Santa Monica College's Emeritus College Art Gallery is pleased to present "Evelyn Meyer and the Narrative Between Patron, Mentor and Artist" - the guest artist exhibition - from April 23 through May 22.

The opening reception will be held from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 30 in the gallery, located on the first floor of Emeritus College, 1227 Second St. in downtown Santa Monica. Parking is available next door in Santa Monica Public Parking Structure No. 2. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

This exhibition explores the inter-relationship of Evelyn Meyer's personal art collection, her own art making practices and the role she plays in mentoring new artists.

The 18 pieces featured in this show were produced by a diverse group of artists, all with a unique relationship to Meyer, a prominent art collector and artist who moved to Los Angeles from New York five years ago.

These works speak to categories that are not well defined in art and sometimes obscured with contention: Self taught, Naïve, Outsider, Folk, and Craft, said SMC art history professor Walter Meyer (no relation to Evelyn), curator of the show. "The collection represents artists who did not receive extended art training in a college, university, or other traditional settings, hence their being labeled outsider, folk, craft, or naïve artists."

The different roles that Evelyn Meyer plays, and demonstrates through this exhibition, are not separate but interconnected activities that thrive off one another, Walter Meyer said.

Meyer's home becomes a gallery for all who visit to see the objects that she has acquired as an act of inspiration for herself and those whom she mentors. Her commitment to mentoring new artists has extended to SMC where she has guided artists including one of the artists featured in the show, along with the intern-curators who made this show possible.

Emeritus College is Santa Monica College's widely praised program founded 34 years ago and currently serves about 3,500 older adults with 150 classes and special programs.

For information, call (310) 434-4306 or visit www.smc.edu/emeritus.