news Brandnews is a publication of Brand Associates
WINTER/SPRING 2018
Photos: Arlene Vidor
Brand Associates and Glendale Community College create an inspiring collaboration
A
unique collaboration between the Associates and Glendale Community College (GCC), nine months in the making, was unveiled in September of 2017. The GCC Library had been undergoing a long anticipated 2-year rehabilitation including replacement of old fixtures, furniture, outmoded seating configurations and the much-despised popcorn ceiling. The dated, dark framed prints that had served as decoration for many years were retired and the bright, freshly painted walls needed some new art. Enter Associates Board member Debra Thompson who is also Adjunct Assistant Professor of Art History at GCC and serves on the college Library and Information Committee. Working with the head Librarian, Eric Hanson, and Visual and Performing Arts department chairperson, David Attyah, a plan was devised to utilize art work from the Associates’ Robert Brown, Jane Friend Purchase, and Mary Owens Collections to hang in the main study area of the GCC Library. It was agreed that student input was crucial to the success of the project, so students were given an opportunity to vote on line for their favorite 10 artworks from a group of 20 preselected pieces chosen based on visual appeal of content, composition and potential to work well in the expansive library space. The final ten artworks included several brightly
Left: GCC students study under an enlarged reproduction of Jeff Owens’ watercolor “Orange Crates” a past Jane Friend Purchase Award winner. Right: GCC President David Viar, Deb Thompson and GCC Visual & Performing Arts Chair, David Attyah are thrilled with our collaboration – as we all are!
colored serigraphs, two black and white and boldly graphic artworks and naturalistic compositions of cakes, musicians and other subjects. The chosen artworks were removed from their frames, professionally photographed in high resolution, and then digitally printed on wrapped canvases with a uniform size. This work was funded by a generous grant of $5,000 from the Glendale College Foundation. The resulting enlivened space of bold reproductions created a welcome addition to the study area and has been warmly received by students, staff and faculty alike. Please drop in to the GCC library to view the results of the Associates collaboration with the greater Glendale community. Visit the GCC website www.glendale.edu for parking information and Library hours. Collaborations coming up: Artwork from the Associates collections will be placed in offices and conference rooms at the Glendale Central Library and for sale in the Friends of the Library book store. Our next newsletter will present more information.