GROSSMONT COLLEGE –The new curator for the Hyde Art gallery on campus says when he was a little boy his grandma would send him art books that grabbed his interest.

In high school when John Chwekun was around 16 years of age, his art teacher offered him a job building sculptural titles that were installed in a San Diego home. This was a big deal to Chwekun because it was his first art work that would not only be seen outside of the school but in someone’s home.

He went to San Diego State for his B.A. where he tried to major in something other than art, but he says “art kept pulling me back” After SD State, he attended Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

He returned to his hometown San Diego where he started his career teaching art. Chwekun worked at SDSU as well as at San DiegoMesa, Mira Costa, and Southwestern College before coming here to Grossmont.   The curator said he is willing to go whereever his interest takes him, and he will continue to make and teach art. When asked how he likes it here, he responded: “I really like it, the students are very welcoming”.

He suggested that education and art are tied to each other, to know one is to know the other. He will be here to “foster growth and critical thought” for whoever wants to learn. If you are interested in being taught by him or his work you can stop by the gallery on Thursdays or visit the website johnchwekun.com

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Boyd is a student in Media Comm 132A.