Exhibition Dates: August 22 to October 28, 2022

Opening Reception: ��Saturday, September 10, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Related Programming

• Artist Talk: Thursday, October 13, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Gridy: Prints on Paper – Intervention by artist Noah Matteucci: October 1 – 14
• Reframing Brutalism: Panel conversation with Grace Kook-Anderson, Brian Libby, and ��Julianne Sandlin: Saturday, October 22, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
• Closing Reception and performative��sound installation by Jesse��Mejía: Thursday, October 27, 6:00 pm

The North View Gallery at ˿����Ƶ is pleased to reopen after two years, with a new site-specific installation by the artist Avantika Bawa.

In Charged Voids, Avantika Bawa exposes the intersections between exterior and interior, functional and aesthetic, within the context of the PCC Sylvania campus. Throughout August, Bawa was in residence at the North View Gallery, installing a new iteration of her Scaffold Series. The gallery occupies one of the original 1968 Brutalist buildings at Sylvania, furthering the exploration Bawa began with A Brutal Affair, a series of drawings and prints inspired by the monumental rawness of Brutalist structures around the world, including in her hometown New Delhi.

Brutalism’s simplified, modular shapes and rough concrete form the core of the Sylvania campus. Concrete walkways surround and connect the original Sylvania buildings exemplifying pedestrian and communal spaces described as “charged voids” by UK architects Alison and Peter Smithson. In fact, the North View Gallery is bordered by one of these concrete walkways that Avantika has activated with scaffolding, dematerializing the gallery walls and allowing viewers to enter and view the gallery from new vantage points.

The North View Gallery was void or empty during the first two years of the pandemic and Bawa’s installation has charged the gallery again, infusing it with life and encouraging us to return and in that return, to see the familiar transformed. Bawa’s scaffolding echoes patterns already present in the gallery and it introduces new rhythms, shadows and vibrant colors that radiate on the white walls. Bawa also invites viewers to charge the gallery with their presence, by climbing the scaffolding or using it for percussive purposes as Left Edge Percussion did during a recent installation organized by the Schneider Museum of Art.

With her Scaffold Series, Bawa uses the staging and support structure, integral to the process of construction, as a framing device to expose what has already been built. In The Charged Void, the Smithsons wrote about their attempt ‘to drag a rough poetry out of the confused and powerful forces which are at work in a mass production society’. This attempt resonates with the everyday poetry that Bawa exposes in the functional form of the scaffold, a form that allows humans to reach new heights, that makes back-breaking labor possible, and that can frame and reframe spaces. What kind of poetry is created when these functional objects occupy the charged voids of Brutalism? How do they help us see the college campus and the gallery with new eyes?

Sponsored in part by Washington State University Vancouver’s Mini Grant program.

Avantika Bawa, Charged Voids, scaffolding of varying colors and dimensions, site-specific installation in the North View Gallery, PCC Sylvania, 2022 (Photo: Christine Weber)

About the Artist

Avantika Bawa is an artist, curator, and educator based in Portland, OR, who often resides in her hometown, New Delhi, India.��Bawa has an MFA in Painting from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a BFA in the same from the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India.

She has participated in the Skowhegan, MacDowell, Kochi Biennial Foundation, and Djerassi residencies among others. Noteworthy solo exhibits include shows at: The Portland Art Museum, Schneider Museum, Ashland, OR: Suyama Space, Seattle, WA, The Columbus Museum, GA, Saltworks Gallery, and the Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center, Atlanta, GA: Nature Morte, and Gallery Maskara, India: White Box, Tilt Gallery & Project Space, and Disjecta, Portland, OR.

In April 2004 she was part of a team that launched Drain – Journal for Contemporary Art and Culture. . In 2014 Avantika was appointed to the board of the She is currently Associate Professor of Fine Arts at , Vancouver, WA.

