1961 - 1962
SWC ART
EVENTS
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Dec 11 - 14, 1961
Student Christmas Show
Jan 8 - 26, 1962
Faculty Show
Showcasing one of the first of Bob Matheny’s letterpress designed posters, this third art show highlighted all the Art Faculty at the time.
Robert (Bob) Matheny the sole full time faculty member and chair of the Art Department, presented his colorfully designed hooked rugs.
Ronald (Ron) Lawson was Journalism Professor, ran the school newspaper and taught the photography class (this was his first art show). He would go on to found the SWC photography department.
Richard (Dick) G. Robinson, abstract painter & former Chula Vista High Art School teacher and wrestling star, would go on to be the other influential full-time faculty member the following year.
John Dewitt Clark future full time faculty and local San Diego artist, taught art history and displayed his stone and wood carved sculptures.
April 3 - 27, 1962
Joyce Fitzgerald - Batiks, Prints & Sandcastings
A fellow Allied Crafstmen of San Diego member alongside Bob Matheny, Joyce Fitzgerald's Batiks & Sandcastings were the Art Gallery’s first foray into presenting crafts. This exhibition has a beautiful minimal poster, the first to incorporate the artist's own work into the design, which was underappreciated by one reviewer who disliked the announcement’s lack of artist information
May 15 - June 1, 1962
Richard Allen Morris - Words, Numbers & Poems
Turning to another close friend, Matheny selected eclectic San Diego artist's artist, Richard Allen Morris, who would influence and be influenced by Matheny and Baldessari over the next decade. This exhibition contained a number of his poems as well as oil paintings, drawings and collage.
June 5 - 15, 1962
Student Show
The first annual student show, highlighting exceptional student work from the year, a tradition that carries on to the current time.
July 2 - 27, 1962
Harold Gregor -Drawings & Paintings
Unique for an artist, with his doctorate in painting, from Ohio State University, Harold Gregor would be influenced by John Baldessari and the burgeoning Conceptual Art scene in San Diego. He would later teach and program the Art Gallery at Chapman University in Orange County (1966-1969) presenting exhibitions of conceptual art and non-art objects, including a show by Bob Matheny. This exhibition of abstracted, expressive figurative paintings, drawings & prints,was held during Gregor’s brief tenure (1960-1963) teaching at San Diego State College (later University) and was promoted through a collaboratively designed hand printed colorful poster.
Nov 13 - Dec 8, 1961
John Baldessari - Paintings & Collages
Controversy over content began with Bob Matheny’s very first art exhibition at SWC’s newly created Art Gallery, showing the early, thickly textured abstract paintings of his friend, John Baldessari, a future SWC Art Faculy member and eventual world-renowned conceptual artist.
March 6 -23, 1962
Ethel Greene – Paintings
In the third month of his new endeavor, Matheny added prestige to the hallway Art Gallery with the exhibition of a beloved, well reviewed, and established modernist San Diego artist, Ethel Greene, whose paintings for this exhibition were moody, sea-themed landscape-based abstractions.
April 30 - May 11, 1962
Original L'Art Nouveau Posters
This is the first example of Matheny’s use of pre-packaged touring exhibitions for the Art Gallery programing. Art Nouveau (the late 19th century movement incorporating fine & applied arts and design) had a revival of appreciation in the early 1960s, thanks in part to a large exhibition at MOMA the previous year. Posters, like the ones presented in this exhibition, would go on to influence the design of many of the rock posters of the decade.
Check out a related SWC Library book here
Feb 19 - March 1, 1962
Art Director's Club of San Diego
Annual Advertising Art Show
With clubs in cities all over America, the Art Director’s San Diego chapter presented annual Art Shows which highlighted the best in design and advertising from the previous year. Matheny’s personal & professional interests and experience in the design & advertising industry would go on to influence a number of shows presented at the Art Gallery.