Lone Star College-Montgomery's Center for the Arts presents a unique ceramic exhibition, “Random Thoughts on Life on the Texas Gulf Coast”,  by George Bowes on display October 4-29. There will be an opening reception with refreshments on Thursday, October 7, at 12 p.m. in the Mary Matteson-Parrish Art Gallery (building D).

Galveston artist and professor at College of the Mainland in Texas City, Bowes’ functional ceramic sculptures are representative of living along the Galveston coast. The bold colors, patterns and images he uses speak of his ideas living and working along the Texas coast known for beautiful landscapes and an economy based on heavy industry--shipping and refineries.

“I moved to the Texas Gulf Coast in 2004,” said Bowes. “Growing up in the industrial Midwest, the landscape of refineries and factories were familiar to me but this industrial landscape was vast. Within the first year there was the explosion at the BP refinery. In the following years I evacuated for hurricanes Rita and Ike and cleaned and reestablished my studio, which received 44” of brackish floodwater during Hurricane Ike. Recently we had the 45-day release of tons of benzene in to the atmosphere. Combined with the pleasant aspects of life on the Texas Gulf Coast, these local events find their way into my psyche and out through my work.”
His works reside in public and private collections that include the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institute, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Joseph Schein International Museum of Ceramic Art.

Bowes was born in Toledo, Ohio, and lives in Galveston, Texas. He graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art (BFA, 1984) and the University of California, Davis, (MFA 2001). He has received multiple Individual Artist Fellowships from the Ohio Arts Council and an Arts Midwest / NEA Regional Visual Arts Fellowship Award.

The Matteson-Parrish Art Gallery is a teaching gallery at LSC-Montgomery, and the presentations and artwork provided are free to the community. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information about the arts at LSC-Montgomery visit www.LoneStar.edu/arts-montgomery or call Denise Meyers at (936) 273-7021.

With more than 69,000 students in credit classes for fall 2010, and a total enrollment of more than 85,000, Lone Star College System is the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area, and the fastest-growing community college system in Texas. Dr. Richard Carpenter is the chancellor of LSCS, which consists of five colleges including LSC-CyFair, LSC-Kingwood, LSC-Montgomery, LSC-North Harris, and LSC-Tomball, six centers, LSC-University Park, LSC-University Center at Montgomery, LSC-University Center at University Park, Lone Star Corporate College, and LSC-Online. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.