Gallery Address: 12000 SW 49th Avenue, Portland, Oregon, 97219

Gallery Hours:��Monday – Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM, Saturday 11 AM to 4 PM

�پ����𳦳پ��DzԲ�:����Follow signs to bookstore and visitor parking.�� Gallery is located in the Communications and Technology (CT) building, adjacent to the bookstore, on the NE corner of the Sylvania campus.

Avantika Bawa, Charged Voids, scaffolding of varying colors and dimensions, site-specific installation in the North View Gallery, PCC Sylvania, 2022 (Photo: Myra Day)

“There are so many roles that the arts and humanities plays in a college. The primary work we do is to teach students to think critically and learn what is commonly referred to as “soft skills”. Arts and humanities are a pivotal part of this work. The role, of course, goes far beyond pure intellectual growth. Arts and humanities allow for the expression of thought and emotion that are unique from other academic areas at a college.” – Dr. Rob Steinmetz

Beginning August 1, 2017, Dr. Rob Steinmetz became the vice-president of student affairs for ˿����Ƶ.�� Rob helps provide leadership and vision to all areas of student affairs including campus student development offices, enrollment management, and student success. He also co-chairs the colleges Achieving the Dream effort, Yes to Equitable Student Success (YESS).

In addition to an Associate of Science from Chattanooga State, Rob has a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, as well as a Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University of Alabama.

Which book have you read the most times?

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

When do you listen to music?

Whenever possible: when I’m at my desk at work, in the car, while working out.

Which literary character do you admire the most?

Huckleberry Finn

What is the last film you saw in a theater?

A Star is Born…ah-mazing!

What was the first record you remember buying?

Billy Joel, Piano Man

Which work of art that you saw in a museum moved you or stopped you in your tracks?

The David

When you think of your high school years, what music comes to mind?

Garth Brooks, The Dance��was the first thing that came to mind.

What are your guilty pleasures in books, films, music?

David Sedaris is my escape during difficult times. I also love Dan Brown and Harry Potter books when I want to go back to something that’s just fun. I also love comedy films, so movies like Clue, the Princess Bride, and Noises Off are some favorites. I absolutely love Broadway musicals, so many of them are guilty pleasures I go to, including Wicked, Hedwig, Hamilton, and Dear Evan Hansen.

Which emotions are evoked by the art you admire?

Sadness or joy

How has your life been shaped or influenced by the arts and humanities?

I’ve often said that theatre saved my life. I was an introverted and disconnected student in high school. My junior year, I got involved in theatre and I began to come out of my shell. I began attending a community college when I finished high school, I quickly got involved in the theatre department. This allowed me to feel engaged at the college, think critically, make friends, and grow in confidence. I can confidently say that without these early experiences, it’s very unlikely that I would have felt motivated to succeed in college and be where I am today.

What is the role of the arts and humanities in a college?

There are so many roles that the arts and humanities plays in a college. The primary work we do is to teach students to think critically and learn what is commonly referred to as “soft skills”. Arts and humanities are a pivotal part of this work. The role, of course, goes far beyond pure intellectual growth. Arts and humanities allow for the expression of thought and emotion that are unique from other academic areas at a college.

Are the arts and humanities today threatened or in decline? If so, why?

It certainly feels like the arts and humanities are generally be threatened in today’s climate. It seems that students, government, and others are setting a higher priority on “gaining a skill” over learning how to appreciate the world around us and think critically. While gaining a specific skill is certainly part of what students need, engaging in liberal arts, including the arts and humanities, will help with long-term success and being a good citizen of the world.

Her work has been shown internationally for decades, notably in historic survey exhibitions such as “WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution” and “Radical Women: Latin American Art, 1960-1985.” Her visit from Mexico City represents a rare opportunity for students and faculty to interact with a world-renowned, dedicated, and highly influential artist-activist.

Centerpiece events with Mayer are a��free��public lecture on November 7th, 7 pm, at PSU’s Lincoln Hall.

