CHATTANOOGA STATE FACULTY AND STUDENTS DISPLAY ART IN COLUMBIA STATE'S PRYOR GALLERY
Show Continues Through June 30

Students and faculty from Chattanooga State Community College will display their works in Columbia State Community College's Pryor Art Gallery through June 30. This is a showing of select pieces from the 2008-09 academic year created by the students and faculty of the studio art department at Chattanooga State Community College. Mr. Joe Helseth, the head of the Fine Arts Department and Director of the Outdoor Museum of Art at Chattanooga State, had a one-man exhibit in the Pryor Gallery in November 2006, which featured his talents both as a painter and a sculptor.

"Mr. Helseth has coordinated this exhibit, which includes graphite work, acrylic and oil painting, photography, ceramics, bronze sculpture, and mixed media pieces," said Lucy Scott Kuykendall, Columbia State's Pryor Art Gallery Director/Curator. "Student and instructor pieces are shown side-by-side, providing a visual studio discourse. The works explore the technicalities of the media as well as personal expression, while they showcase the depth of studio instruction at Chattanooga State. We are honored to have 'Chattanooga State at Columbia State.' In addition, sterling silver jewelry by Jessica Van Neste will be on display. Her pieces are wonderful one-of-a-kind wearable art."

Van Neste lives and works in Knoxville and grew up on her family's farm. "It was this life experience that taught (me) the importance of nature and how to create with (my) hands," she says. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Tech University and is a member of the Southern Highlands and Foothills Craft Guilds. Her pieces are for sale.

The exhibit is complimentary and open to the public during campus hours, 7:45 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday, and for special events on the weekend. The Pryor Gallery is located in the Waymon L. Hickman Building on the Columbia Campus, located at 1665 Hampshire Pike in Columbia.