Draw into a Dialogue attracted students from Cerritos College who attended and watched the pieces of art on display at the art gallery in the Fine Arts building on Feb. 25.

Art professor James MacDevitt was hosting the art show presentation, as well as giving an introduction to students and introducing Steve Roden and John O’Brien, two well-known international artists who have had their art displayed at the Cerritos College Art Gallery.

One of the artists that put together the Drawn into a Dialogue art show was Roden, who explained that ever since he was a little kid he always liked drawing and coloring.

He also explained as he was growing up in the 1980’s  he was a part of a rock band in high school, but during that time he just became more interested in art.

Roden also said, “It’s not easy to be an artist… I’ve been doing this for 20 years and in the first 15 years I didn’t get paid or sold anything, but I still do other things like teach to make money.”

He also explained to me that it’s his first time being in Cerritos College, being fortunate enough to show his work to Cerritos student and explain the meaning of his art pieces.

Roden also said that he has more of his art work in San Diego, which is going to be open for the public to see Feb. 25 and has also had shows in Italy, Brazil, and the University of Southern California.

O’Brien has a Bachelor in Fine Art from the Accademia dell’Arte in Roma and a Masters in Fine Art from USC.

He explained during the time he was a child he had to move a lot, growing up in a military family, but it was during all that moving he fell in love with art and became better at it.

He also said, “The day I decided to pursue a career as an artist is when I was living in Italy, but being an artist is not easy, it’s a very competitive career.”

O’Brien also said that he, MacDevitt and Steve Roden have been preparing for this exhibition since the fall of last year and is happy to say that it’s now open for the students to see.

O’Brien said that he and Roden collaborated on art work that they have done together, including in art piece known as “The Sound Pavilion” that’s located in the garden outside the art gallery.

“I have done art work in New York to California, but in Europe I have done art in Slovania, Crowatia, France, Germany, and Spain. I have contacts in Russia, Japan, Turkey and Egypt, but the only place I don’t have contacts is in South America. But all together I have been doing art work for 30 years,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien also said that he is waiting four more years so he could start traveling again since his kids are going to be old enough to take care of themselves by then.

O’Brien found out about the Cerritos College Art Gallery last spring and since then he has been in contact with James Macdevitt, but he also said that he’s been giving art speeches in community colleges, cal state universities, as well as other universities like UC Irvine and USC.