Mayer will also be leading a��gallery walk-through on November 8th, 5:30 pm, of her exhibition “Mónica Mayer: Translocal Translations, 1978-2018” at the Paragon Gallery, on the PCC Cascade campus.

On Tuesday, November 6, the artist will be working with PCC and PSU students to develop their own version of her iconic ����dzٳ��������Ա���at the Sylvania Campus in the CC Lobby. In the afternoon, the artist and students will ask the PCC community to help them fill the installation with their own stories. Everyone is invited to stop by and speak with the artist and the students while they’re working.

Events related to the artist’s visit began in October and continue through December 2018.

If you’re interested in learning more about the artist before her arrival in Portland, watch this short (2 min.) .

The playwrights featured in SLAYING THE 10-MINUTE PLAY took Scriptwriting 243/247 at Cascade or Rock Creek campus during the 2017-2018 school year. This is the second year Jeidy has celebrated student playwrights by publishing their work.��The collection is diverse, including works from a veteran, a past union leader and a stand-up comic. Plays explore��sexuality, power imbalances, end of life, varying definitions of success, family, roommates, vampires and war.

Plays from last year’s collection were produced at three events open to the public.��Plans are also in the works to bring some of the plays to the stage throughout the 2018-2019 school year. Including at Art Rock on November 14. The event is called 10-Rock, and it will feature Creative Writing students performing their 10-Minute plays for the public at 3:00 pm in the Building 3 Mall. Admission is free and refreshments will be provided.

SLAYING THE 10-MINUTE PLAY will also be used as a supplemental Scriptwriting textbook in Jeidy’s classes. Hard copies of the book are limited, but a pdf is available. email Gail Jeidy (gail.jeidy@pcc.edu) for a copy.

Justseeds is a politically, socially and environmentally engaged artist cooperative composed of 30 artists working in Mexico, Canada and the US. As the explains:

“With members working from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, Justseeds operates both as a unified collaboration of similarly minded printmakers and as a loose collection of creative individuals with unique viewpoints and working methods. We believe in the transformative power of personal expression in concert with collective action. To this end, we produce collective portfolios, contribute graphics to grassroots struggles for justice, work collaboratively both in- and outside the co-op, build large sculptural installations in galleries, and wheatpaste on the streets—all while offering each other daily support as allies and friends.”

“Celebrate People’s History: Chico Mendes” by Colin Matthes, color offset print (2015)

Justseeds Cooperativa de Artistas es una red descentralizada de 30 artistas comprometidos a la elaboración de gráfica y diseños que reflejan una posición política, medioambiental, y social radical. “Con miembros trabajando en EE.UU. Canadá, y México, Justseeds opera como una colaboración de artistas gráficos y también como una colección de individuos creativpos, con puntos de vista y métodos de trabajo únicos. Creemos en el poder transformativo de la expresión personal en concierto con la acción colectiva. Con este fin, producimos portafolios colectivas, contribuimos con gráfica a movimientos y luchas sociales de base en su búsqueda por justicia, trabajamos de manera colaborativa dentro y fuera de la cooperativa, construimos grandes instalaciones en galerías, pegamos carteles con engrudo en las calles, mientras día a día nos ofrecemos apoyo los unos a los otros como aliados y amigos.”

“Celebrate People’s History: The Diggers” by Erik Ruin, 2 color offset printed poster (2010)

La coopérative d’artiste Justseeds est un réseau décentralisé de 30 artistes dédiés à la production d’impressions reflétant une radicalité sociale et politique. Avec des membres aux États-Unis, au Canada et au “Mexique, Justseeds fonctionne à la fois comme une collaboration d’artistes graphiques à la sensibilité semblable et un rassemblement de créateurs avec des opinions et des méthodes de travail qui leur sont propres. Nous croyons à la puissance transformatrice de l’expression personnelle combinée à l’action collective. À cette fin, nous produisons des portfolios collectifs, nous offrons des œuvres graphiques à des luttes populaires pour la justice, nous travaillons collectivement au sein de la coopérative comme à l’extérieur, nous faisons de grandes installations dans des galeries et nous collons des affiches dans la rue – tout en nous soutenant chaque jour mutuellement comme alliés et amis.”

