The COCC Library Art Project marks the formal beginning of a growing COCC collection which had already grown informally to more than 20 works.  Funded with 1% of the library construction funds, the acquisition took eleven months.  The committee examined more than 1,500 slides submitted by artists from around the northwest on the theme of "Works of art with a Northwest orientation suitable for a college library."  COCC hopes to continue to add to its college-wide collection through the COCC Foundation and the continued support of generous donors.

Baldwin, a Bend artist, enjoys painting the brilliant colors and patterns found in the natural world. She works in a variety of media, preferring oil paint. She began her career touring the art fair circuit around the country, and currently divides her time between painting for galleries, commercial design, and art shows.

Bennett received his B.F.A. from the Maryland Institute of Art and his M.A. from the University of La Verne, Athens, Greece. His work has won numerous regional and national awards and has appeared on greeting cards, posters, CD covers and book jackets. He has lived in Sisters since 1990 with his wife, Carolyn, and their son, Parker.

Brown remembers her first camera when she was in grade school. She has always enjoyed taking pictures. After studying photography at COCC, she now develops and prints her own black and white images. She shows her work at Pfundamentals in Bend, Oregon.

Brown remembers her first camera when she was in grade school. She has always enjoyed taking pictures. After studying photography at COCC, she now develops and prints her own black and white images. She shows her work at Pfundamentals in Bend, Oregon.

Brown remembers her first camera when she was in grade school. She has always enjoyed taking pictures. After studying photography at COCC, she now develops and prints her own black and white images. She shows her work at Pfundamentals in Bend, Oregon.

Dundon is a graduate of Bend High School and has attended Central Oregon Community College. She is currently working on a double major in Architecture and Fine Arts at the University of Oregon. She received several "Merit Awards" at COCC Annual Student Art Shows and has shown her work in Bend and Eugene.

Field grew up in New Zealand and studied ceramic sculpture in New Zealand, England, France, and Japan and received a masters Degree in Fin Arts from the University of Oregon. His work is inspired by the role of animals in our society, their form and behavior and associations that we assign to them. He has received numerous grants and awards and he has completed public commissions up to 30 tons in size.

Fleming, a native of Washington, D.C., received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1974 and a Master of Fine Arts degree in 1986 from the University of Maryland. She also studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, from which she graduated in 1979. She has exhibited her work in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Oregon and Washington, and is represented in many public and private collections. She is represented by Steven Scott Gallery, Baltimore, Maryland.

Gilles received her B.A. in Art/Design from Portland State University and has been an art teacher, jewelry designer, and scenic designer for high schools and community theaters and Properties Artist for Portland Center Stage and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. She is drawn to the mystery in lights and darks that suggest familiar surroundings and events and is moved by landscapes and a sense of place.

Huntley, 9-to-5 career as an artist in Santa Rosa, California. She tries to capture the moments in our lives that are beautiful and reflective with an eye for interesting composition, color and texture. She currently works in watercolor, acrylics, pastel and mixed media. A member of the Oregon Watercolor Society, she now resides in Bend.

Klemz has been pursuing an art education at COCC and studying under accomplished artists at workshops as well. She has been exploring a variety of media including oil, watercolor and acrylic paintings, sculpture in clay, pastels, and drawing in charcoal, graphite and conte' crayon. Her works emphasize efforts to develop a style of realism and color knowledge, frequently through figurative subject matter. She lives and works in Bend, Oregon and has shown work locally at Mockingbird Gallery.

Klemz has been pursuing an art education at COCC and studying under accomplished artists at workshops as well. She has been exploring a variety of media including oil, watercolor and acrylic paintings, sculpture in clay, pastels, and drawing in charcoal, graphite and conte' crayon. Her works emphasize efforts to develop a style of realism and color knowledge, frequently through figurative subject matter. She lives and works in Bend, Oregon and has shown work locally at Mockingbird Gallery.

