Steven Benezue named new gallery director

North Lake College has a new Gallery director. Steven Benezue replaces Bob Nunn, who retired Dec. 31, after holding that position for 20 years.

“ He has been my assistant here at North Lake and is the best candidate for this job,” said Nunn. He also said that Benezue was a good student when he attended NLC and is happy about his appointment.

Benezue, a native of Mississippi, came to North Lake in the early ‘80s after moving to Dallas. He graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a degree in architecture and took part in the construction of DFW Airport for 15 years.

He then began teaching ceramics, photography and computer graphics at North Lake after finishing his Master of Fine Arts degree from Texas Woman’s University in ceramics and photography. He is also a professional artist whose work has been displayed all over Texas.

“My goal as a professional artist is to actually someday have my works shown in a book, in addition to having my work shown in a gallery in New York,” he said.

As an instructor at NLC, he has been acknowledged by his coworkers and students as being a good teacher. Student Tasnova Hossain said, “He is a very profound instructor. He teaches students how to make things from scratch.”

Hossain is a computer graphics major and art student from India who took Benezue’s class last semester as a requirement. However, now she takes his class for the fun of it.

Instructor, Byron Black agrees. “He really puts a lot of effort in explaining and showing the students how to do things, which is what makes a good teacher.”

Benezue said that in teaching, he is looks for students who work to satisfy themselves. He said that teaching is an art for himself, in a way.

“Teaching is like making a sculpture,” he said. “As I mold students into achieving something; some are good and some are not.”

Benezue also has his own standard in selecting art works, one of his jobs as the Gallery’s curator. One of the most important things that he looks for in artwork is its presentation.

“What I look for in an artwork is that it should look professional, well-presented and finished,” he said.

Some of Benezue’s works can be seen at NLC. Among them are the dysfunctional teapots in front of room J-211.

Benezue will hang 25 of Bob Nunn’s paintings in the Gallery through March 22, and will host a retirement reception for him on March 2 at 7:30 p.m.