ACC heads EAST

For the second year in a row, students and faculty members from ACC's art department presented their work – a mixture of ceramics, drawings, paintings, sculptures, and prints – at the ninth annual East Austin Studio Tour (EAST).

The free event, which was launched in 2003, displays the artwork of more than 300 Austin artists and takes place at approximately 150 studios around the city. Over the course of two weekends, art patrons can witness live demonstrations, mix and mingle with artists, and purchase pieces that pique their interests.

32 pieces from ACC's art department were featured at Graphic Glass Studios, also known as Pine Street Station, on east Fifth Street.

"Last year, we exhibited our study abroad students from Costa Rica and Italy, as well as our Steamroller Madness pieces," said Julie Isaacson, art studios and exhibitions specialist and coordinator of ACC's involvement with EAST.

"This year, for a change, we selected certain faculty. Each of the 16 faculty members then chose a student to exhibit alongside them, so it was half faculty, half student."

For both beginning and advanced art students, the experience of featuring their work to the public was "very, very exciting," said Chris Long, a sophomore art major who showed six ceramic dishes.

Long, who plans to travel to Taiwan this summer to study ceramics, hoped that observers of his pieces saw them as both expressive and functional. "I would like people to see them and think, ‘There's a lot work in this. I enjoy looking at this. This is functional and I can use this. This is also a work of art. I can enjoy this for what it is, and it helps me get a task done, that task being eating or drinking,'" he said.

But the opportunity to present at EAST wasn't just thrilling for students.

It was the first time Bethany Cobb, adjunct assistant professor of art, showed her work at EAST, though she had participated in the event as an observer in previous years.

Cobb presented a life-size graphite drawing of a woman, a piece she created in Scotland.

"I was working on a series of drawings of people when they were waiting. Usually, I would catch people waiting at a bus stop. I catch them when they're just sitting in that moment, not busying themselves," she said.

Cobb, who plans to continue her "waiting" series with people in Italy and Austin, displayed her drawing alongside Paige Davis, a first-time drawing student of Cobb's, who chose to feature a self-portrait made from charcoal.

"I could tell that she had some really strong talent, and I could also tell that she really loved it. It was great to see her coming into this world of art and really just diving in," said Cobb.