DISCIPULUS 2026: Student Art Show
April 23 – May 15, 2026
Opening Reception: April 23, 2026, 4 pm – 6 pm with awards presentation at 5 pm. Free and open to the public.
This juried exhibition provides Fine Art students with the opportunity to display their work in a professional gallery. The community is invited to see some of the best artwork created in our Studio Art classes.
Discipulus 2026 is open to submissions from all current students of the GWC Art Department, including those studying ceramics, design, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Artwork selections and awards are decided by a committee of GWC Art Department faculty and Guest Curator Jeff Rau.
About Jeff Rau:
Jeff Rau is a curator, educator, and artist, with over 10 years of experience presenting original interdisciplinary exhibitions and educational programming – as an independent curator with Sixpack Projects and as the former University Curator at Biola University. Rau is passionate about the capacity for art to connect people, build empathy, and serve as a catalyst for meaningful dialogue about contemporary cultural and social issues; he has a well-established reputation for presenting exhibitions and programming that is accessible and engaging for a diverse visiting audience, while remaining challenging and critically stimulating. The strength of his programming has frequently attracted collaboration and participation from high-caliber artists, notable collectors, and other institutions, including ambitious exhibition projects featuring work by such esteemed artists as Lauren Halsey, Tim Hawkinson, Nery Gabriel Lemus, Patrick Martinez, Carrie Mae Weems, Kehinde Wiley, and others.
Persistence
March 11 - March 27, 2026
Opening Reception: Thursday March 12, 2026 4-6pm. Free and open to the public.
Persistence is an exhibition in celebration of Women’s History Month that features artwork from contemporary women artists whose work each builds-on or has been inspired by other women who have come before them. This generational pattern of continued affirmation, support, and advocacy has been an important hallmark in the continuing work of women artists bringing light to historically overlooked or under-appreciated women and the messages they continue to carry forward with persistence. Guest curated by Jeff Rau.
About Jeff Rau:
Jeff Rau is a curator, educator, and artist, with over 10 years of experience presenting original interdisciplinary exhibitions and educational programming – as an independent curator with Sixpack Projects and as the former University Curator at Biola University. Rau is passionate about the capacity for art to connect people, build empathy, and serve as a catalyst for meaningful dialogue about contemporary cultural and social issues; he has a well-established reputation for presenting exhibitions and programming that is accessible and engaging for a diverse visiting audience, while remaining challenging and critically stimulating. The strength of his programming has frequently attracted collaboration and participation from high-caliber artists, notable collectors, and other institutions, including ambitious exhibition projects featuring work by such esteemed artists as Lauren Halsey, Tim Hawkinson, Nery Gabriel Lemus, Patrick Martinez, Carrie Mae Weems, Kehinde Wiley, and others.
Mother of Exiles: From Her Beacon Hand
February 4 - February 20, 2026
Opening Reception: Thursday February 5, 2026 4-6pm. Free and open to the public.
Mother of Exiles: From Her Beacon Hand explores a broad and inclusive image of the contemporary “American” identity – a picture inspired by “The New Colossus”, the famous poem by Emma Lazarus linked to the Statue of Liberty. This vision of America would include all those who are “yearning to breathe free” and would serve as a world-wide beacon of hope to all those seeking freedom and refuge from oppression. The artists in this exhibition each hold a torch to illuminate the diverse communities for whom this American promise of freedom resonates. Guest curated by Jeff Rau.
About Jeff Rau:
Jeff Rau is a curator, educator, and artist, with over 10 years of experience presenting original interdisciplinary exhibitions and educational programming – as an independent curator with Sixpack Projects and as the former University Curator at Biola University. Rau is passionate about the capacity for art to connect people, build empathy, and serve as a catalyst for meaningful dialogue about contemporary cultural and social issues; he has a well-established reputation for presenting exhibitions and programming that is accessible and engaging for a diverse visiting audience, while remaining challenging and critically stimulating. The strength of his programming has frequently attracted collaboration and participation from high-caliber artists, notable collectors, and other institutions, including ambitious exhibition projects featuring work by such esteemed artists as Lauren Halsey, Tim Hawkinson, Nery Gabriel Lemus, Patrick Martinez, Carrie Mae Weems, Kehinde Wiley, and others.
