In one room of the W.K. & Janet Kellogg University Art Gallery, a graffiti installation spans an entire wall. Another area showcases mixed media works of paint and recycled materials. And throughout the gallery are pedestals featuring a recently published guide to color principles and a portfolio of typefaces.

What do all of these pieces have in common? They’re all the work of Cal Poly Pomona art department faculty.

From Nov. 10 to Dec. 13, the art gallery will host the Art Department Faculty Show, featuring 12 full and part-time faculty members. Touching on multiple themes of environmentalism, human struggle, pop culture and local influences, the exhibit offers something for everyone.

Creativity for a Cause

Babette Mayor, who teaches graphic design, created an eco-conscious installation for the exhibit. Layering photographs of Vitamin Water bottles on top of old prints, Mayor cut them out to resemble bombs.

“The Plastic Pollution Coalition inspired me to start this series,” Mayor says. “A show like this generates dialogue so we can talk about these important things.”

She is selling each piece of the installation for $50 and donating the proceeds to the organization, which aims to stop plastic’s harmful effects on the environment.

A Different Perspective

Barbara Thomason, who teaches printmaking, has two paintings on display related to her latest book, 100 Not So Famous Views of L.A.  While each painting in the book focuses on tighter views of the city, the ones in the show feature broader day and night skies from the top of Los Angeles City Hall.

Thomason painted the two pieces to show an incredible view: City Hall closed at night. The two paintings each took about six months to complete.

“I thought this would be an interesting addendum to the series,” she says. “The paintings were the big picture of the 100 individual locations.”

History through Art

Ray Kampf, who also teaches graphic design, is showcasing a graphic timeline of musical theatre. Kampf drew characters from musical history in Sharpie, and digitized them for a graphic timeline. Characters from the early Greek plays to contemporary musicals make the connection between the stories and their historical context.

“When I was doing the piece, it became very obvious to me what was going on in Europe and the United States at the time of these musicals,” Kampf says. “It’s a strong statement about society and how we view things.”

Another Dimension

All three professors say that there are two key functions of the exhibit: to show both their students and the surrounding community their work.

“I think faculty shows are important because it gives the students a chance to see what their professors do,” Thomason says. “It is one thing to talk about art in the classroom but it is another for them to see the actual work.”

And the team at the art gallery agrees.

“It’s great for students to see another dimension of their faculty, and the public also gets to experience their work,” says Michele Cairella Fillmore, director and curator for both the Kellogg and Huntley art galleries. “We need to show that we have art and culture on this campus.”

The opening reception for the event is Monday from 4 to 8 p.m. The gallery is open Monday and Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m., and Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information, visit the Kellogg University Art Gallery Facebook page.