Boehm Gallery History
The Boehm Gallery of Palomar College was dedicated
as a not-for-profit art space in 1966. The Gallery is named after a former
Palomar College Dean of Humanities, Dwight Boehm. The gallery has steadily gained in stature locally, nationally
and internationally. It has been
featured in such prestigious publications as Art Forum, Artweek, Art in
America, Ornaments, and Craft Horizons.
The Gallery's original director and vital spirit
in its movement towards recognition was Russell Baldwin. Mr. Baldwin is a graduate of California State University San
Diego. He is a nationally recognized conceptual artist in his own right. In
1984, Mr. Baldwin spearheaded the effort to transform the former Arts and Music
Library into additional gallery space.
This expansion doubled the original size of the gallery to its current
2,000 square feet. Throughout his tenure,
Mr. Baldwin also developed a permanent collection of art works through
bequests, gifts and acquisitions. The Gallery now houses approximately 250 art
works from the fifteenth to the twentieth century. Many of these pieces are displayed throughout the campus. We
thank Mr. Baldwin and our patrons for making this collection possible.
The gallery currently features nine exhibitions per
year. Two of the most popular exhibitions held annually are the Art and Photography
Departments Faculty Exhibition and the Annual Art Department Student Exhibition.
Other exhibitions have featured such nationally and internationally recognized
artists such as Wayne Thiebaud, Roland Reiss, Elinor Antin, Patricia Patterson,
James Luna and Edward Weston. Many exhibits have included famous works by
Edward Hopper, Andy Warhol, William Wiley and Leonardo da Vinci.
The gallery currently averages over 1,000 visitors
per exhibition. Visitors include not
only Palomar students, faculty and staff, but many community members and
interested viewers from San Diego and other educational institutions. The
gallery is free and open to the public. Opening receptions and lectures by
visiting artists are also free to the public.
Individuals who have served as Boehm Gallery
directors include Art Department Professors Harry Bliss, Doug Durrant, Jim Saw,
Frank Jones, Fred Levine, Trang Nguyen, and Louis Boehm. The present director
is Viki Cole.
The Art Department and Boehm Gallery of Palomar College
thank you for attending our exhibitions.