An eclectic mix of faculty talent is on display in the latestshow at the Library Gallery.

Paintings, photographs, drawings and sculptures – all done bySacramento State art instructors – are part of the Art DepartmentFaculty Show organized by professor Phil Hitchcock.

“Our exhibitions are equally as interesting as those inthe Crocker (Museum),” Hitchcock said. “It provides anon-commercial setting in the community.”

Hitchcock has always been impressed with the Sac State artdepartment

“I came here because it had such an outstanding history offaculty and alumni,” Hitchcock said. “You could stackit up with any other institution in the country.”

Psychology junior major Cherie Ashton agreed with Hitchcock.

“I think it’s interesting,” Ashton said.”I like all the different mediums. I’m an art minor andit’s just good to see the teachers’ work.”

Gordon Dean, a student in the teacher credential program, alsosaid he liked the current display.

“It’s my first taste of faculty artwork and I guessI’m impressed – there’s a lot of variety,” Deansaid.

Nearly thirty pieces of art are on display for the public to seeduring the show’s three-month run. Pieces include full-timeprofessor Steve Kaltenbach’s sculpture “Torch ofFreedom.”

The pieces are not only for show, but also are available forsale.

“They are on sale for charity to raise money for thegallery fund,” said Leslie Rivers, assistant to the directorof the gallery. “The artist will get half of the sale and thegallery gets the other half.”

The library gallery has played host to four prior shows -“Society of Six,” “Frank Owen and JosephRaffael,” “Post Flesh” and a show byworld-renowned artist and Sac State alumnus Wayne Thiebaud.

After the current show departs, the gallery will house anothershow of California outsider art in a show called “The EyesHave It.”

“Outsider art is a very cool, very spontaneous and a verypure art form of self-expression that is outside themainstream,” Rivers said.

Other shows in the planning stages for the campus galleryinclude a possible Native American art show with the help of theCalifornia State Archives and the Sac State anthropologydepartment.

“The Gallery will become one of the bridges with thecampus to the community,” Hitchcock said. “We hope tonot only focus on alumni but also bring an international focus tothe campus.”

Hitchcock got the idea of a university gallery while looking ata book on campus galleries in a local bookstore.

“I saw this book &- “Art on Campus” – andthere was nothing in it on CSUS,” Hitchcock said. “So Iwanted to bring the half million dollars of gifts by alumni to thecampus.”

University administration was enthusiastic about the idea andbroke ground in December 2001.

The library gallery has had its home on the ground floor of thelibrary since spring 2002 and will expand its space during thewinter break.

“We want to expand and build a gift shop sometime duringChristmas,” Hitchcock said. “There will be postcardsand prints of current exhibitions that will maintain a high qualityjust like any other museum gift shop.”

The current exhibition will be up until March 12, 2004. It canbe viewed from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday. The gallerycan be reached at (916) 278-2368.