“The Ongoing Moment” Opening Reception and Author Readings at SMC’s Emeritus Art Gallery Nov. 21

“The Ongoing Moment” Opening Reception and Author Readings at SMC’s Emeritus Art Gallery Nov. 21

Collaborative Art and Writing Exhibit Runs Nov. 21-Jan. 10

SANTA MONICA, CA — SMC’s Emeritus Art Gallery announces the return as an on-campus event of “The Ongoing Moment: Literature and Art from SMC Emeritus,” a collaborative journal/exhibition of original writing and art created by Emeritus students in the Autobiography writing class led by author Monona Wali, the Watercolor Studio class taught by artist Catherine Tirr, and the Writing for Publication class taught by Kathleen MacKay.

The free exhibition will run Nov. 21 through Jan. 10 in the SMC Emeritus Art Gallery, located on the first floor of SMC Emeritus, 1227 Second Street, Santa Monica. An opening reception with author readings — also free to the public — will be held Thursday, Nov. 21, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Author readings will start promptly at 5 p.m. in Room 107, and be followed by a reception with light refreshments in the gallery, hosted by Tirr and Wali with Emeritus Associate Dean (interim) Guadalupe Salgado-Shower and Emeritus Gallery Curator Jesse Benson.

Additional details are available at smc.edu/emeritusgallery or by calling 310-434-4306.

In an excerpt from the introduction to this year’s edition, Wali and Tirr write:

It’s such a delight to present this 10th edition of “The Ongoing Moment!” Much of the discourse of this year has been around the uncertainty of our times. It’s hard to be a writer or an artist and live in oblivion of all the urgent and horrifying news that filters in through our screens. Aging adds its own level of uncertainty; mortality is ever more present. As Catherine Tirr notes below, even setting brush or pen to paper is an uncertain act. Becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable, letting a story unfold without knowing the outcome, is one of the greatest leaps a writer can make.

As our COVID era shifts and morphs, it has been interesting to return to in-person classes. After a bumpy start, some classes are almost “back to normal.” It is exciting to be back in the classroom and observe the difference between online and in-person education. Certainly, each has their advantages, but there is something about human interaction in the flesh and blood that brings a different quality of connection. When a writer reads their story in the classroom, the silence of rapt attention or raucous laughter in reaction to a humorous moment is something we have missed on Zoom, where the ‘mute all’ button is a necessary tool. Above all, what is amazing to note is the great degree of adaptivity that marks our students. We are all learning new modes of adaptation all the time, and that is perhaps the greatest resource we can bring to our uncertain times.

Many uncertainties exist in 2024, namely global political climates, fragile eco systems, and climate change. More significant to some is the uncertainty of personal journeys through life. Each time we set out to make a painting there is the uncertainty of placing one mark atop another, one color neighboring another, textures or patterns next to one another. There is uncertainty where to place the emphasis and the tension in an image, how to convey an emotion, or an idea or message. In creating a painting, uncertainty abounds, and if we knew with certainty how an image would turn out, the challenge and thrill of the process would be lost. This year, my painting students grappled with all these issues and were passionately engaged in the process of exploring different techniques, while handling this inexhaustible theme.

“We’re thrilled to invite you to our first in-person reception for ‘The Ongoing Moment’ since the pandemic,” said Associate Dean Salgado-Shower. “This is an especially meaningful gathering, as we not only celebrate the incredible art and writing of our talented Emeritus students, but also honor 50 years of the Emeritus community. Please join us in this milestone celebration!”

This year’s edition of “The Ongoing Moment” features written works by Gordon Blitz, Lois Bostwick, Linda Brookover, Kathleen Carey, Dorothy Chin, Judy Davidson, Michael Dernburg, William Doran, Bec Edelson, Wendy Fairbanks, Frances Feinman, Caroline Feinstein, Elizabeth Fenjves, Darlene Gaston, Nancy Gimbrone, Linda J. Hernandez, Feiga Herzog, Brett Holler, Ed Johnson, Tracy Katz, Marie Kennedy, Esther Lainer, Jeanne Lee, Margaret Lenzey, Tamar F. Levin, Rhoda Newman, Janice Nishida, Sean O’Shea, Martin Pearlman, Bonnie Deb Schneider Priever, Linda Rosman, Alice Roy, Veena Sadana, Evelyn Salem, Joe Samuels, Jeanne Shamji, Frima Telerant, Sharon Valente, Nancy Vinicor, Wendy Walsdorf, Shifra Myerow Wylder, and Lisa Zarowin.

Artwork in this year’s edition was created by Darshini Aithal, Nadia Akaoui, Marilyn Alquizola, Abbe Barron, Jill Benham, Claudia Carol, Eunjin Chae, Mina Choksi, Pat Fennel, Linda Freedman, Caroline Gray, Kathleen Higgins, Kate Kausch, Sun Lau, Erica LeBlanc, Cheryl Lee, Francine Lucey, Barbara Milliken, Janice Nishida, Helene Poletti, Bea Pomasanoff, Sanae Suzuki, Edwin G Torres, Shifra Wylder, and Adam Yu.

Copies of “The Ongoing Moment” will be available for purchase online (while supplies last) at foundation.smc.edu/ongoingmoment or through the gallery website at smc.edu/emeritusgallery. The cost is $10 per copy.

SMC’s widely praised Emeritus program, founded by Santa Monica College in 1975 to serve the lifelong learning interests of older adults, offers more than 120 noncredit adult education classes and special programs that serve more than 3,000 students each year.

# # #