If you have questions, contact the Environmental Center Coordinator, Peter Ritson at��peter.ritson@pcc.edu.

“We Free Kings” by Chip Thomas, 2 color hand pulled screen print (2018)

April 13, 14, and 20

PCC Cascade Moriarty Arts and Humanities Building Auditorium (Room 104)
705 N Killingsworth St, Portland, Oregon

The ˿����Ƶ Cascade Art Department is pleased to announce a Photographer Speaker Series in support of Portland Photography Month. All students and community members are welcome to attend these free events. The series features nine photographers, who photograph a wide range of subjects and utilize various forms of the medium. They will speak about their life path, artistic practice, and thoughts on the state of photography today. Each artist will lecture for 60 minutes and answer questions.

For more information please contact: Kelli Pennington, PCC photography instructor.

See detailed schedule below.

Friday April 13

4:30pm – Avi Dascaloff
I was Born in a small town in Brazil, was adopted by an America Mother and a Romanian-Jewish Father who were living in Israel at the time. Grew up in Israel and after my military service in the Israeli Navy I moved back to the states at the age of 21. I was “lost” for a few years, didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life. after living in Florida, California, Texas and Oregon I finally came to a stop in Washington. Three years ago I decided to quit my day job and pursue my dream of becoming a full time photographer. It hasn’t been easy but very well worth it.

6:00pm – Leslie Hickey
Leslie Hickey lives and works in Portland, Oregon. She earned BA degrees in Studio Art and English from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. Her photographic work has been exhibited regularly, including a solo show at the Jules Maidoff Gallery at Studio Arts College International in Florence, Italy. Last October, she returned to Italy, travelling to Civita di Bagnoregio for a fellowship through The Civita Institute. In June she will mount another solo show at Edel Extra in Nuremberg, Germany. Her work can be found in the recent edition of Big Big Wednesday and at Essentialist, an online magazine. She is a founding member of Small Talk and also SCALENO, an international photographic collective. Leslie is also proprietor of a letterpress, Hoarfrost Press.

7:30pm – Ray Bidegain
Ray Bidegain was born in Tucson, Arizona and started studying photography in high school. At age 17 he began working on weekends for a large studio that offered wedding photography to the Hispanic community in Southern Arizona. Ray graduated from Brooks Institute of Photography in 1981 and returned to Tucson to operate his own studio before moving to Portland, Oregon. After 17 years as a studio portrait photographer, Ray turned to fine art photography, eventually teaching himself the art of platinum printing and, later, wetplate collodion. Fascinated by both the science and the art of photography and printmaking, Ray is an engaging and respected photo instructor throughout the Pacific Northwest. Ray’s photographs are internationally collected, and his work has been exhibited across the United States, and in France, Germany, and Scotland. He is currently represented by Russ Levin in Monterey.

Saturday April 14

1:30pm – Rachel Wolf
Rachel Wolf specializes in Photography and Light Installations. Many of her projects are experiments in which the external world is lensed in a way that considers inner reality and visual perception; photography implies an objectivity, whose impossibility masks potent subjectivities. One of her principal methods of working with photography is without a camera, and involves directly exposing photographic paper to light and chemicals. She chooses to return to these irreducible elements, the invisible tools of analogue photography, in order to produce a new, tangible photographic subject. This way of working with light in the dark led her to start producing light-based installations. These are spaces in which a viewer may find themselves in a liminal space between sensory experience and knowledge, the analytical and the corporeal, perception and apprehension. Rachel exhibits her work nationally, and is an educator and speaker in the field. Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, Rachel earned her BA from Hampshire College and her MFA from Pacific Northwest College of Art.

