan Campus, Previous Exhibits

The STC Library offers a monthly crafting session to inspire creativity across all majors. 
CreateSpace banner
Create Space Workshops: Last Tuesday of each month, 12 – 2 p.m.
Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/Y6EqaTzeF1

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery presents CreateSpace, a monthly art workshop designed to inspire creativity, encourage collaboration, and foster meaningful face-to-face interactions while disconnecting from technology.

The workshops are scheduled for the last Tuesday of each month from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Pecan Library, Room F102, on the following dates: February 25, March 25, and April 29. The first workshop will be hosted by Art History instructor Melissa Terry, who will focus on creating textile-based art. Each workshop will begin with an introductory session, followed by an opportunity to connect with others or work independently.

CreateSpace posterAll experience levels are welcome. Art supplies for the featured craft will be provided. Attendees are also encouraged to bring their supplies if they have specific preferences. Light snacks will be available, and attendees may bring their lunch.

Please note that space is limited to 24 attendees. We encourage you to reserve your spot by filling out the online form: https://forms.office.com/r/Y6EqaTzeF1. We kindly request that all confirmed guests who register online arrive by noon. After this time, any unclaimed spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The workshops are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact the library at (956) 872-3488, gotvos@southtexascollege.edu, or visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/libraryart.

Celebrate Black History Month

Celebrate Black History Month

Pecan Campus, Previous Events

Celebrate Black History MonthSTC Library, the History Department, and the Music Department invite you to join us for a series of events that highlight the contributions of African Americans to film and music. These engaging lectures and performances will take place throughout February, featuring esteemed faculty and talented musicians.

Tuesday, February 4th | 5:30 PM | D Building Auditorium
African Americans on Film – Featuring Dr. Robert Miller
Join us as Dr. Robert Miller explores the portrayal of African Americans in cinema, from early representations to modern storytelling. Discover how film has shaped and reflected cultural narratives over the years.

Tuesday, February 11th | 5:30 PM | D Building Auditorium
From Africa to Protest: Black Music in America – Featuring Dr. Christopher Davis
Dr. Christopher Davis takes us on a journey through the evolution of Black music in America. From African roots to spirituals, jazz, blues, hip-hop, and protest music, learn how these genres have shaped cultural identity and activism.

Thursday, February 27th | 6:00 PM | Cooper Center
An Evening of African American Musical Traditions – Presented by the STC Music Department
Experience an unforgettable night of live performances celebrating African American musical traditions. This showcase, presented by the STC Music Department, will feature a diverse array of styles and influences that have shaped the musical landscape.

These events are open to all—students, faculty, and community members alike. Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate and learn about the profound impact of African Americans on film and music.