Annual Holiday Art Sale
December 2 - December 3, 2025
8:30 am – 4:30 pm. Free and open to the public.
Each year, our Fine Art students sell hand-crafted artwork in time for holiday gift-giving. This is a wonderful opportunity to see and purchase original ceramics, drawings, paintings, sculptures, photographs, and prints! A portion of the proceeds goes to the Guest Artist Lecture Fund.
Self/not Selfie
October 22 - November 14, 2025
Opening Reception: Thursday, October 23, 4 pm - 6 pm
The difference between a self-portrait and a selfie is artistic intent. A self-portrait is a more formal, artistic representation, conveying deeper meaning or emotion, and can be any medium, including drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, and video.
About Tony Pinto:
Tony Pinto is a guest curator at Golden West College; he is also an artist, designer, and educator. He holds a BA in Fine Art (painting) from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and an MFA in painting and photography from California State University, Los Angeles. He has dedicated his design practice to the art community by attending openings, doing studio visits, and working with museums, galleries, and artists to create professional presentations through high quality photos of artwork and portraits, and designing books and other publications. His book "Lost Youth: Photographs from the 1980s” was recently published and he has exhibited his paintings and photographs throughout Southern California. He can be found on Instagram @tonypintophoto.
Obsesiones/Obsessions
September 10 - October 3, 2025
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 11, 4 pm - 6 pm
Obsession: the domination of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc.
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage month, we welcome six amazing artists to Golden West College Art Gallery for “Obsesiones/Obsessions". Includes work by Abel Alejandre, Ana Rodriguez, José Manuel Flores Nava, Leigh Salgado, Louis Jacinto, and Michelle Andrade. Curated by Tony Pinto.
About Tony Pinto:
Tony Pinto is a guest curator at Golden West College; he is also an artist, designer, and educator. He holds a BA in Fine Art (painting) from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and an MFA in painting and photography from California State University, Los Angeles. He has dedicated his design practice to the art community by attending openings, doing studio visits, and working with museums, galleries, and artists to create professional presentations through high quality photos of artwork and portraits, and designing books and other publications. His book "Lost Youth: Photographs from the 1980s” was recently published and he has exhibited his paintings and photographs throughout Southern California. He can be found on Instagram @tonypintophoto.
DISCIPULUS 2025: Student Art Show
April 22 – May 20, 2025
Opening Reception: April 22, 2025, 4 pm – 6 pm. Awards presentation at 5 pm. Free and open to the public.
This juried exhibition provided Fine Art students with the opportunity to display their work in a professional gallery. The community was invited to see some of the best artwork created in our studio art classes.
Discipulus 2025 was open to submissions from all current students of the GWC Art Department, including those studying ceramics, design, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Artwork selections and awards were decided by a committee of GWC Art Department faculty and Guest Curator Jeff Rau.
About Jeff Rau
Jeff Rau is a curator, educator, and artist, with over 10 years of experience presenting original interdisciplinary exhibitions and educational programming – as an independent curator with Sixpack Projects and as the former University Curator at Biola University. Rau is passionate about the capacity for art to connect people, build empathy, and serve as a catalyst for meaningful dialogue about contemporary cultural and social issues; he has a well-established reputation for presenting exhibitions and programming that is accessible and engaging for a diverse visiting audience, while remaining challenging and critically stimulating. The strength of his programming has frequently attracted collaboration and participation from high-caliber artists, notable collectors, and other institutions, including ambitious exhibition projects featuring work by such esteemed artists as Lauren Halsey, Tim Hawkinson, Nery Gabriel Lemus, Patrick Martinez, Carrie Mae Weems, Kehinde Wiley, and others.
The Will To Love
February 18 – March 20, 2025
Opening Reception: February 18, 2025, 4 pm – 6 pm. Free and open to the public.
