Although a number of classes at Southland colleges may be taught by part-time faculty, these teachers often have qualifications equivalent to full-time instructors.
The work of those people are the focus of “College Art Faculty Show” from Sept. 30-Nov. 5 at Tall Grass Arts Association Gallery in Park Forest.
“I really wanted to do an all-inclusive show of all schools and rely very heavily on part-time teachers,” said Gail Otterson, who co-curates “College Art Faculty Show” with Crete resident Mary Bookwalter, a retired art faculty member from Governors State University.
“They often get lost in the shuffle and they have the same credentials as full-time people. They’re really highly qualified even at a community college level. There’s this huge group of people. People just don’t realize, not just for art but all fields, that colleges are relying very heavily on these part-time faculty.
“I just want to highlight that and show people off.”
The exhibit features the work of approximately 40 artists including faculty from GSU in University Park, Joliet Junior College, Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Prairie State College in Chicago Heights and South Suburban College in South Holland.
Faculty from Kankakee Community College and Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais also have pieces in the show, which includes a range of media from painting and photography to sculpture and ceramics among approximately 50 pieces.
“(The exhibitors) are all teaching full or part time,” said Otterson, an adjunct faculty member at PSC for four years.
“They’re all very accomplished and qualified both as art instructors and artists themselves. It was an opportunity to see a range of work and the quality of work they produce and also have some events to meet each other.”
Artists involved in “College Art Faculty Show” include Bridgeview, Flossmoor, Joliet, Midlothian, Orland Park and Worth residents.
“Where the idea for this show came from is Tall Grass wanted to attract more people,” said Otterson, of Steger.
“I work with young people all the time teaching. That’s a great group of people to tap into. The best way to do that is get teachers interested — let the teachers know that Tall Grass exists, if they were unaware, to get young artists interested in Tall Grass.”
Otterson has been involved with Tall Grass for approximately nine months. She discovered the association through exhibit openings and artists’ talks that she attended with her boyfriend, goldsmith and jewelry designer Bill Wild, a Park Forest native.
“It’s a real jewel. The gallery is one of the finest in the area. The physical space, it’s just really nice,” said Otterson, who plans on showing a couple of her botanical watercolors in “College Art Faculty Show.”
“It’s this beautiful gallery and has this long history and this really dedicated strong volunteer base that have done a tremendous amount of work through the years. They also have the school. They have these wonderful classes that they’ve been teaching for kids.”
The Oct. 8 artists’ talk for “College Art Faculty Show” is scheduled to feature Jeff Stevenson, of GSU, and Paul Rinaldi and Beth Shadur, both of PSC.
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
‘College Art Faculty Show’
When: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays from Sept. 30-Nov. 5
Where: Tall Grass Arts Association Gallery, 367 Artists Walk, Park Forest
Admission: free
Information: 708-748-3377 or www.tallgrassarts.com
Etc.: opening reception from 7-9 p.m. Sept. 30; artists’ talk from 1-3 p.m. Oct. 8
