ARTISTS WITH A CAREER FOCUS SHOWCASE WORK AT DIVISION 9

Sharon Kauffman, owner of another gallery in Riverside, examines pieces in The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire’s EVOLVE student show taking place through Feb. 27 at Division 9 Gallery in Riverside.

A poster promoting the EVOLVE student art show is part of the display at Division 9 Gallery in Riverside. The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire also placed this image on on t-shirts and other promotional materials to make art enthusiasts aware of the show taking place through Feb. 27.


(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) “EVOLVE,” an art show with a different focus than most, is taking place through Feb. 27 at Division 9 Gallery, 3850 Lemon St. in downtown Riverside.

EVOLVE’s sponsor, The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, specializes in providing artists with a college education in a field will that allow them to turn their passion into a career. Thus, these student artists focus in school on graphic design and other commercial applications, such as Web design, animation and interior design. Much of the artwork in EVOLVE reflects this focus.

Yet, great designs begin with art. While Art Institute of California – Inland Empire students often rely on computer technology to produce their work, much of this technology is merely advanced forms of drawing, painting, photography and sculpture. Before they learn how to draw, paint and sculpt on a computer, students do so with the tools of a traditional artist - pencils and pens, ink, paint, photographs, chisels and clay.

EVOLVE is a balance of emerging artists’ creativity, and what happens when that creativity combines with the discipline and skill they’ve acquired in learning to be commercial artists. Students created all of the work displayed in EVOLVE as a project in one of their classes at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire.

Some of this work may have been created for a fictional client. Other work is simply expressing an artist’s opinion through imagery. Sometimes it captures the amusing aspects of life, sometimes those that are more serious.

“There is a lot of thinking and a lot of humor in this art,” said Sharon Kauffman, who owns another gallery in Riverside and visited EVOLVE during its grand opening Feb. 5 at Riverside Artwalk.

“It shows that these artists are aware and involved in what is going on in the world.”

Jake Castorena, a Media Arts & Animation major at The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire, has exhibited in both EVOLVE, and its 2008 predecessor, PROCESS. He sees the art shows as a way to showcase the multiple talents of The Art Institute’s students.

“It puts our finest works of art before the community, and it may inspire young people in the community to pursue art as a career, as we have,” Castorena said. “It also allows the Art Institute to show how well we are instructed in art. And it shows our family what we do. We are so busy with school, working in our rooms or in a lab, they don’t see much of us. This allows us to show them what we have been working on for six or seven months.”

Jennifer Rodrigues isn’t exhibiting in EVOLVE, but after viewing the show, this Art Institute of California – Inland Empire student agrees it represents her campus well.

“There are many talented people who attend my school,” she said. “This is but a sample of what there is at The Art Institute.”

The gallery is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and by appointment.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design. The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.

It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin April 6 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.

For more information, or to arrange a tour, call The Art Institute at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.

The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of the Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire), a system of more than 40 locations throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.


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