Community Education Student Photography on Display in Virtual Exhibit

JANUARY 6, 2021 -- Photography students in Allan Hancock College’s Community Education program are showcasing their talent via an online exhibit hosted by the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature in Solvang.

The virtual exhibit, titled “Looking Beyond the Pandemic,” is a collaboration between the museum and Community Education instructor Michael Messina’s adult learning photography class and features student photography depicting nature and wildlife scenes. Their work was created as both Messina and his students, many of whom are older adults and lifelong learners, adapted to online learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Over these past five years as I taught photography skills to older adult learners, I have learned how much they look forward to class each week and how important it is for them to connect as a community of lifelong learners,” said Messina. “I knew I could not abandon these wonderful people and must somehow step up to the plate and do what I could to make our ‘lock-down’ a better place to be.”

With the help of one of his technologically-savvy students, Messina learned how to use the online meeting tool Zoom, and his class was able to produce the photos included in the exhibit. The work captures images taken as close as the students’ own backyards, as far as Africa, and as deep as beneath the ocean’s surface.

Photographers featured in the exhibit include: Eileen Armijo; Kathleen Curtis; Leo Dewinter; Peggy Dewinter; Janet Ford; Sean Kellythorne; Hoan Kessler; Laurie Pemberton; Terii Richard; Sheryl Rosness; Mary Ann Veroski; Ron Walsh; Kathleen Yingst; and Chris Young.

The exhibit is a juried exhibition and will run through Feb. 7. To view the exhibit and learn more, visit www.wildlingmuseum.org.

 - AHC -

Photo Caption: “First Course” by Janet Ford.