Samantha Douty/Foghorn
Every year the college chooses the second place winner and places it in the gallery on the fifth floor in the William F. White Library on Del Mar College’s East Campus.
In 1967, art professor Joe Cain speculated that the way to create an art exhibition worthy of national acclaim was to focus on two genres, drawing and small sculpture, and to bring in a nationally recognized judge. The event Cain started all those years ago at Del Mar is known today as the annual National Drawing and Small Sculpture Show.
As the 50th anniversary for the show rolls around, this year is bound to be one for the books.
“When it started, there was no show exactly like this,” said Jonzo Cain-Calloway, Cain’s daughter and a professor of English at Del Mar. “I think it put our art department on the map.”
Cynthia Perkins, art professor at Del Mar College and author of “A Short History of the National Drawing and Small Sculpture Show,” agreed.
“In the art world, Del Mar College is well-known,” Perkins said. “You can say you are from Corpus Christi and someone from New York can say, ‘Hey, isn’t that the place that has that national art show?’ If it wasn’t for Joe Cain, Del Mar wouldn’t be as known today.”
This year, there will be more than 130 artist entries in the show from across the United States. In previous years, many entries came from all over the world.
Meagan Falcon/Foghorn
Brian Dettmer, an internationally known sculptor and New York-based artist, previews his work to students on a slide show on how he carves and sculpts books into beautiful works of art.
Brian Dettmer, an internationally known sculptor and New-York-based artist, will be the show’s 50th juror. Dettmer is best known for his book sculpting and other forms of antiquated media.
“When I found out I was the 50th juror for this year’s art show I was completely surprised and honored,” Dettmer said.
“I had a lot of fun judging this year’s entries. Seeing some of the artwork that I assumed was small online turned out to be much bigger in person than my expectations led me to believe. To me, that is what made the judging process fun.”
Kenneth Rosier, professor of art and chairman for the Art and Drama Department at Del Mar spoke about how the art show is a true resource for the community, “It’s not online. It’s not in a book. It’s real,” he said.
“That’s exciting for art lovers and for our students who get to see art that wasn’t made by their instructors.”
Art collectors may purchase many of the exhibition pieces. Every year, Del Mar purchases a few pieces and adds them to its permanent collections, one of which is housed in the Cain Gallery.
Cain was a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and a World War II/Korean War veteran. He was also an accomplished painter when he came to Del Mar, Cain-Calloway said.
He was chairman of Del Mar’s art department when he died in 1980.
The longevity of the National Drawing and Small Sculpture Show is a testament to Cain’s foresight.
The show runs from Feb. 19 to May 6 in the Joseph A. Cain Memorial Art Gallery, located in the Fine Arts Center on Del Mar College’s East Campus, and is free to the public. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon Friday. An opening reception is scheduled from 6-8p.m. Feb. 19 in the Cain Gallery.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: 50th annual National Drawing and Sculpture Show
WHEN: Feb. 19-May 6
WHERE: Joseph A. Cain Memorial Gallery in the Fine Arts Center at Del Mar College’s East Campus
COST: Free and open to the public
WHAT: Opening reception for 50th annual National Drawing and Sculpture ShowWHEN: 6-8 p.m. Feb. 19
WHERE: Joseph A. Cain Memorial Gallery in the Fine Arts Center at Del Mar College’s East Campus
COST: Free and open to the public
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