3:00pm – Margaret Jacobsen
I’m a non-binary parent who loves dance parties in the kitchen, all day naps, brunch at anytime, writing articles that challenge, raising plant babies, and leading discussions around dismantling patriarchy, societies expectations with relationships, how to take care of our mental health, and how to build community in all that we do. A photographer + writer by trade, who has fallen into strategy + branding, while teaching fellow humans about race, queerness, gender, and often times plants, and pop culture. I try to do as many things as possible, because why not?

4:30pm – Davis Hilton
I am a 23-year-old photographer living in Portland, and I love taking portraits. To be honest, I could photograph people for the rest of my life and be the happiest person alive. I am a college student, currently working on earning my degree in advertising at Portland State University. I’m also a proud member of the LGBT community, and a Game of Thrones fanatic.

Friday April 20

4:30pm – Katharine T Jacobs
Katharine T Jacobs is a graduate of Oregon College of Art and Craft. Originally from the rural foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Katharine began her education at California College of the Arts in Oakland, California. There she learned to shoot with a large format camera and discovered Polaroid type 55 film. In 2007 she moved to Portland, purchased her own 4×5 camera and started photographing friends, family and countless strangers. Her focus in street photography and large format shooting would inspire her journey across the United States and the production of her largest body of work to date; American Strangers. Katharine continues to use portraiture as a main focus in her work. In junction with multiple exposures and mixed media she uses the photograph as a vehicle and a reference point that empowers the viewer to interact with objects and items they may not have. Katharine Jacobs lives and works in Portland, Oregon and is inspired by her family and the nature of the Pacific Northwest.

6:00pm – Blue Mitchell
Blue Mitchell is an independent publisher, curator, educator, and photographer. Based in Portland, Oregon, he has been involved with many facets of the photographic arts. Mitchell received his BFA from Oregon College of Art & Craft where he has also taught studio school classes and workshops. In his personal work, he implements many photographic techniques including toy cameras, pinhole, alternative processes, mixed media, and hand drawing. Most recently Mitchell has been specializing in acrylic lifts–this process and artwork have been published in Photographic Possibilities, 3rd edition by Robert Hirsch and Alternative Photographic Processes: Crafting Handmade Images by Brady Wilks.

7:30pm – Zeb Andrews
Zeb Andrews is a Portland-based photographer who has lived his entire life in the Pacific Northwest. The majority of his work week is spent immersed in photography while working at Blue Moon Camera and Machine in North Portland. Much of his inspiration comes from the photographers and photography he sees circulate through that store on a daily basis, and he in turn loves passing that along. Zeb was an instructor at Newspace Center for Photography for seven years and frequently gives presentations to local high school and college photography programs on all things photographic. When he isn’t at work or enthralled in a class lecture he can often be found on some windswept beach or quietly verdant forest, camera in hand.

“Exposure to the arts and humanities reveals to us the complex and diverse world around us, hopefully making us more attuned to our socialization and possible transformative powers of looking at things from alternative perspectives.” – Dr. Karen Paez

Dr. Karen Paez serves at the Dean of Instruction for the Sylvania Campus at ˿����Ƶ. She has worked for PCC since 2008 in various roles, supporting both instruction and student development. Dr. Paez has worked in higher education in community college and university settings since 2000, teaching across several disciplines, including psychology, sociology, human services, college success and career guidance. Trained as a counseling psychologist at the University of Oregon, her approach to work is strongly embedded in a developmental, holistic, and learner-centered approach.

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Which book have you read the most times?

Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed is the book that inspired me to work in the field of education. I come back to it when I need a reminder of the power of social justice education and I use it to hold myself accountable when I’m off course. It’s like medicine for my educator’s soul.

Which book have you given as a gift the most?

I find myself gifting Pema Chodron’s When Things Fall Apart to my friends and loved ones going through difficult times. There is nothing like the healing powers of a good book!

When do you listen to music?

I listen to music in the car, when I’m working out, when I’m folding laundry, and when I am in need of a dose of good energy.

Which literary character do you admire the most?

