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Matthias Dūwel’s art class from Pima College Northwest had an exhibition at Rancho Linda Vista.
By John Hernandez
On Saturday June 1, 22 painting, drawing and sculpture students from Pima Community College Northwest Campus displayed their art at the Rancho Linda Vista Gallery in Oracle.
The reception and show “22” were organized by Pima College Northwest Lead Faculty Instructor Matthias Dūwel. Matthias teaches art and is also an accomplished artist. His paintings were displayed last year at the University of Arizona Museum of Art. The exhibit, held in conjunction with glass artist Matt Eskuche, was titled “Consumer Consumption.”
The student artists gained some experience in showing their art and talking with the public about their work. Some of them even sold some of their art.
One young artist’s work caught the attention of reporter, John Hernandez. Marcus Coltrin has been painting for five years and studying art for two years. Matthias, he said, “is a very good teacher.”
One of his paintings was of some monkeys drinking in a bar. When asked about his inspiration for the piece, Marcus said, he had actually run out of ideas and asked a fellow student in class about what he should paint. The student told him “do straight up monkeys.” A few seconds later they said do “monkeys drinking martinis.” Marcus then studied pictures of monkeys on the internet and when drawing them decided to try to give them personalities. The result was his painting, “Straight Up Monkeys.”
Marcus also showed his painting “White Trolley of Death.” The painting (pictured on Page 1) shows a runaway trolley car in San Francisco with ghostly figures riding in the car and a skeleton conductor steering the trolley to who knows where.
“I like to have humor in my paintings,” Marcus said.
The artists that participated in “22” were Amy Scales, Andrew Pitcher, Cody Knocke, Connie Nicholson, Jacob Holt, James Brown, Kailia Miller, Kayla Keithly, Kimberley Prouse, Lavana Salem, Linda Lanan, Marcus Coltrin, Marianne Vance, Marilyn Mitchell, Marly Slayton, Michilene Johnoff, Mychal Trujillo, Nathan Taylor, Pauline Pitcher, Sabrina Wilson, Tiffany Eldrege and Vana Dee.
Straight Up Monkeys by Marcus Coltrin
White Trolley of Death by Marcus Coltrin
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