The Clinton Community College Library Art Gallery is hosting an exhibit of pieces by Jo Van Arkel through March. Van Arkel’s artwork includes paintings, drawings, and framed short stories. The Library Art Gallery is open from 8 a.m to 8 p.m., and located at the CCC main campus, 1000 Lincoln Blvd., Clinton.
A college professor at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, Jo Van Arkel enjoys a variety of mediums for her artwork. She earned her M.F.A. in Fiction from the University of Oregon and has been a long-time professor of English. Van Arkel is a talented painter, with pieces ranging from colorful and abstract to simple. “I am thrilled to be featured in CCC’s gallery. The gallery is a great space and has a rich history for featuring creative work of all types. I hope the show sparks people to consider the relationship between written and visual storytelling.”
Van Arkel is a seasoned author and speaker. Her writing has appeared in Northwest Review, The Literary Review, Cave Region Review, Elder Mountain, Bid Muddy and other lit mags. She also runs a small letterpress studio where she makes mono-prints, illustrations, zines and poster poems. In her Artist’s Statement, Van Arkel writes, “I like a broad and playful creative practice. I write essays, stories and poems. I also like to explore abstract art that captures a feeling or a moment. And then sometimes I like to do small, simple illustrations with ink and paper or paint and canvas. For me, these variations of purpose and materials are all related.”
CCC President Dr. Brian Kelly commented, “The work of Jo Van Arkel represents a love of both the visual arts and the written word. It's an honor to have a visiting artist with this unique vision.”
Clinton Community College is one of the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges. For more information about the CCC Library Art Gallery, call 563-244-7001.