Lavin has a Master of Fine Arts degree from Bowling Green State University, has been an instructor in jewelry and metalsmithing, and was a full-time faculty sabbatical replacement at Central Oregon Community College during 1997-98. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Art at Eastern Oregon University.

Levy's photographs often involve fragile landscapes that are threatened by invasion by man. He feels a sense of timelessness in places and hopes his photographs promote their appreciation and prevent their destruction. Born in Ohio, Stu now lives in Portland and is represented by the Sunbird Gallery in Bend, the S.K. Josefsberg Studio in Portland, and several other galleries in the West.

Meehan began working with clay at COCC in 1997, and quickly developed an unusual geometric style. This piece, "Untitled" is inspired by the rock faces and cliffs of Central Oregon. She also works with watercolors. Her work can be seen at the Mirror Pond Gallery.

Penn studied painting at UC Berkeley and at the Pacific Norwest College of Art. She has been constructing irregularly shaped paintings on wood during the past twelve years. She lives in Portland and her work can be seen at the Mark Woolley Gallery.

Pitt is an internationally known Warm Springs / Wasco and Yakima artist who has produced work in clay, bronze, silver and mixed media since 1981. She lives and works in Portland, Oregon and is represented by Quintana's Gallery, Sunbird Gallery and several other galleries around the country.

Pitt is an internationally known Warm Springs / Wasco and Yakima artist who has produced work in clay, bronze, silver and mixed media since 1981. She lives and works in Portland, Oregon and is represented by Quintana's Gallery, Sunbird Gallery and several other galleries around the country.

Reager has been making art with slate, hydrocal and metals for a number of years. Some of his public collections include the Sunriver Lodge, Kaiser Permanente, Hewlett-Packard and Mitsubishi Bank. He lives in Portland and is represented by the Mark Wolley Gallery.

Shillock, a native Oregonian, has been involved with sculpture for the past twenty years. He has spent time sculpting in Italy and traveled to ancient cultures whose history is recorded in stone, his favorite medium. Shillock's work has appeared in galleries throughout the West Coast. His abstract style of sculpture can be seen in various locations including the exterior entrance to the public library in Lake Oswego. He lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

Stephenson was born in London and began his art career there as an illustrator. He moved to the U.S. in 1971 and to Oregon shortly thereafter. He has been a full time landscape artist since 1986 and currently works in pastel. Allan lives in Portland and is represented by several galleries: Portland - First Avenue Gallery, Seattle - Kimzey Miller and Bend - Sunbird Gallery.

Warpinski's images reflect her reverence for the western landscape and her interest in the traces of human connection with this landscape. She has been exhibiting her work nationally since 1979. She lives in Eugene where she is currently the associate Dean of the School of Architecture and Allied Arts and a Professor in the Department of Fine and Applied Art at the University of Oregon.

Wyckoff grew up in Eastern Oregon and has remained fascinated by its landscape ever since. He now lives in Portland and teaches printmaking at the Pacific Northwest College of Art. He is represented by the Alysa Duckler Gallery.

Zee, a Portland photographer, has been exploring the art of photography since 1969. His work has been exhibited in galleries throughout the country and at the Portland Art Museum. His photographs are included in the public collections of the city of Portland and the State of Oregon, as well as private and corporate collections such as Ansel Adams, Merrill Lynch, American Express and World Bank. He is represented by the Mockingbird Gallery in Bend, Oregon.

Artist: Robert Gehrke
Gehrke received a B.F.A. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a M.F.A. degree from the University of Cincinnati, Ohio.  Recent Commissions include "Flight column" 1996 at the Universityof Montana at Missoula, and "Balance Wheel" 1998 at the State Agriculture Building in Madison, Wisconsin.   He lives in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Artist: Robert Gehrke

The Art Project Committee: David Bilyeu, Leslie Fulton, Linda Hill, Sara Krempel, Blane Skowhede, Bart Queary

Copyright:  Central Oregon Community College
June 25, 1999