The Will to Love, a group exhibition curated by Jasmine McNeal, focuses on the multifaceted societal relationship to love, exemplified through contemporary art. Inspired by bell hooks, All About Love, the exhibition examines the expression of love through community and spirituality, and how visual art can define the embodiment of love beyond its linguistic limitations. This exhibition was in partnership with GWC's Umoja Community.
About Jasmine McNeal
Jasmine McNeal is an independent curator who has been based in Los Angeles since 2016. Her curatorial practice focuses on the many aspects of Black identity and Black spirituality. She earned her BA in World Arts and Cultures from UCLA and her MA in Cultural Studies from KU Leuven in Belgium. She has curated exhibitions locally and abroad, including Ghana and Belgium. She has conducted talks on the representation of Blackness in contemporary art at institutions such as Pepperdine, Biola, and LMU. She is currently a professor of Museum Studies and Visual Culture at Fullerton College.
*Artwork info: Christen Austen, Embrace, 2022, acrylic, acrylic gel medium, and gold leaf on canvas
Annual Holiday Art Sale
December 3 – December 4, 2024
Annual Holiday Art Sale Hours: December 3 – December 4, 2024, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. Free and open to the public.
Each year, our Fine Art students sell hand-crafted artwork in time for holiday gift-giving. This is a wonderful opportunity to see and purchase original ceramics, drawings, paintings, sculptures, photographs, and prints! A portion of the proceeds goes to the Guest Artist Lecture Fund.
Rough Draft
October 18 – November 8, 2024
Opening Reception: October 18, 2024, 4 pm – 6 pm. Free and open to the public.
Rough Draft is an exhibition that showcases a unique collection of rough drafts, mock-ups, planning sketches, working drawings and more from a diverse group of professional artists. This exhibition highlights the intricate process that precedes the final artworks, allowing visitors to gain insight into the artist's mind and the processes behind the creation of their work. Artists exhibited include McLean Fahnestock, Tyler Ferreira, Kiel Johnson, Ahrong Kim, Kuger Peterson, Eric Tillinghast, Matthew Winkler, and Gene Wyrick. Rough Draft is guest curated by Matthew Ohm.
About Matthew Ohm
Matthew Ohm was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs. He is highly experienced in the realm of art installation and exhibition management. He has an MFA from California State University, Long Beach and a BFA from Columbia College Chicago. Matthew's journey into the world of exhibitions began during his undergraduate years and continued through graduate school, ultimately evolving into a full career. He is currently the Head Preparator and Production Manager at the Autry Museum of the American West where he has been since 2016. His professional experience also includes notable stints at the LA Louver Gallery, the Hammer Museum, and the Municipal Art Gallery of the City of Los Angeles, among other institutions around the Los Angeles area. Since 2017, he has been a member of the advisory board of the Diversity Apprentice Program at the Broad Museum. This program is dedicated to creating career pathways for individuals from underrepresented communities within the field of art handling and preparations.
*Artwork info: Gene Wyrick, Knob Drawing, Digital Rendering, 2024
Somos: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month
September 16 - October 15, 2024
Opening Reception: September 16, 2024, 1:30 pm – 6 pm. Free and open to the public.
Somos: Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month is an art exhibition guest curated by Matthew Ohm, that explores artists connection and celebration of their individual Hispanic heritage. Somos features the work of a distinguished group of artists— Diego “Yeyo” Aguirre, Dr. Eileen Jimenez and Stephanie Mercado —who each explore their unique personal connections to their own cultural heritage as well as shining a spotlight on their personal and shared histories and achievements.
About Matthew Ohm
Matthew Ohm was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs. He is highly experienced in the realm of art installation and exhibition management. He has an MFA from California State University, Long Beach and a BFA from Columbia College Chicago. Matthew's journey into the world of exhibitions began during his undergraduate years and continued through graduate school, ultimately evolving into a full career. He is currently the Head Preparator and Production Manager at the Autry Museum of the American West where he has been since 2016. His professional experience also includes notable stints at the LA Louver Gallery, the Hammer Museum, and the Municipal Art Gallery of the City of Los Angeles, among other institutions around the Los Angeles area. Since 2017, he has been a member of the advisory board of the Diversity Apprentice Program at the Broad Museum. This program is dedicated to creating career pathways for individuals from underrepresented communities within the field of art handling and preparations.
