DMC will host an opening reception for its newest art exhibit, “Selections from the Permanent Collection,” on Fri, Sept. 5, from 6-8 p.m. at the Cain Gallery on the Heritage campus.

The exhibit features a curated selection of artworks acquired over the past five decades through the college’s prestigious CAIN National Art Show, which will celebrate its 60^th year in 2026.

Associate Professor of Art Kerstin Dale felt that the collection came together well.

“It’s a really interesting collection of artwork because it is, even though it spans … 60 years’ worth of folks collecting artwork … our environment and where we are, it looks intentional, the pieces belong together, and there’s a sense of continuity with all the pieces,” said Dale.

The CAIN National Art Show, a juried competition, selects Purchase Award winners each year – $3,000 for three-dimensional works and $1,500 for two-dimensional pieces. The winning artworks become part of the college’s permanent collection.

The oldest piece in the show, “Son of the Wall Egg” by Theadore Striewski and “Morning and Night Beds” by Curtis Ripley, date back to the sixth annual show in 1972. The most recent addition is “Let’s Talk” by Payton Konarik, acquired at the 57^th annual show in 2022.

“This is an amazing piece [“Son of the Wall Egge”] that’s got some interesting character to it and that’s how the selections ended up happening for a lot of them. It was like, ‘Well, what’s actually in here?’” said Dale.

The exhibit showcases a wide range of media, from traditional materials such as watercolor, pastel and charcoal to unconventional ones including concrete, cork, bamboo, and neon lights.

“A lot of it is because we’ve had a lot of faculties retire over the years, so we have two things happening at the same time, we had the 60^th Spring CAIN National and DMC’s 90^th anniversary,” said Dale. “That’s a milestone and it’s a lot of years having our own independent shows right here at Heritage.”

Elena Rodriguez, assistant professor of art, explained the variety of art seen throughout the years will be on display in the show.

“This show reflects the breadth and diversity of art collected over the years,” Rodriguez continues, “Many of these works have been in storage and are rarely seen by the public.”

The free reception is open to the public and includes complimentary hors d’ oeuvres and a cash bar. Cain Gallery is located on the first floor of the Fine Arts Center at 101 Baldwin Boulevard.

For directions or campus map, visit delmar.edu. For a preview of the show or more information, contact the Department of Art and Drama.