Over the last few years various new structures and facilities have been constructed and opened to the public further enhancing the educational goals of the campus. On Aug. 21 the latest building was dedicated and officially opened.

Located on the west side of campus, across from the Recital Hall and connected to the art and music building, Cosumnes River College’s Art Gallery was dedicated in a ceremony featuring CRC President Deborah Travis, Los Rios Chancellor Brian King, Los Rios Board of Trustees member Kay Albiani and Dean of Communications, Visual and Performing Arts Torence Powell.

Administrators, faculty and guests attended the event filling every seat available in front of the gallery, while others stood waiting for speeches and a tour of the building to begin.

“This art gallery reflects a sustaining value of CRC in our desire to be truly a gathering place for the community,” Travis said.

Travis said that the depth of learning artists experience as they attend CRC, taking an art class, while participating in the design and showcasing of expressions of their own along with those of fellow students is unparallelled and invaluable to their artistic pursuits.

The Los Rios Board of Trustees, Chancellor King, the community and the local taxpayers and Bond Oversight committee as well as members of the faculty and administration were thanks by Travis for the part they all played in seeing the art gallery come to fruition.

Following Travis’ introduction, King acknowledged the faculty that were in attendance and brought attention to those that were artists in the crowd.

“I just want to say to our faculty, I am in awe. When you walk inside the building today the walls are still white, so you get to see the beauty of the building, and then a slide show is going on that shows the artwork of our faculty,” King said. “How many of you are like me, that if you have any artistic talent it is thoroughly undiscovered? So those of us in that category have tremendous appreciation for the talent of our faculty. And take advantage of seeing the artwork that will be featured in this beautiful facility.”

Trustee Albiani said that the trustees are dedicated to improving each of the college campuses to reach the level of facilities that Folsom Lake College, the newest of the campuses, currently has. Albiani also noted that CRC is the last of the campuses to gain an art gallery.

Dean Powell, when he took to the podium, said that they were “saving the best for last” in regards to the opening of an art gallery.

“A gallery signifies true commitment to artistic excellence for college and the surrounding community,” Powell said. “It provides a professional space for students to exhibit their work, raising the bar with respect to the quality and creativity of the paintings, sculptures and drawings they produce and they put on display.”

Besides hosting art work of students and the community, the gallery will allow the school to exhibit work from around the world, join art competitions and host existing exhibits from other galleries, Powell said.

Travis, King, Albiani and Powell joined other members of the board of trustees, art faculty from CRC and various others who helped make the facility a reality for the ceremonial ribbon cutting to signify that the gallery is officially open and ready to use.

Attendees of the dedication were greeted with snacks and refreshments as they toured the facility. Inside they were greeted by a large space that will house various different pieces of artwork, as well as open spaces that students will be able to use to further their art education.

The gallery will remain blank until Oct. 10, which is when Professor Yoshio Taylor said that the first exhibit will debut.