The WVC Art Gallery is a dynamic space showcasing the talent, ideas, and perspectives shaping art and design at West Valley College and beyond. Throughout the year, the gallery features student and faculty exhibitions, along with an annual Visiting Artist Exhibition each spring. Visiting artists are selected through connections with Montalvo Arts Center and represent a range of disciplines, perspectives, and creative practices, bringing fresh ideas and inspiring work directly to our campus community.
Want to see your own work on the gallery walls? Students can get involved and explore exhibition opportunities by enrolling in one of West Valley’s many Art courses. Come see what’s on view. The WVC Art Gallery is located on the first floor of the Visual Arts Building, VAB 100.
Current Exhibit
Art Exhibition
November 9-December 4
VAB 100
Gallery Opening Reception
Thursday, November 19 | 5-7:30 p.m.
VAB 110
Complimentary parking in Lot 7.
Student Holiday Sale:
Thursday, November 19 | 5-7 p.m.
Monday, November 23 | 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
VAB 110
Experience the creativity and talent of the students at WVC. From visual arts and fashion to industrial design, architecture, music, and film, this exhibition commemorates the range of artistic expression within our campus community. Whether you're an art enthusiast or looking for something interesting to explore, we invite you to stop by, support our talented students, and experience their work firsthand!
In conjunction with the Cilker SoAD Student Showcase, we will be hosting a Holiday Sale featuring a variety of different student made pieces and the most one-of-a-kind gifts to give anyone this holiday season. Get a head start on your holiday shopping while supporting local student art.
Bring your friends, family, and holiday shopping list, and stop by to support our talented student artists. We hope to see you there! The showcase and holiday sale are open to the public.
Pictured: Burnout, 2026. Oil & Acrylic. Artist: Emily Lombardi
Past Exhibits
Fall 2025 | School of Art and Design Showcase
- Exhibition Dates: 11/3–12/5
- Gallery Opening Reception: Thursday 11/20 from 5–7:30 p.m.
- Student Holiday Sale: Thursday 11/20 from 5–7:30 p.m. and Monday 11/24 from 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
SoAD Showcase – An exhibit open to all students of the Cilker School of Art and Design to highlight their latest creations across multimedia art forms. Located at Visual Arts Building, Room 100 – Visual Art Gallery.
The Holiday Sale – An annual event in late November during which West Valley students are invited to sell their work. Attendees will find ceramics, jewelry, fashion items, cards, and other gift items for sale. Located at Visual Arts Building, Room 110.
Complimentary parking offered in Lot 7 during the Gallery Opening Reception and Holiday Sale.
Fall 2024 | Art Faculty & Staff Show
- Exhibition Dates: September 16 – October 14, 2024
- Opening Reception: Thursday, September 26 from 5:30–7:00 p.m.
Featuring artwork by Kathy Arnold, Rachel Ashman, Heidi Brueckner, Kimberly Cook, Jason Challas, Chris Cryer, Mitra Fabian, Dan Fenstermacher, Ron Guzman, Michael Johnson, Phoenix Malanga, Chris Sicat, and Gary Tolomei.
Gallery Hours
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 12:00–2:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 2:00–4:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 12:00–2:00 p.m. |
| Thursday | 2:00–4:00 p.m. |
Spring 2025 | Long Hair and Double-Sided Pareidolia
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- Solo Exhibition Dates: March 10 – May 2, 2025
- Gallery Opening Reception: Thursday, March 13 from 5:00–7:00 p.m.
Complimentary parking in Lot 7 during the Opening Reception.
Juan Luna-Avin is a Bay Area interdisciplinary artist whose work examines individual and collective identities. His new solo exhibition at West Valley College Art Gallery, Long Hair and Double-Sided Pareidolia, features large-scale works on paper and paintings, as well as a series of mixed media sculptures and combines. The works span from the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown to the present, a period that has been marked by multiple crises, uncertainty, and chaos. Through a longstanding preoccupation with the pictorial tradition and storytelling, the artist explores these themes with both grief and humor.
The works combine influences that include 1980s street art, Mexican folk art, American comics, 20th century animation, and post-1945 figurative painting, referencing gestures, outlines, and colors from Hanna-Barbera characters to Antonio Saura’s paintings. Inspiration also comes from observations of everyday people and places, TV shows, and news and advertisements in all formats.
Aside from his hybrid practice of traditional drawing and painting media and techniques, Luna-Avin uses recycled materials such as product packaging, magazine and junk mail cutouts, found photographs, and discarded paper. In addition, he incorporates reproductions of his own drawings, which allows him to inject a bit of the mechanical process and experiment with scale, color, and reverse images. Narratives overlap to create a sense of disorder – and playfulness.
While the language of comics often provides an engaging and accessible vehicle to examine difficult topics, there’s also a philosophical aspect. For the artist, it helps him process and understand the world around us. At the same time, he appreciates the mystery of art and invites the viewer to interpret how the characters interact with each other and in relation to their environments.
Luna-Avin is a graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute (BFA, Painting) and Stanford University (MFA, Art Practice).
Spring 2024 | Koons Ruins
- Exhibition Dates: February 20 – April 4, 2024
- Reception: Thursday, February 29 from 5:00–7:00 p.m.
Fall 2023 | Mentorship Exhibit
The Art Department at West Valley College presents the inaugural Art Gallery Exhibit.
- Reception: Friday, October 27 at 5:30 p.m.
Spring 2023 | Ceramics and Sculpture Student Exhibition
- Exhibition Schedule: March 13 – April 14, 2023
Spring 2021 | Gallery: Student Art Exhibition
Fall 2020 | Gallery: Student Art Exhibition
The Cilker School of Art & Design Gallery and the West Valley Graphics Shop are elated to announce the upcoming 2020 Virtual Art Gallery Student Exhibition.
Fall 2020 | Gallery: Art Faculty and Staff
Fall 2020 celebrates the creative work of faculty and staff at West Valley College – Fine Arts Dept. whose scholarship and teaching are grounded in an art-making practice.
Spring 2020 | Gallery: Say Their Names
Ten photographers have come together to share their work documenting the protests around the Bay Area that have taken place in response to the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020.