[cid:image005.jpg@01D52A7F.B945F300]Bernie Bleha: A Retrospective June 24 - August 9, 2019 This summer, the Helen S. Smith Gallery will pay tribute in a memorial retrospective of the work of Dr. Bernie Bleha, former longtime Art Faculty at Green River College. Thanks to a generous donation from his estate and in partnership with Dr. Bleha's family, the retrospective features early works as well as works completed later in life providing the viewer insight into a creative process that lasted decades. "Life is what you celebrate. All of it. Even its end." Bernie would not want a big fuss over his passing but he would want a celebratory party. For those who cared, he will be remembered for his paramount love of family, dedication to education and a desire to touch, in a positive way, as many kindred spirits as possible. [cid:image006.jpg@01D52A7F.B945F300] "Every piece starts where most artists start: inspiration. Anything from pictures of African tribal masks to wildfires in the headlines can spark an idea. A thought, a mere thought and it kicks off a ton of work. I have it all planned out ahead of time. Every color I put down demands another color. It's like an addiction of some kind. You get the idea and you have to keep working at it. It isn't the product I turn out. I like the process." Bernie Bleha Sarah Dillon Gilmartin Fine Art Faculty Helen S. Smith Gallery Director Green River College 253/833-9111, ext. 4213