Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Art Opening at CSUCI Exhibitions Art Gallery @ Camarillo Smiles

I just got home from the opening of the ceramics show in the art gallery within my dental office. If you haven't seen it, right inside the office to the left is the CSUCI Exhibitions Art Gallery. A space that has been home to hundreds of student, faculty and professional artists over the past 6 years.

Tonight it featured the works of student artists who have created incredibly inspired pieces of art. Lovely vases with glazes as beautiful as a porcelain crown (you might have to be a dentist to appreciate that). Clay figurines ironically embracing technology, pottery rooted in a student's familial roots and a depiction of the journey of an immigrant family make up a wonderfully put together show.

I am especially proud that this is the second show in a row that features works from art students that are also Camarillo Smiles patients! Great to see our patients' contributions.

Does it seem strange to have an art gallery inside of a dental office? Some may think so, but I love it. I have been asked many times how it came about to have Camarillo Smiles dental office be the home of California State University Channel Islands Exhibitions Art Gallery, the university's first art gallery. Well here it is.

For years I had dreamt of having an art gallery in the northwest part of my dental office building in a space that I wasn't using. The light streams into the area creating a wonderful space to display art. The problem was that as much as I loved art, I had no business running an art gallery. So, on a whim, I called up Jack Reilly, the former head of the art department at CSUCI to see if were interested in using the space. He couldn't get over here to see the space quick enough, he was so excited since at the time they did not have any gallery space available to them. I happily invited him to utilize the space and there began CSUCI Exhibitions.

Students study the running of an art gallery and put on shows and openings to the delight of the university and the community (and, of course, our patients). Come by some time and check it out, you'll be impressed by these budding artists.

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