My admiration for literary characters are connected to the time in my life when I discovered the wonders of reading. I admire characters like Nancy Drew and Margaret from Judy Blume’s “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” These are curious young girls showing courage exploring concepts, ideas, and mysteries. They inspired me to ask big questions, challenge assumptions, and explore new thought territories. These are qualities that led me to the field of education and mapped a courageous and confident approach to learning for me.

What is the last film you saw in a theater?

Star Wars! My partner is a big fan and since I’m a big fan of him, I went along.

Which work of art that you saw in a museum moved you or stopped you in your tracks?

When I saw Monet’s lilies at the Musee’ de l’Orangerie in Paris, I felt breath leave my body as if in a movie. I was overwhelmed by a feeling of gratitude for the privilege of being in that space to experience something so extraordinary and that I had only seen in books.

When you think of your high school years, what music comes to mind?

No shame – Vanilla Ice. My mom wouldn’t let me listen to him and it was one of the only times I broke the rules and bought his album without approval. Of course, she found it and it was confiscated. To this day, she reminds me about how I broke the rules buying that album.

What is the role of art in your life?

The act of appreciating art inspires me to create, challenge and expand my beliefs, feel emotions more deeply, and connect with others from different places, cultures, and experiences.

What is the social function of the arts and humanities?

Exposure to the arts and humanities reveals to us the complex and diverse world around us, hopefully making us more attuned to our socialization and possible transformative powers of looking at things from alternative perspectives. This has a direct influence on how we relate to one another and how we understand ourselves. The more exposure we have to the human experience in all of its forms, the more deeply we can engage in our lives. In addition, sharing in the arts and humanities supports community and connection building, which greatly enhances our lives as social beings.

What is the role of the arts and humanities in a college?

By exposing students to the arts and humanities, we demonstrate how to create space in our lives for the incredible growth that comes from opening your mind to new interests, ideas, experiences, and perspectives. This exposure transforms the mind, develops critical thinking, enhances cross-cultural relationships, and ignites creativity. The arts and humanities classroom is a place where relational, cognitive, and emotional connections are born.

What are your guilty pleasures in books, films, music?

I’m an eighties child, so I’ve been known to indulge in a lazy Sunday watching John Hughes movies.

Which emotions are evoked by the art you admire?

I appreciate that art has the power to evoke the full range of emotions, but find that I’m most impacted by the experience of connectedness in the art I admire. There is something incredibly spiritual in the realization that we are all represented and interconnected through art.

Are the arts and humanities today threatened or in decline? If so, why?

It is clear that we need to be mindful of possible threats or declines to the arts and humanities, given the imperative function these disciplines play in personal and social development for our students. As we work to enhance systems to better support students in attaining their career and degree/certificate goals, a holistic approach to education will also emphasize approaches that develop students into leaders and thoughtful citizens in the ways that the arts and humanities do.

“There are so many ways that the arts and humanities are critical to our lives as individuals and as a society. I believe they help us make sense of the world around us, often in ways that are hard to define.” – Josephine Pino, Biology faculty and EAC chair.

Josephine Pino grew up embraced within the rich cultural and natural beauty of Albuquerque, NM . She received her degree in Biochemistry at the University of NM before leaving to study Marine Biology at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. Her career as a community college life science instructor has been geographically diverse and fulfilling.��She is now happily at PCC’s Rock Creek campus where she teaches Biology and is currently chairperson of the PCC Educational Advisory Council.��She recently enjoyed her first summer term as a Poetry student.

Which book have you read the most times?

Not counting Dr. Seuss or Golden Books, the book I’ve read the most times is A Room with a View by E.M. Forster. I love the humor, the clever use of language and turns of phrase, and most of all, I love the main character, Lucy, a young woman who is discovering her own inner strength. It is also a swoon-worthy love story.

Which book have you given as a gift the most?

Love you Forever by Robert Munsch makes a great baby shower gift!

When do you listen to music?

