By Jonathan Resendez/south news editor
To jumpstart Women’s History Month, Women in New Roles unveiled a new art exhibit in the Carillon Gallery on South Campus last week.
Women Leading the Way: Going Green features mixed media art by South, SE and NE Campus students. The recycled wood, metal, paper and plastic used in the artwork give the gallery its green theme. The exhibit includes more traditional media such as oils and photography.
Trish Light, South Campus psychology associate professor, said the green theme came from the Women’s History Month theme committee, which she also heads. She also runs the South Campus Women in New Roles program, which offers college credit while assisting women returning to school.
“You never know what’s going to come of or follow the show,” she said. “There have been artists whose work we featured that went on to win art scholarships.”
Student Sharon Bennett, who has three oil paintings displayed, joined the WINR program in the fall and said it is a godsend. She said she could not believe she would get credit for something she needed.
“The career assessments and tests helped guide me after coming back to school for the first time in a long time,” she said. “I didn’t have much confidence. They encouraged me and made me feel better.”
Karen Zapata, a TCC graduate who received two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s after overcoming several hardships, said the program helps women learn about themselves. By being more aware of things in their community, she said, the program helps women follow through with what they learn in class.
The exhibit features “The Goddess of Paper and Plastic,” a life-size sculpture made entirely of recycled products. Diana “Luci” Bolding said she created Goddess to push the show’s point across. She did not spend a cent while gathering supplies for a month and a half to create the sculpture.
“I’ve always loved to make something out of nothing,” Bolding said. “I started looking at trash a little differently and then started making grocery bags out of empty dog food bags.”
Bolding’s company, Feed the Furry, makes designer shopping bags from used pet food bags. The donated food goes to local animal charities. “The Goddess of Paper and Plastic” sports a green bag made of what used to hold Friskies cat food.
Although she has been an artist her whole life, Bolding said she did not become serious about her art until she underwent open-heart surgery. A former EMT, she gave up that career with hopes of pursuing art as a viable, practical option.
“WINR gave me permission to be creative and still get taken seriously,” she said.
Gallery hours are noon-3 p.m. Monday-Friday.