*Artwork info: Diego “Yeyo” Aguirre, Ciclo de Transformacion, 20” X 28”, Mixed Media
Persistent Iteration
August 30 – September 26, 2024
Opening reception: August 30, 2024, 4 pm – 6 pm. Free and open to the public. Complimentary parking in non-Staff spaces the night of the opening
Persistent Iteration is an art exhibition that explores the transformative power of repetitive action in art. Persistent Iteration features the work of a distinguished group of artists— Nathan Huff, Gretchen Jankowski, Michael Rey, Ana Rodriguez, Larry Rubin, and Gene Wyrick —who each explore the theme of repetition through various artistic mediums. This compelling exhibition examines how repeated actions, whether through brushstrokes, forms, or other techniques, can elevate the mundane into the extraordinary and infuse new meaning into the seemingly trivial. Guest curated by Matthew Ohm.
About Matthew Ohm
Matthew Ohm was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs. He is highly experienced in the realm of art installation and exhibition management. He has an MFA from California State University, Long Beach and a BFA from Columbia College Chicago. Matthew's journey into the world of exhibitions began during his undergraduate years and continued through graduate school, ultimately evolving into a full career. He is currently the Head Preparator and Production Manager at the Autry Museum of the American West where he has been since 2016. His professional experience also includes notable stints at the LA Louver Gallery, the Hammer Museum, and the Municipal Art Gallery of the City of Los Angeles, among other institutions around the Los Angeles area. Since 2017, he has been a member of the advisory board of the Diversity Apprentice Program at the Broad Museum. This program is dedicated to creating career pathways for individuals from underrepresented communities within the field of art handling and preparations.
*Artwork info: Gretchen Jankowski, Point of Convergence, both 36” X 48”, Mixed Media, 2023
Quiet Ecstasy: Imaginations and Illustrations
May 16 – June 2, 2024
Opening reception: Thursday, May 16, 2024, 4 - 6 pm. Free and open to the public.
Special Art Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10am-2pm and Saturday-Sunday by appointment. Please contact Guest Curator Thuy N. D. Tran at ttran1828@cccd.edu to set up an appointment when visiting on the weekend.
The Art Gallery at Golden West College is pleased to present Quiet Ecstasy: Imaginations and Illustrations guest curated by Thuy N. D. Tran and held in connection with Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The opening reception will take place Thursday, May 16, 2024, from 4 - 6 pm.
Enjoy refreshments, musical beats by DJ Januray, a hands-on art station by Thao Mariangela Le Thanh, an interactive installation by Po Yan Leung, a chill-out lounge by Steve Nguyen, and much more.
“Quiet ecstasy” is a phrase originating in literature to describe the private reveling and enjoyment of a creative work such as a poem, a song, or an artwork. There is a beautiful tension between the states of being “quiet” outside and feeling “ecstasy” on the inside.
In art history pedagogy, there is a practice known as “close-looking” in which students, in addition to learning about an artwork’s contextual importance in history, are given the chance to observe and connect with it deeply. This counters traditional survey courses in which too many artworks are presented without allowing viewers time to fully appreciate, explore, and enjoy each work. Similarly, in this digital age, creative content—particularly by illustrators, graphic designers, and animators—is scrolled past within seconds. This rapid consumption belies the tremendous time and labor invested in the creative process.
This exhibition invites you to slow down, step off social media platforms and go screen-free! Come closer and lose yourself in the physical gallery for a moment. Discover the “quiet ecstasy” found within the imaginations of twelve influential, multidisciplinary California artists. Exhibiting artists include Christina Nghiem, Cindy Hoang, Evelyn Tan, Indi Ho, Kris Kehasukjaren, Po Yan Leung, Rainbow Wang, Roshni, Steve Nguyen, Thao Mariangela Le Thanh, Thinh Nguyen, and Tiffany Wei.