While grading and commuting.

Which literary character do you admire the most?

Jane Eyre – strong, intelligent and stubborn. I “met” Jane when I was a grumpy teenager and have loved her and visited her often ever since.

What is the last film you saw in a theater?

The Mountain Between Us.

Which work of art that you saw in a museum moved you or stopped you in your tracks?

Georgia O’Keefe’s vibrant flower paintings, especially the dark hollyhocks and the red poppy.

When you think of your high school years, what music comes to mind?

Led Zeppelin, Stairway to Heaven and anything by Journey.

What is the role of art in your life?

I love visual art, reading fiction, and have recently discovered a love of reading and writing poetry. I find that my poetry writing themes connect to my love of nature, and in particular, I love writing about those places and times where humans interact with nature.

What is the social function of the arts and humanities?

Wow. This is a big one. There are so many ways that the arts and humanities are critical to our lives as individuals and as a society. I believe they help us make sense of the world around us, often in ways that are hard to define. When we see a painting or read a book or a sentence such as the beautiful prose of Toni Morrison, we are connected in that moment to the artist and to every other person who has appreciated that art. This connection, I believe, helps us to find humanity in each other regardless of all our differences. It leads us to ask questions and to find answers. Asking questions and finding answers is something we do as children and, hopefully, continue to do as adults as a daily source of fulfillment.

What is the role of the arts and humanities in your classroom?

I teach Biology, and think about this question a lot! The graphic art that supports my students’ learning might be the most important resource we have. Artists have created drawings, paintings, and videos that help us “see” what we can’t see with our eyes. They model what we know is happening in nature, from the very tiny molecules in our cells to the entire biosphere.

Also, I have begun, in the past year, to be deliberate in bringing poetry and literature into my classroom. I start new thematic units with a poem that is somehow connected to a new life science theme. For example, I just read a poem about an old elm tree by Jimmy Santiago Baca (he writes about the neighborhood where I grew up in NM) to my Biology students on the day we discussed photosynthesis, and when we talked about the chemistry of water and its role in sustaining life, I showed a painting by an indigenous artist, depicting the same theme. I feel that these connections between our disciplines are intellectually calming and valuable. I believe they promote creative and critical thinking. Most importantly, they are fun.

What are your guilty pleasures in books, films, music?

Books: Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series (fun fact: She and I are both alumni of Scripps Institution of Oceanography! Also, she is from Arizona and I’m from New Mexico. I find it interesting that we both left the desert to study marine biology)

Films: The English Patient (I’ve watched it countless times); I am also a big fan of H. Miyazaki films. My Neighbor Totoro is my favorite of his films.

Music: I love many genres. I might listen to Metallica one minute and Andrea Bocelli the next. It depends on my mood. If I need to perk up, I listen to Latin pop. My fall back is anything acoustic.

Which emotions are evoked by the art you admire?

All of them.

I admire art that can evoke multiple emotions: wonder, love, surprise, melancholy, longing. When I like a piece of art, I might feel something different every time I look at it. I look at Emily Carr’s trees, for example, and they evoke very different feelings in the Summer compared to the Spring or Fall, even if it is the same painting.

Are the arts and humanities today threatened or in decline? If so, why?

I just recently realized, in speaking with a colleague, that a student today can actually finish college without ever being required to read literature. To me, this is heartbreaking, so yes: the arts and humanities are threatened.

“What’s in a Label? Rethinking Diversity and Racial Categories”

Wed., April 11, from��1:30 to 3 p.m.��in the Event Center in Building 9 at Rock Creek��

Featuring�� Ann Su, public interest attorney, community activist and social justice advocate.��

The discussion is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided. Parking is limited and permits are required.

This program is made possible by the generous support of community members Don and Bonnie Blish, who believe strongly that frank and respectful conversations can lead to common ground and healthier communities, in partnership with Oregon Humanities, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Oregon Cultural Trust.

For more information contact 971-722-6160