By Corey Rehm
“The New Desert” spring 2024 art exhibition at North Las Vegas campus presents students’ artworks as an end-of-year capstone of much learned.
Professors Sean Russell and Christopher Tsouras teach this class.
“The exhibition is an opportunity for Art 298 students to publicly feature, exhibit and share their artworks with their CSN peers, faculty, staff and the public,” Tsouras said.
“In this course students learn a variety of marketing and business-related skills,” said Russell, who is also the art program coordinator. “From photographing artwork, to creating documents such as cover letters, resumes, artist statements, to applying for gallery exhibits or public art, to further educational opportunities, we cover much of the knowledge an artist must possess to function in today’s art world.”
“In this respect, our class and this exhibit functions much like many of CSN’s other capstone courses — culinary, theater, hospitality, etc. — it teaches as close to firsthand real-world experience as possible,” Russell said.
Russell said, “Many if not most of our students have absolutely no prior experience exhibiting artwork, so this exhibit will be a first for many of them.”
“Additionally, students participate in the production and printing of a hardcover book, which features each student’s artwork, biography and artist statement. The exhibition and book publication also function as assessment tools for CSN and the Department of Fine Art,” Tsouras said.
This class has 17 students. The program ran for the past 13 years, according to professors of the course.
Amarilis Rosario-Tillema is a 48-year-old student whose art will be on display at the exhibit. She’s excited to share her accomplishments because, as a single mother, she is about to graduate with an Associate of Arts.
“Art 298 has become my favorite art class because it has taken all of my creativity and given it a path,” Rosario-Tillema said. The work is rooted in still life and features charcoal and watercolor pieces inspired by artists Pieter Claesz and Laurin McCracken.
“Exhibiting my art is both a dream and a bit nerve racking,” Rosario-Tillema said. “It’s exposing my inner self, my thoughts, dreams and abilities, all out there to be judged by so many.”
Olivia Reamer, CSN student, will be exhibiting a series of paintings and charcoal piece that she’s deeply proud of.
“The five paintings all go together and were my own project I did a couple years ago,” Reamer said. “I love wildlife photography, so I was able to find these horses outside the town I grew up in and I took photos of them. I then decided to make a project out of it by picking some of my favorites and painting them.”
“I’m excited for all the people I’ll meet throughout this journey with trying to enter into the art world,” Reamer said. “I’m looking forward to the night of the exhibition to see all my classmates work hung up and everyone’s art together and meet everyone that comes to the show.”
The expected turnout at the reception is up to 300 people. Approximately 100 people a day also view the gallery during normal business hours, according to professors of the course.
“The New Desert” runs May 3 through June 29 at Artspace Gallery. On May 10 an artist reception is hosted from 6 to 8 p.m. where students meet and discuss their works with visitors. Attendance is free.
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