Curatorial Assistant: Susan Phan
In partnership with the ASPIRE Program at Golden West College
About the Curator:
Thuy N.D. Tran is an independent curator and art historian, specializing in modern and contemporary art of Asia and its diaspora. Her extensive work as a college professor, curator, community activist, and contributing scholar has been dedicated to shifting marginalized narratives to the forefront of art history. Honored with multiple fellowships, Tran’s work centers on empowering the AANHPI community through art exhibitions and programming. Her most recent exhibitions are the Coin of Light (2023) at Golden West College and Yellow Submarine Rising: Currents within Asian American Art (2022) at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art. She has also worked in various positions for the UCSB Art, Design & Architecture Museum, the Phoenix Art Museum, the Hammer Museum, and the USC Pacific Asia Museum. She holds degrees in Art History with minors in Cultural Anthropology and Museum Studies.
DISCIPULUS 2024: Student Art Show
April 18 - May 10, 2024
Opening Reception: Thursday, April 18, 2024, 4-7pm with Awards Presentation at 5pm. Free and open to the public.
DISCIPULUS 2024 features exemplary works created by the emerging young talent of the Golden West College Art Department. The exhibition celebrates the creativity of these student artists and the whole of the GWC ART community that fosters their talent.
In our current age, with more and more of our daily experiences mediated by social apps, live-streaming, watch parties, virtual meetups, cloud-sharing, VR, AR, and AI, it seems that nearly all of our life is bending toward these immaterial, digitized streams of data that flow through the ether into virtual and artificial worlds anchored in the cloud. Within this context, artists who revel in tactile studio practices and physical object-making are engaged in a certain counter-cultural protest movement – pushing against the virtual, artificial, and digitized, to confidently reclaim the unique value of our physicality and embodied experience.
This is the collective work of GWC ART: celebrating attentiveness to the material substance of the world, the physicality of the places we inhabit, and the opportunity to be truly present to one another; working to rediscover the significance of seeing things “in the flesh” — unmediated by our laptops, tablets, and camera phones; and pushing forward to share of our unique embodied perspective through ink and paper, paint and canvas, fire and clay.
Despite the wide variety of media represented in the exhibition, both formal and thematic connections emerge to form a dynamic visual dialog. Viewed collectively, the work testifies to a vibrant academic art community actively engaged in contemporary cultural explorations from the classroom to the studio and the gallery.
This juried exhibition was open to submissions from all current students of the GWC Art Department, including those studying ceramics, design, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Artwork selections and awards were decided by a committee of GWC Art Department faculty and Guest Curator Jeff Rau.
About the Curator
Jeff Rau is a curator, educator, and artist, with over 10 years of experience presenting original interdisciplinary exhibitions and educational programming – as an independent curator with Sixpack Projects and as the former University Curator at Biola University. Rau is passionate about the capacity for art to connect people, build empathy, and serve as a catalyst for meaningful dialogue about contemporary cultural and social issues; he has a well-established reputation for presenting exhibitions and programming that is accessible and engaging for a diverse visiting audience, while remaining challenging and critically stimulating. The strength of his programming has frequently attracted collaboration and participation from high-caliber artists, notable collectors, and other institutions, including ambitious exhibition projects featuring work by such esteemed artists as Lauren Halsey, Tim Hawkinson, Nery Gabriel Lemus, Patrick Martinez, Carrie Mae Weems, Kehinde Wiley, and others.
The Fate of Eve
March 7 - April 4, 2024
Opening Reception: Thursday, March 7, 2024, 4-6pm. Free and open to the public.
Opening March 7, 2024, a powerful group exhibition, The Fate of Eve, peels back the curtain on the unseen labor, silent struggles, and inner-worlds of women, women-adjacent, and femme-presenting individuals in society. This year's Women's History Month exhibition at Golden West College is organized by guest curator Heather Bowling who explains that the exhibition provides an opportunity to distill and process a specific moment in time for those living within (and crushed under) these gender labels.
