While the first two shows of the Cosumnes River College Art Gallery played host to different exhibitions of artwork from campus faculty, gallery curator Yoshio Taylor went a different direction for the third.

This newest collection, called “Visions,” highlights the work of local comic illustrators and runs from March 6 through April 24. The opening night reception, March 6, allowed students and guests to interact with all four of the featured artists and talk about the pieces they were showing.

Taylor, also an art professor on campus, was introduced to Thomas Yeates, one of the comic illustrators, and said he knew right away that he wanted to make a comic illustrator exhibition.

“I’ve always respected their skill as an artist,” Taylor said. “So I asked my colleague Jeff Kimbler to search for additional local graphic artists. He came up with Robert Love who lives in Elk Grove, Mel Rubi and also C. P. Smith.”

The artists all have different backgrounds and inspirations that brought them to the field.

Love, a former CRC student, said he was a self taught comic artist and illustrator, while Yeates said that he has a sister who inspired art among his family. Smith, a story development artist, said in a joking tone that bills were what inspired him.
Those in attendance said that they noticed the differences in the artists’ works.

“What I really loved about the artists is each has an individual style that comes through when you look at them,” said photography Professor Kathryn Mayo.

Taylor Johnson, 20, an undeclared major said she agreed about the differences.

“It’s pretty incredible. I love comic book styled art so this is right up my alley,” Johnson said. “All the styles are so unique.”

James Burton, 37, had his own reasons to attend.

“I saw Mel’s and C. P.’s work at a con and got introduced to their work there,” Burton said. “I found out that they were doing an art gallery, so I wanted to come down and look at more of their subject matter.”

Love said he had a reason for the pieces he chose.

“I like originality. I think that’s very important in art whether it be in comics or whatever,” Love said. “I think what I picked back there speaks for original.”

As with the previous shows, Mayo said the artwork displayed is meant to serve as an example of the possibilities available to art students.

“It’s great because our students can see this, and see [that] what they’re doing can lead to something like this,” Mayo said.