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38 years in the making
Students, staff and friends honor prof Oshima at gallery
Fanny Cano / Roundup
Thirty-eight years of art on the wall, live performers and more than 50 people came out to honor and celebrate the retirement of Pierce College professor David Oshima.
The May 14 opening took place at the Canoga Park Youth Arts Center. Oshima will retire at the end of Spring according to Monika Del Bosque, Gallery Director.
In addition to his career as a professor at Pierce, Oshima was the Senior Graphic Artist for 20 years at Mission college.
Oshima’s art was accompanied by the work of his previous art students that he collected throughout the years.
The mediums varied from self-portraits, web designs, logos and photography.
“He made me go out of my ordinary self with my art by taking it to different extremes,” said Mona Mazloumi, a Pierce College student who studied under Oshima. She said that taking his classes was a good experience and inspired her to become an art major.
“I wish that he would continue teaching so that I could take some of his other classes,” said Mazloumi.
A message from the staff at Mission College was placed on the wall that read “David Oshima’s Mission College Logo Design Project from early 1980’s is a prime example of breadth and versatility required for a designer during this time period.”
There were live performances by Christina Linhardt from Linhardt Circus Production and William Roper.
Linhardt said that the live performances where inspired by some of Oshima’s work. The sound of Roper’s music also circulated the room as he played his horn throughout the night.
Oshima expressed that he was not sad to be retiring.
“This is one part of my life and now I’m moving on to a different part in my life.”
He said that he looks forward to traveling and going fishing.
The thing he is going to miss the most is the “folks“ and the students that he has worked with thus far.
“I am only retiring as a faculty member, but I am not retiring from art and photography,” said Oshima. He was excited to have his work displayed at the Canoga Park Youth Arts Center and hopes to inspire some of the children who visit it. His friend Steve Yatomi of 20 years was proud of his work.
“It is great to see the combination of all his great work,” said Yatomi.