Common threads that run through the show include the politics of bodily autonomy, the weight of societal expectations, the nuances of motherhood, and the struggles of mental health. Exhibiting artists include Julie Beloussow, Alexandra Carter, Simonette Jackson, Joetta Maue, Marie Njoku-Obi, Amanda Rowen, Natasha Rudenko, Rachel Silva, Niccole Ugay, and Devon Walz.
About the Curator
Guest curator Heather Bowling (she/they) has spent the last decade immersed in local Orange County arts communities, notably as the Director and Curator at Brea Gallery. They are currently the curator at John Wayne Airport. They are passionate about making the arts accessible to all by creating inviting, engaging experiences for visitors of all backgrounds, while providing opportunities for marginalized artists. To learn more about curator Heather Bowling, visit www.heatherbowling.com.
*Artwork info: Amanda Rowen, Cantaloupe, photography, 2024; Alexandra Carter, All the maps change, ink and gold leaf on drafting film, 2023; Marie Njoku-Obi, Cry for Help, Song for Healing, acrylic and mesh on canvas, 2022
In the Palaces Beneath the Sand
February 1 – 29, 2024
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 1, 2024, 4-7pm
Virtual Artist Talk: Thursday, February 29, 4-5pm
The Art Gallery at Golden West College is pleased to present In the Palaces Beneath the Sand, a solo exhibition from multimedia conceptual artist Lorenzo Baker, curated by Jasmine McNeal. In the Palaces Beneath the Sand explores different forms of light and traces the visibility of Black spaces and their effects on universal truths. Through installation, video, ready-made objects, and collage, the exhibition explores the nuances between public and private space.
Highlighting aspects of culture, Baker addresses the impact language has on our perceptions of the past, presenting viewers with future identity formations and alternative perspectives of the body. In the Palaces Beneath the Sand Baker obscures interactions with Black spaces, challenging our relationship to themes around site and location.
Illuminating how physical space generates experiences in culture, and in return, affects the construction of social and individual truths, Baker’s artworks subvert our understanding of visibility. Tracing Blackness and its historical past, we learn that Black culture is not only immeasurable in a month but exists in a continuum within the spaces we create every day.
The show opened February 1 and ran until February 29, 2024. The opening reception took place on February 1 from 4-7pm. It was supported by Umoja and featured live music by Spot-G Sax Pro On The Go. There was an artist talk on February 29 at 4pm over Zoom.
About Lorenzo Baker
Lorenzo Baker is a multimedia visual artist and graduate of Dillard University and Otis College of Art and Design. Working in sculpture, video, installation art, and collage, Lorenzo’s art practice illustrates the social and political connotations embedded within everyday objects and materials. In 2021, Lorenzo Baker was a guest speaker at the Museum of the African Diaspora (MOAD) in the Artist Studio program, and in 2022 Lorenzo collaborated with The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on February, a special project and installation underscoring the connections between technology and Black History. In 2023, Lorenzo was an inaugural member of The Ellsworth Artist Residency program at Art Share LA, and in 2023-2024 Lorenzo Baker was selected to participate in The Quinn Emanuel LLP Los Angeles Artist-in-Residence program.
About Jasmine McNeal
Jasmine McNeal is an independent curator who has been based in Los Angeles since 2016. Her curatorial practice focuses on the many aspects of Black identity and Black spirituality. She earned her BA in World Arts and Cultures from UCLA and her MA in Cultural Studies from KU Leuven in Belgium. She has curated exhibitions locally and abroad, including Ghana and Belgium. She has conducted talks on the representation of Blackness in contemporary art at institutions such as Pepperdine, Biola, and LMU. She is currently a professor of Museum Studies and Visual Culture at Fullerton College.
*Artwork info: Lorenzo Baker,
Portrait of the Artist #2, photograph in artist frame, 37 x 50, 2024
