UC Merced art show to celebrate 10 years

More than 60 pieces of artwork made by UC Merced students, faculty and staff will get the spotlight when the 10th annual Bobcat Art Show opens Monday.

A reception is planned the following week from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on April 13 at the UC Merced Art Gallery in the Social Science and Management Building, which is toward the east end of the campus, 5200 N. Lake Road.

As always, admission is free to the gallery, which is organized by Arts UC Merced Presents.

The lion’s share of the art in the show comes from students, according to Gail Benedict, who heads up Arts UC Merced Presents. The students also compete for a number of trophies, including one for “Best Artist of the Year.”

Benedict, who founded the show during the school’s first year, is retiring at the end of this school year. She said the show this year is special to her, because it’s reached the decade-long milestone.

Making the show a regular event was one of her goals. “I wanted it to be something that would just be with the campus forever,” she said.

The gallery’s manager, art professor Tonya Lopez-Craig, said it draws shows all year from a variety of artists from out of the area. The Bobcat Art Show is unique because it’s driven by UC Merced students, she said.

The art gallery organizers want all the shows to highlight other work at the university, she said. “We try to complement what’s going on, on campus,” she said.

The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Bobcat Art Show work in the library is hung on the second floor toward the north and east of the building. The library is open most nights until midnight.

Like the gallery, entry to the library is free. Though there is a fee to park on campus.

For more on the show or the reception, call Benedict at (209) 228-4566.

This story was originally published April 2, 2015 at 12:18 PM with the headline "UC Merced art show to celebrate 10 years."