college community - Mt. Hood Community College

e a beholder
The Artist and the Art
Artist and MHCC graduate Miles
Browne connects multiple influences in
his work, and multiple perspectives in the
college’s Visual Arts Gallery.
It can probably be agreed by just
about everyone that the merit of art
is in the eye of the beholder. It can
also be agreed that all art benefits
from a great space in which to do
the beholding. The Visual Arts
Gallery at MHCC, free and open to
the public five days a week, is just
such a space. Coordinated by artist
Miles Browne, the gallery displays
a changing schedule of exhibitions
ranging from painting to sculpture,
photography to ceramics and more.
Single-artist shows alternate with
juried group shows, including the
annual exhibit of the best work from
artists representing regional high
schools and displays of work from
students in MHCC’s own Visual Arts
department.
“The MHCC gallery
and the art it displays
enable people to
communicate in many
different ways. Art
can be a message, a
release, an emotion
or simply good fun.
Its value to all of us is
underappreciated.”
“The Visual Arts Gallery at MHCC,”
says Janet McIntyre, dean of the
Social Science and the Visual and
Performing Arts divisions, ”is truly a
hidden gem, offering a showcase for
professional artists as well as young
artists just embarking on their path.
Miles Browne, a brilliant painter and
graduate of MHCC, has served as our
gallery coordinator for the past two
years. He brings a unique vision that
has elevated each of our exhibitions
through his skillful and sensitive handling
of the artists’ works.”
Browne graduated from
MHCC in 2005, and spent
additional time taking every
MHCC visual arts class he
could, and then went on to
earn his bachelor’s degree
at Pacific Northwest College
of Art. A painter and sculptor
with many solo shows
to his credit, his works mix
elements and creatures from
nature, juxtaposed with
mechanical influences and
geometric shapes. His painting,
“Gears of Sunset II,” for
example, puts rough metallic
gears in the sky above the
fiery sea at the end of day.
“A lot of my work tends to
respond to nature, such as
animals and landscapes,” he
explains. “These geometric
designs represent the underlying
structures, from plant
cells to the systems of the
universe. It’s all about one’s
perspective.”
Recently back from a trip to
Haiti to work with young
artists, Browne is enthusiastically
hanging pieces from local high
school age artists when we visit.
“This is strong work,” he says. “High
school age artists are very advanced,
compared to a decade ago when I was
in school. Their art is pure and honest.
I’m very grateful for the opportunity
to curate this show and coordinate the
gallery itself. The MHCC gallery and
the art it displays enable people to
communicate in many different ways.
Art can be a message, a release, an
emotion or simply good fun. Its value
to all of us is underappreciated. Part
of that is allowing the whole idea of
art to become too complicated. People
should just come and see it and enjoy
it—because art without a ‘beholder’
doesn’t really exist.”
SHARING HIS ART
Miles Browne’s interest in art
began while studying at MHCC
You can help art exist 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday in the Visual
Arts Gallery, located on the east side
of the Gresham Campus, 26000 S.E.
Stark Street.
For a schedule of art shows, please visit
mhcc.edu/visualartsgallery.
2 mhcc.edu